home wiring question - eliminate a switch by connecting the wires together?

[Maximus96]

Right now my porch light is switched from the inside. I want to swap that out for a LED flood light/security light with motion sensor. Instead of always leaving the switch on, I want to remove the switch and connect the two wires together...I'm no electrician so is there any thing wrong with doing that? I don't want to set my house on fire...

 

[SlushySolid]

cut off electricity to the circuit, wrap the wires together, and cap them with a wire nut

should be good to go

 

[ISAslot]

Nope, just keep it accessible.

 

[BoomerD]

Wrong? Only that, should you ever have to change the fixture...you'll no longer have the switch available to turn off the power...no. You're not likely to burn down your house by connecting the wires together. (and you SHOULD turn off the power at the breaker when you change the fixture anyway)

Why not just leave the switch in the "ON" position? I've used strapping tape, applied UNDER the switch cover, to keep a switch in the "ON" position. Fairly innocuous if applied correctly, and strong enough to keep people from accidentally turning it off.

OR, just install a switch guard so it doesn't get turned off accidentally:

http://www.amazon.com/LightSwitchGua...pr_product_top

 

[Number1]

First make sure the circuit breaker is off, then take the wall plate off, unscrew the switch from the electrical box and test to make sure there is no electricity on the wires by touching it with your tongue. If you survive this test it's safe to disconnect the wires from the switch and then twist them together and put marettes on them.
Once completed the new junction should look like this.

You will need a new wall plate to cover the hole.

 

[lupi]

Why should be the first question.

 

[Shawn]

Sure you can do it. It's easy to do, but as someone else said you should be able to switch off the light so that you can change the bulb.

 

[Krazy4Real]

Nothing wrong with that, but I personally would leave the switch intact. Get a cover for it, if you really need to.

 

[momeNt]

Sounds fine to me.

If you ever did need to replace the fixture in the future, you should be switching it off at your circuit breaker anyways not just at the switch. So eliminating the switch just eliminates the temptation of doing something you shouldn't be doing in the first place.

Someone bumps into the switch while you are working on it? Zap, fall off ladder, break your neck, dead.

 

[nickbits]

My outside lights are the dusk to dawn kind, so the switch always needs to be on as well. I felt that leaving the switch in was the best solution.

1) Rarely would anyone accidently shut it off
2) Doubt they make a 2 or 3 gang plates with on sealed off

However there is no reason you can't take the switch out and nut the wires together inside the junction box. Just be sure to shut the breaker off first.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I had a motion light going toward my driveway. It was on a switch....which was nice because the motion light was often triggered at night by falling leaves or snow. It was convenient to sometimes turn it off when not in use.

Nothing wrong with bypassing the switch.....nothing wrong with leaving the switch in though for those situations.

 

[gorcorps]

Sounds like more trouble than it's worth. Unless you plan on repurposing the switch for something else, there's no reason not to just leave the switch on.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Why should be the first question.

from OP:
I want to swap that out for a LED flood light/security light with motion sensor.

I kinda put 2 and 2 together.

 

[Gunslinger08]

Right now my porch light is switched from the inside. I want to swap that out for a LED flood light/security light with motion sensor. Instead of always leaving the switch on, I want to remove the switch and connect the two wires together...I'm no electrician so is there any thing wrong with doing that? I don't want to set my house on fire...

Doesn't seem like a great ROI for your time investment. You can't have a hidden junction, so if this is a single gang box, you'll never be able to drywall over it - you'll have to leave a blank cover over it. If it's a multi-gang box, you're going to have a rough time finding one with the blank in the right spot. You then also lose the ability to ever turn it off. Motion sensor on the fritz and you can't get to the hardware store for a few days, so the light stays on 24/7? Get tired of motion sensor and just want to leave the light on without needing to wave your arms around? Wouldn't be a big deal with a switch. Removing the switch makes these things difficult.

If you're concerned about it being accidentally turned off, get a light switch guard. Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/LightSwitchGua...139642-3887852

 

[Mixolydian]

I exclusively use dusk-to-dawn lights outside.

What you are asking if perfectly fine, and very simple. Should take less than 10 minutes.

 

[Mixolydian]

Get tired of motion sensor and just want to leave the light on without needing to wave your arms around? Wouldn't be a big deal with a switch. Removing the switch makes these things difficult.

Only if you had an additional switch to bypass the motion sensor.

 

[Gunslinger08]

Only if you had an additional switch to bypass the motion sensor.

Most motion sensors that I've seen will stay on if you switch it off and on quickly.