Single Pole vs. Double Pole Switch-Double Pole Switch Wiring-Understand How Double Pole Switch Works

Question was asked, why leave the fan only switch active.

The fan only switch could be used if you are going to bathroom (to vent the smell). The fan/showerLight switch forces the fan to come on as you’re taking a shower (to vent the steam). So, you’ll have switches for, bathroom light (toilet), fan (vent the smell), fan/showerLight (light up shower area and vent the steam).

This is a handy switch when you want two devices operate together AND at the same time have a second switch that operates ONLY one of the two devices.

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How to save your bathroom from moisture damage, Double Pole Switch, how to use. When taking a shower the exhaust fan should be turned on to remove the moisture. How often we forget to turn the fan on? At times, I’m guilty of forgetting to turn the fan on when taking a shower. The wiring method shown in this video eliminates that.

Some of the items used in this video are:

Leviton two pole, 15A switch,

Leviton double pole 15/20A, R53-CSB2-21S,
HD 705-994
Klein Tools NCVT-1

Disclaimer: This video and its description contain affiliate links and I receive a small commission

Example:
One switch operates shower light AND an exhaust fan, 2-pole switch.
The second switch operates ONLY the fan.

Please view and use the content at your own risk.
If you are not comfortable with working with electricity, please hire a professional.
As always, check your local codes to ensure that you are in compliance. Some local codes may not allow this practice.

Material presented in this video is based on my own personal experience and it’s not professional advice. Therefore, please view and use the material presented in this video at your own risk.

If you agree or disagree with the content of this video, comments are always welcomed. Please keep them clean and professional.

[MuhammadKhan-gsym]

simple and insightful and the camera work is very clearer

[gogreen]

Great idea. Would have loved to see the money shot of your actual work before everything was hidden in the box. And the drawing shows one hot and one neutral coming in with a ton of jumpers? I'm pretty sure I get it but maybe I don't?

[Enonymouse_]

I tend to forget this stuff since I've only ever studied the topic as theory, thanks for this!

[JustForYouDiy]

Yes, you can use a single pole switch. However, the two loads will not be isolated from each other. Which in this case, whenever the light is on the fan will be on and vice versa. Hope this helps.

[bigbank]

Thank you nice up close visual representation

[CK-jdwo-test]

Great info. I was always baffled by double pole switches.

[e.m.]

First of all this is a great and helpful video. But I would like to add some commentary to help the author in the future. I am not a professional electrician but certainly have done my share. One of the important things for non-professionals is to be consistent and adhere to accepted standards. So at the beginning you hold the switch upside down contrary to the orientation of the 3 switches in the box and with the ground connection on top. Yesterday I was in the hospital and saw some of the outlets with the ground in the bottom position and others in the top position (ie some were rightside up and other were upside down). Next with the ground screw on the top the next screw going down from the upside down orientation is the black screw for the hot lead. Most of the time the black is in the top position from my limited experience and the gold screw in this orientation is on the bottom for the load or device being powered.

So in conclusion when installing the double pole switch orient it so that you see the OFF label and the switch is down. Use an inductive power tester to identify which 2 lines are hot. Turn off the circuit breaker for safety and the connect the two hot (incoming power from power company - live. Very often black or brown) to the Gold screws. Then connect the two load lines to the device being powered to the Black screws which should be the top screws except for the ground which in a double pole switch is actually on the very top unlike a power outlet where it is on the bottom. Now you can connect the Ground wire to this top silver screw that does not have a matching screw on the other side. Now I would recommend taking electrical tape and wrapping it around the screws vertically so that now contacts can accidently touch the body or the box or be touched by anyone working on the switch. Now is the time to turn on the circuit breaker and test that everything is functioning correctly.

[jpisty]

Great job. What happens when the exhaust switch is turned on and then you turn on the Double Pole switch?

[waltmiller]

Maybe I don't understand something, but I'll try this setup and see how it works. If not, I can always use one three-way in combination with either double or single pole switch.

[godisgood]

Great explanation 👌 Thanks for sharing 👍

[tlt]

One thing I saw on the middle original switch was that someone had two wires tightened on one screw, one was the hot and the other was the jumper, that's a big "no-no". You should never have 2 or more wires connected to one screw on the switch. I noticed you replaced it with a double-pole as well.

[frednepa]

If both the fan and the light are on the same circuit, why wouldn't you use a pigtail from the load side of the switch to connect both the fan and the light instead of using a double pole switch?

[hippo-potamus]

So, if I wanted to wire a ceiling fan where one switch turns on the fan and another switch turns on the lights I would use single pole switches? Or if I wanted both the light and the fan to be controlled together I would use a double pole light switch?

[younginfamousqb]

Out of curiosity what would happen if someone turns the independent fan switch on with the double pole switch is on?

[farshidkhoshgam]

Monroe York
If the fan switch is on and the dp switch at the same time isnt it a short circuit?

Thanks for asking the question. No, there will not be a short circuit.
Think of it as having 3 independent switches, 2 in parallel for the fan and 1 for the light. One of the 2 in parallel for the fan happens to be in the same housing as the one for the light, the double pole switch. There is no electrical connection internally between the 2 switches inside the same housing. Turning one fan switch OR two fan switches on completes the same circuit. These 2 switches are in an OR configuration. And, since the light switch is isolated (even though, it is in the same housing as one of the fan switches), it is a sound electrical circuit. As shown in the video, it works beautifully. I hope this helps.

[ssantnone]

wont you create a short if the fan switch and the light / fan switch are on at the same time?

[Basskingdom]

So you have an opinion for just the exhaust fan and the other switch for exhaust/light?

[e.m.]

Sorry. I was in a dimly lit room and held the switch upside down and now I cannot delete or correct my comment.

CORRECTION. When holding the switch with the correct orientation and viewing the back the silver ground screw will be in the bottom right position. Going up one level is the two black hot screws. And finally the top gold screws are the load or wires going to the device being powered.

[Rob-iqxl]

Why leave the switch for the fan if it's hooked to the other

[TheSharkTrading]

What happens if you turn both switches (fan only and fan / light) on?