Folks, I have to move the light switch on the right – to right below the light switch on the left. The right box is nailed to the stud on its right and the left is nailed to the stud on its left. No stud between the two boxes. The switches on the right are a regular switch and 3 way. A new wall is going right where the box on the right is – that is why I have to move it. Surely someone has done this before. Can someone help me and let me know the step by step process – cause I am sure if I start in I will get half way and not realize something and then I will have holes everywhere and I have to leave for CA for the week and I will get killed if I leave this wall a mess. This is the first time posting a picture so I hope that works. Thanks for any help.
Replies
You left out alot of info including your skillset. It helps to know where the wires come from. If they all come from the top (or bottom) it makes things easier. Do you have access either above or below the switch ie attic & basement? If so, its cake. You can put an accessible junction box above and or below then put the box wherever you want.
I would minimize wall damage by abandoning the old box and installing a cut-in box in the new location.
I really need a few of my questions answered before I can add more.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
The picture should ideally to be scaled down in visual size and megabytes, but it's otherwise OK.
It's unclear what precisely you're planning -- do you mean that a new wall will tee into the existing wall where the switch is?
The difficulty of moving the switch depends a lot on how the wires are routed, and how far you want to move the switch. If the wires are coming from above, and you only want to move the switch a few inches, you can simply open up the wall, disconnect the box from the stud, swing it to the left, and attach it to a scabbed-in piece of 2x4. As it swings left it will need to go higher, but since the other switch is higher this gives you an opportunity to put them on the same level.
But if some wires are from above and some from below, or if you want to move the switch to the other side of the left one (or just below), you'll probably need more slack in the wires than you have. Since you can't legally "bury" a splice in a wall, you'd probably have to install one or more junction boxes in the wall (high and low, as needed) with blank covers (or, if you're lucky, place the boxes in an unfinished attic or basement).
they make a box that clamps to the drywall, no stud is needed, its a platic blue box
.....clamps to the drywall.....
Called an "old work box", available as plastic or metal.
Happy New Year!
JimNever underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.
open up the wall from stud to stud from about 2' above to about 2' below the switches, that gives you plenty of room to work, a small sheetrock patch is as much work a bigger one.
Pull the nails holding the box, pull staples on the wires, with any luck you will have enough slack to just slide it overto the other side. Screww through the side of the box to the stud.
If your wires are not long enough then you may have to get creative to make legal junctions.
jayzog gives the easiest answer covering most of the problems you might encounter. The switch you want to move has at least two wires going to it; one for each switch. That would be German style(or something like that), where the power is going to the light and devise & never mind...More likely there is a third wire supplying power to both switches. Code calls for wires to be stapled to studs close to box. Where do they come from & where do they go? If you can't visualize these possibilities and make a determination from inspection, call someone who can. Respect electricity, it's a great tool, but so is a chain saw.
Btw, how are you fastening the new wall to the existing?
. . . and, for goodness sake, put the new box at the same elevation as the old one. That arrangement would drive me nuts !
Greg
Put Everything at the same height, I agree with the others.
Resized picture.
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October 17th, 2009
Jeremy and Lisa
Was there ever any doubt?
Edited 1/1/2009 11:21 am by bstcrpntr
What if you cut one good sized hole that goes around both boxes?
You could put in a 4gang switch box. By raising the switches on the right it may give you enough wire to simply move things from one side of stup to the other.
Shut off the power. Label all wires in each box. Remove all wires from both boxes. Install 4gang box. Pull wires into new box. Cut drywall to fit. Install switches and dimmers. Finish around box when you finish new wall.
Take pictures of switches hanging out with labels on the wires before disconnecting. Gives you something to look at when you get confused.
October 17th, 2009
Jeremy and Lisa
Was there ever any doubt?
Looks like there's already been some amateurs at work on that wall.
You won't know what you need to do until you open up a pretty good size section of the wall. You need to know not just the stud arrangement, but what wiring method was used.
There's no such thing as just moving one switch ... you're going to have to move the entire box, containing both switches.
Once you have the wall open, you'll see just what has to be done. Ultimately, since you have a total of four switches, you'll probably want to use a single "four gang" box to hold all four switches. If you do, be sure to support the box across it's entire length, and not rely just upon the mounting flange at one end.
Since the switches might be on different circuits, take care to keep your wires sorted out. Don't just try to put all the white wires under the same wire nut.
Folks, thanks for responding.Looks like I have to take out more wall than I thought - but that is fine.In the long run having more room to work will make it easier. I can handle the patching - that is not a big deal.I will go for the gang box idea. The wires enter the box from the top and I don't have attic access to the wires.What is actually going on this new wall is a 36" french door. I am adding this door to close off a great room. This great room is up a set of 5 stairs. The door will be at the top of the stairs opening into the room. Those switches are at the top of the stairs.For the new wall I was going to toggle bolt a 2x4 stud to the wall - and then start building off (tee off) that. OR what should I do to start the new wall?Thanks again everyone.PS - before I do anything I have to figure out how to resize the photos for posting. Good god - endless stuff to do!!!
"PS - before I do anything I have to figure out how to resize the photos for posting. Good god - endless stuff to do!!!"
JJ,
Every computer I have ever had came with some sort of easy to use photo software. I use the Microsoft "picture it" software that came with my Dell. Just open the picture and there should be an option somewhere to resize it. Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md
"For the new wall I was going to toggle bolt a 2x4 stud to the wall - and then start building off (tee off) that."If you where just building a new wall then you could get buy with gluing the stud to the wall and the top plate to the ceiling if it ran parallel and between joist.But you are going to have a door and my guess is near that end. And since you are opening up the wall anyway put in a stud in the wall or run some blocking between stud so that you have something solid to support the door..
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
OR what should I do to start the new wall?
I'd open that stud bay up from floor to ceiling. Attach your new wall to the stud on the right or nail in some blocking between the studs.
Tear out a big hole in the drywall where the switches are, then post a pic of it. You'll get more answers than you can use after that.
Man it is worse than anticipated. I shut the power off to both those boxes - they are on 2 different circuits. I opened up the box on the right - the one I want moved. The switch on the left in that box controls a fan in the great room and the switch on the right is a 3 way switch to recessed lights in an adjacent room. But there are 3 cables into the box and all 3 cables are tied together - I could not even explain how they are tied together if I tried. So I can't go further with until I get an electrician in here.I am adventurous but I have limits.I have to rethink the plan.Thanks everyone.
If all the wires are coming in from the top consider simply moving the box as I described earlier. Pry it loose from the stud, scab in a new piece of 2x4 to support the box, and attach to that. You'll need to open up enough of the wall to pull the staples on the cables going up a couple of feet at least, but you should probably open up the wall anyway to install blocking to support the new wall.
The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of a mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one. --Wilhelm Stekel
Please don't post pictures like that inline.
It is way to big. Both screen size and byte size.
It will lockup peoples computers that are one dailup.
And screen size it is too big to tell what is happening. (Except it does show some back DW and paining jobs.
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
Please, please, PLEASE!! Never do that again!! You imbedded a nearly 1MB image in your post. At best it takes forever to load on a dial-up connection. At worst it crashes the browser and maybe the computer. Scale it down if you're going to imbed it.
Sorry guy's! Sincerely.
I just did the copy and paste. I had no idea it would
cause a problem. I am a comic genius thou, right? PS
Deleting post right now.
Call a qualified electrician????????????????????????????????????????????????
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