Getting ready to install new smart switch so that playing pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey game with the key, in the dark, will be a thing of the past.
It's going into a 3-gang switch box, which currently has two toggles and a rotary dimmer, all 2-pole connections via screw terminals. Smart one will replace one of the toggles, and the rotary dimmer will be replaced by a more modern toggle dimmer.
New smart switch, while blessedly not needing a neutral wire like most, does have a ground lead among its pigtails, and is not self-grounding. Box is metal and connected to corrugated metal conduit.
Will have to add a ground lead, either attached by clip, or screw. And is there a way to test that the box is grounded? There are no outlets or other metal fixtures nearby.
Pulled the wall plate off, and can't tell by peeking in whether there are existing hole provisions to add a ground wire, untill I cut power and pull the switches. The box itself actually looks like it was assembled from three modular sections screwed together, but being 50 years old, I'm not sure whether it has the pre-drilled hole like many are said to.
That being the case, are those ground clips ok, or should I just plan to make use of an existing hole, if present, or create one myself? I have a 10-32 tap in the tool drawer.
Also, is there some obscure code whereby re-ordering the switch positions is prohibited? They don't make a 3-gang wall plate with the deco in the middle, so the new switch will have to be moved to the outboard position.
Lastly, I have nothing for or against wire nuts, and can use the ones provided. But I did spot the Wagos while at Home Despot, and those do seem enticing. I've seen it argued both ways.
I've also been progressively going through and replacing worn outlets, and other than them being of the backstab variety, haven't come across any obvious signs of other shortcuts in the house wiring.
It's going into a 3-gang switch box, which currently has two toggles and a rotary dimmer, all 2-pole connections via screw terminals. Smart one will replace one of the toggles, and the rotary dimmer will be replaced by a more modern toggle dimmer.
New smart switch, while blessedly not needing a neutral wire like most, does have a ground lead among its pigtails, and is not self-grounding. Box is metal and connected to corrugated metal conduit.
Will have to add a ground lead, either attached by clip, or screw. And is there a way to test that the box is grounded? There are no outlets or other metal fixtures nearby.
Pulled the wall plate off, and can't tell by peeking in whether there are existing hole provisions to add a ground wire, untill I cut power and pull the switches. The box itself actually looks like it was assembled from three modular sections screwed together, but being 50 years old, I'm not sure whether it has the pre-drilled hole like many are said to.
That being the case, are those ground clips ok, or should I just plan to make use of an existing hole, if present, or create one myself? I have a 10-32 tap in the tool drawer.
Also, is there some obscure code whereby re-ordering the switch positions is prohibited? They don't make a 3-gang wall plate with the deco in the middle, so the new switch will have to be moved to the outboard position.
Lastly, I have nothing for or against wire nuts, and can use the ones provided. But I did spot the Wagos while at Home Despot, and those do seem enticing. I've seen it argued both ways.
I've also been progressively going through and replacing worn outlets, and other than them being of the backstab variety, haven't come across any obvious signs of other shortcuts in the house wiring.