I am replacing a regular light switch with a more fashionable looking design. When I took out the old light switch there was a red and a black wire attached. I am used to white and black. Which wire is considered the white wire when I am wiring this switch?
Switches don't require a neutral (white wire) One of these wires is hot..the other feeds the fixture. Attach to the terminals of the switch. More than likely if you look into the box you will see the white wires maretted together for continuity return
never heard of a white wire , but theres only 2 wires , dont think itd matter which way round ,cos its only a breaker
It depends on how they ran the power to the switch. In a standard circuit, white is the neutral. In the switch leg, where you are working, there is no neutral. They can use any wires for a switch except green. You had seen black and white because those are the colors in a 2 conductor Romex cable. This may be a 3 conductor which has red, white, and black. In any case, each of the 2 loose wires go on one of the the brass screws of the switch, and the ground if there is one goes on the green. Some electricians will tape the white wire if it's used in a switch leg to indicate that it's not a neutral. Hope this helps.
