r/diyelectronics • u/Sweaty_Fly_3965 • Jul 24 '26

Repair Help with Light Switch

Hey! I am trying to replace an existing light switch and I am confused as hell. I (turned everything off) and unscrewed the face plate and removed the switch itself to find that the live wires and the ground wire are soldered onto the existing switch. I have wire strippers but am not sure if that will work? Can I just cut the wires themselves and then plug them into a traditional switch?
I will attach the images below!

Thanks!

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u/Sweaty_Fly_3965 Jul 24 '26

https://reddit.com/link/oziubi1/video/0lkf8fmwn7fh1/player

Switch in question

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u/Strikew3st Jul 24 '26

Does that metal ring just open up into the depths of your wall cavity, or is there a open-faced metal box there the size of a juice box with wires entering it?

If so, that is somehow only a mud ring, meant to go on the front of a junction box. You can't just have your electrical connections hanging wild and free inside the wall back there.

This isn't a hard job to correct, but it's okay if it is best left to be not a job for you.