How to Install a Wireless Light Switch
If you have a light that you would like to control without fumbling for a pull string in the dark, or if you have a lamp plugged into an outlet that you would like to add a switch to, you can add a light switch without running more wire or dealing with batteries that can die. This method allows you to put your switch anywhere within 100 feet to control your light.
How a wireless switch works
A wireless switch works like a remote or a smart device to control an outlet or light fixture—except that it allows you to mount a switch on the wall. A receiver is installed at the fixture end, and then the switch acts like a remote to control the flow of power to the fixture. You will occasionally need to replace the batteries in the switch, but you won’t need to run any wires through the wall because the switch operates by using a radio signal to control the light.
How to install the receiver
To avoid electric shock, always turn off the power to the light fixture or outlet you want to add the switch to. To add the receiver to an outlet or a fixture with a pull chain or a light switch in a place that doesn’t work for you, unmount the fixture or remove the outlet cover to expose the wiring. If you’re working on a fixture in the ceiling, make sure to have a plan for setting the fixture down in close enough proximity to the power source so that you can comfortably work on it without dropping the fixture.
If you see that the box housing the wiring is metal, you will need to add a plastic one instead—the metal box will shield the receiver, greatly reducing the signal it can pick up from the switch. Once the fixture is open, you should see a black and white wire connected to the wiring that runs to the fixture. The receiver will have one white, one black, and one red wire. Twist all three white wires together and attach them using a wire nut. Then twist the black wire from the power source together with the black wire from the receiver and attach them with a wire nut. Last, twist the black wire coming from the fixture together with the red wire from the receiver and attach them with a wire nut. Once all of your connections are made, you can replace your fixture.
How to install the switch
The light switch can be installed anywhere within 100 feet of your light, although walls or other obstructions can reduce the signal strength. Metal (e.g. for plumbing) can also disrupt the signal for a wireless switch, so keeping as clear a path to the fixture and the receiver as possible is important. Most types of wireless switches can be installed on the wall with just two screws. Since you will want your switch to be straight up and down, using a level to keep everything straight is a good idea. The standard height for a light switch is for the bottom of the switch to be 48 inches from the floor, but you can choose to mount it at whatever height is convenient for your purposes.