[afuchs04]

Hi, I am trying to install a garbage disposal in our home. There was a single toggle switch to control the light switch above the sink. I bought a switch with 2 toggles to replace it and I am trying to tie into it. There are two wires coming into the box. One is whtie(hot) the other is black(neutral). For some reason I can get the light to work but not the disposal.
Am I missing something, or is this something that can't be done. Please Help.:confused:

[Stratmando]

The hot goes to side with the little jumper(tab). Don't remove tab on switch. The other side of switch, 1 goes to lite, other to disposal. All whites tie together.

[Cobraguy]

Wait... that doesn't sound right. It sounds to me like you have what's called a "switch loop". Power is supplied at the light fixture. The electrician takes the hot wire at the fixture, runs it down to the switch (in your case, it's the white wire if it's hot at the switch) and returns it to the other side of the hot wire in the fixture through the black wire. In newer construction, the white wire should have black marker or tape on the ends of it to indicate it's a hot and not a neutral. YOU HAVE NO NEUTRAL AT THE SWITCH! You cannot supply power for a disposal from this switch.

[labman]

Cobra guy is right. The single pair of wires at a switch is a dead give away for a switch loop. You will have to find power to the disposal elsewhere, perhaps at the light.

[donf]

Please stop and think. Do you have any electrical experience at all?

Some very basic information for you to consider. On a plain 110/120 line, you have two primary wires. Black is the "Load" or Hot line and White is the "Neutral or Return line. A bare wire or a green covered wire is also a ground. So the connection into the main panel box would be, depending on the panel box itself, Black to the breaker, White to the Neutral Bus and Ground to the Ground bus.

This configuration would then "Feed" the light circuit with power. At the Light fixture junction box, the "Switch Loop" is created. The wire from the junction to the switch is typically done with a Black/White combination. The Black from the breaker is connected to the white from the switch. Wrap a small amount of black tape around the white to designate this particular wire as "Load Carrying", not Neutral. On the switch end, place the white wire on the lower screw of the switch, again put a small amount to black tape on the outside of the white lead to mark the wire. Then connect the Black to the top screw of the switch. At the light fixture, connect the black from the switch to the black from the fixture. Connect the other white wires together. And connect the ground. That gives you a properly working light.

To add the 110/120 for the disposal, you should only (if memory serves me correctly) take the tap off a 15 Amp line that feeds directly off a breaker. You cannot draw from a switch to power the disposal. Now, what I did in my place was to kill the breaker to my garage lights (15 Amp Line) cut the line prior to a switch circuit. Install a junction box splice in 14/2 AWG wire and run the line over to the area for the disposal. After that, I put in a switch loop out to the switch for the disposal. The alternative would be to bring power from the 15 amp line to the switch first, then to the disposal.

Remember, you are adding a circuit to the house so you need to get an electrical permit from the LRA and make arrangements to have the work inspected when completed.

All splices are to be enclosed in Junction boxes. Exposed wire must be in conduit.