Here is my dilemma (and I have changed switches before).
Upon removing the switch plate cover, I find the existing switch to be wire quite differently than what I am used to. Instead of there being a white wire, a black wire, and a copper wire (ground), there are what look like two distinct black wires on one terminal and another black wire on the other. So I proceed to remove the old switch by unscrewing the two screws and this is where I run into my problem. What I thought were two wires turned out to be one wire that had the insulation removed on about a 1 inche section and the bare part was wrapped around the screw and then tightened. The actual end of this continuous loop was wirenutted to another short piece of black wire coming off the light socket next to it. I connected the new socket using the exact same set up, but when I was finished and turned the power back on, the switch didn't only control the bathroom light, but it acted like a sort of power strip switch for the hall light and the light in our other bathroom. You know how those work, you need to have the power turned on a power strip in order for the things plugged into it to work. This is my problem. Did I buy the wrong kind of light switch, and if so, what kind do I need? Or, should I call an electrician and have them come in and straighten this mess out?
Upon removing the switch plate cover, I find the existing switch to be wire quite differently than what I am used to. Instead of there being a white wire, a black wire, and a copper wire (ground), there are what look like two distinct black wires on one terminal and another black wire on the other. So I proceed to remove the old switch by unscrewing the two screws and this is where I run into my problem. What I thought were two wires turned out to be one wire that had the insulation removed on about a 1 inche section and the bare part was wrapped around the screw and then tightened. The actual end of this continuous loop was wirenutted to another short piece of black wire coming off the light socket next to it. I connected the new socket using the exact same set up, but when I was finished and turned the power back on, the switch didn't only control the bathroom light, but it acted like a sort of power strip switch for the hall light and the light in our other bathroom. You know how those work, you need to have the power turned on a power strip in order for the things plugged into it to work. This is my problem. Did I buy the wrong kind of light switch, and if so, what kind do I need? Or, should I call an electrician and have them come in and straighten this mess out?
