In article . com,
david wrote:
hi
I have a total of three wires coming into the box. Two black come to
the right side of the switch and the white wire (this goes to the
electric box) is in a red capping to join electric cables.

Would a duplex switch work with me spiltting the black cable assuming
one black wire goies to the vanity and the other to the overhead light
thanks

Do the tests that I described to verify that the white is the hot (hot
wires should not be white) and that the 2 blacks go to the vanity &
overhead. It everything checks out, then yes you can use a duplex
switch.

Its just as likely (and the colors match) that the 2 blacks go to the
supply and feed another switch/outlet, and the white joins the vanity
and overhead in the "red capping" which I am guessing is a red wire nut.
You can still use a duplex outlet here, but you must properly identify
the supply and load wires.

IMPORTANT: If you are not comfortable making these tests, CALL AN
ELECTRICIAN.

Rich Greenberg wrote:
In article . com,
david wrote:
hi
My Master Bathroom single switch controls nine light one overhead
and 8
on the vanity. Is it possible to put the overhead light and the
vanity
lights on two separate switches.

Yes. How easy it will be depends on how the original wireing was
done.

If you are not comfortable working with electrical circuts, STOP here
and call an electrician.

Otherwise, open up the switch and pull the switch out from the box.
How
many wires are attached to it? If 2, and neither of them is spliced
to
2 others in the box, you probably want to call an electrician.

If there are 3 wires coming into the box and 2 are connected to one
side
of the switch, turn the switch to off and using a test light
determine
which side of the switch is hot. If its the side with 2 wires, you
probably want to call an electrician.

Otherwise, split the 2 wires apart. CAREFULLY touch one then the
other
to the hot side of the switch. If one lites the overhead and the
other
lights the vanity, jackpot. Otherwise put things back and you
probably want to call an electrician.

Turn the power off. Get a duplex switch. Its 2 switches that mount
in
the space of one. It will require a different switch plate. The
duplex
switch will have 4 screws, 2 on each side. Connect the hot to one of
them and add a jumper to the other screw on the same side. (Some
duplex
switches will have this jumper internally and have 2 screws on one
side
and one on the other. The one is the hot connection.) Connect the
wire
to the overhead to one of the other screws and the vanity to the
other.

Put back into the box, put the plate on and apply power. If you have
done everything right, the house won't burn down and the lights will
be
controlled seperately.

Good luck.


--
Rich Greenberg Marietta, GA, USA richgr atsign panix.com + 1 770 321 6507
Eastern time. N6LRT I speak for myself & my dogs only. VM'er since CP-67
Canines:Val, Red & Shasta (RIP),Red, husky Owner:Chinook-L
Atlanta Siberian Husky Rescue. www.panix.com/~richgr/ Asst Owner:Sibernet-L