I went to replace a witch in my home. when I removed the switch and
looken in the junction box. There where 3 cable wired to the box. The
grounds were wired together (no problem) and all the white cables were
wired together (the wire colors are white, black & Cooper) here is
were it gets real interesting. all 3 black cables were conected to the
switch. when I conected the new switch. (the hot to the switch and
another black. And left the 3 out & cover with a wire nut).
Everything sended to work fine. But the lights would not turn on on 2
other rooms in the house that are located on the same breaker. But
they did where I relpaced the switch. My question is this: Do I
attach a pigtail to the 2 other black cables in the box and connect the
pigtail to the switch? Any guidence would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you. making a diagram is something I have learned. (the hard
way) but I have learned.

seven wrote:
Thank you. making a diagram is something I have learned. (the hard
way) but I have learned.

From your OP it looks like you have one hot coming in and two going
out. All that used the switch to make the connection. The answer to
your question is: Yes, pigtail so there is only one black going to the
switch.

Harry K

"Harry K" wrote in message
ups.com...

seven wrote:
Thank you. making a diagram is something I have learned. (the hard
way) but I have learned.

From your OP it looks like you have one hot coming in and two going
out. All that used the switch to make the connection. The answer to
your question is: Yes, pigtail so there is only one black going to the
switch.

Harry K

Doesn't sound like what was posted. I suspect there is the black hot coming
in to one side of the switch, a second black from the other side of the
switch to the switched device, and the third black, going to the other two
rooms, tied to a second terminal on the same side of the switch as the hot
(the two connections on the same side being jumpered together by a metal
strip in the switch). If only one terminal on that side of the switch, then
pigtail the hot to the 3rd black (going to the other two UNSWITCHED rooms)
and attach the pigtail to the side of the switch opposite the black to the
switched device. Pigtailing all three blacks together will effectively
bypass the switch.

Mark wrote:
"Harry K" wrote in message
ups.com...

seven wrote:
Thank you. making a diagram is something I have learned. (the hard
way) but I have learned.

From your OP it looks like you have one hot coming in and two going
out. All that used the switch to make the connection. The answer to
your question is: Yes, pigtail so there is only one black going to the
switch.

Harry K

Doesn't sound like what was posted. I suspect there is the black hot coming
in to one side of the switch, a second black from the other side of the
switch to the switched device, and the third black, going to the other two
rooms, tied to a second terminal on the same side of the switch as the hot
(the two connections on the same side being jumpered together by a metal
strip in the switch). If only one terminal on that side of the switch, then
pigtail the hot to the 3rd black (going to the other two UNSWITCHED rooms)
and attach the pigtail to the side of the switch opposite the black to the
switched device. Pigtailing all three blacks together will effectively
bypass the switch.

Right. I posted before really thinking about it.

Harry K

Is it a regular switch or a 3 way switch? If 3 way, that would explain
3 blacks going to the switch. If it's a regular,
then one is hot, one is to whatever is being switched, and the third
one must feed other areas and should be
connected to hot.

It is a single pole switch. I will try to explain how I got the the
switch to work and get power to the other 2 rooms on the Breaker. I
connect the hot to the switch. Then connected another small peice of
black cable to the same bolt as the hot. Then pigtailed it to one of
the other black wires (it did make a diferance which black cable it was
going to but I could not tell you which one it went to i.e. room) then
connected the 3 cable to the other bolt on the switch. And of course I
connected the ground first. At the point, there was power to all the
rooms no mater wether the room with the switch was on or not. I hope
this makes sence. P.S. I did pigtail all 3 line together until I
figured out what was going on. but when I did the the light in the
room was constantly on. I will say one thing for sure. When you
spend numerous hours (to many to admit to in a public forum . wiring
1 single pole switch. It becomes a REAL learning experiance.

"seven" wrote in message
oups.com...

I connect the hot to the switch. Then connected another small peice of
black cable to the same bolt as the hot. Then pigtailed it to one of
the other black wires

Not a good idea to attach two wires to the same "bolt" on the switch. The
"other black wire" should be pigtailed together with the hot and then the
pigtail used to make the connection to the switch.

Thats what I thourht to. so I cked five other switches in my house and
those that have 3 seprate cables running into the junction box are run
the same way. I also cked a switch that a electrican just installed
for me a year ago. And that is how he ran the cables. That is how I
came up with the solution I am using now. You mentioned it is not a
good idea to do this. Can you explain why. Because I am honestly
trying to learn. And any advice you can give me would be greatly
apreciated.