Light

What is a Light Component?

The Light component represents a light fixture (ceiling light, wall sconce, lamp, etc.) in your electrical plan. In Elecplanner, lights automatically illuminate when they receive proper power, providing visual feedback about your circuit’s operation. Lights are passive devices that respond to the electrical state of their connections - they don’t generate power, they only consume it.

Adding a Light to Your Canvas

Step 1: Open the Component Library

Click the Components button in the sidebar
Open the Loads or Lighting category
Find the Light component

Step 2: Place on Canvas

Click and hold the Light icon
Drag it onto your canvas
Release to place it at the desired location
The light will appear as an unlit fixture until it receives power

💡 Tip: Place lights where they would actually be located in your room - ceiling center for overhead lights, on walls for sconces, etc. This makes your plan easier to understand.

Moving and Positioning Lights

Moving a Light

Click and hold on the light fixture
Drag it to a new location on your canvas
Release to place it
Connected wires will automatically adjust to follow the light

Organizing Multiple Lights

Align lights in rows for uniform ceiling lighting
Place lights near their controlling switches for clarity
Space lights according to real-world lighting design
Group lights that share the same circuit or switch

Understanding Light Terminals

The light has 3 terminals following standard electrical conventions:

Phase Terminal (Hot)

P (Red terminal) - Phase or “hot” connection
Connects to the powered side of your circuit
Must be HIGH for the light to turn on
Typically comes from a switch or circuit breaker

Neutral Terminal

N (Blue terminal) - Neutral connection
Completes the electrical circuit
Must be LOW for the light to turn on
Connects to the neutral bus in your panel

Ground Terminal

Ground (Green terminal) - Protective earth connection
Provides safety grounding for metal fixtures
Connects to the ground bus in your panel
Doesn’t affect light operation, but essential for safety

How It Works Electrically

Light ON conditions:

Phase (P) terminal = HIGH
Neutral (N) terminal = LOW
This creates a potential difference, allowing current to flow
The light illuminates with a glowing effect

Light OFF conditions:

Phase = LOW, or
Neutral = HIGH, or
Both are the same state (no potential difference), or
Wires are disconnected (FLOATING state)

The light only turns on when there’s proper voltage across P and N terminals!

Wiring a Light

Basic Light with Switch

The most common configuration:

Step-by-step wiring:

Power to Switch:
- Connect circuit breaker’s L-OUT to switch’s L terminals
- This brings power to the switch
Switch to Light:
- Connect switch’s Position 1 terminals to light’s P terminal
- This is the “switched hot” wire
Neutral Connection:
- Connect light’s N terminal to electrical panel’s neutral bus
- Or daisy-chain from another light’s neutral
Ground Connection:
- Connect light’s Ground terminal to panel ground bus
- Or daisy-chain from another light’s ground

Result: When switch is in Position 1, light turns on. Position 2, light turns off.

Multiple Lights on One Switch

Control several lights with a single switch:

Method 1: Series Wiring

Wire from switch to first light’s P terminal
From first light’s P, wire to second light’s P
Continue to additional lights
Connect all N terminals together in a chain
Connect all Ground terminals together
All lights turn on/off together

Method 2: Parallel Wiring with Junction Box (Recommended)

Wire from switch to a junction box
From junction box, separate wires to each light’s P terminal
Separate neutral wires from panel to each light’s N terminal (via junction box)
All lights share the same switch control
Cleaner, more professional wiring

💡 Best Practice: Use a junction box for multiple lights. It’s easier to troubleshoot and follows professional wiring standards.

Light with Two Switches (Three-Way Circuit)

Control a light from two different locations:

First switch connects to power
Traveler wires run between the two switches
Second switch connects to the light
Either switch can turn the light on or off

This is an advanced wiring pattern - see the Switch documentation for details on three-way switching.

Using Lights in Simulation Mode

Starting the Simulation

Click the Simulate button in the toolbar (or press S)
Your circuit becomes live
Lights that are receiving proper power will illuminate automatically

Visual Feedback

Light ON:

Bright glowing effect around the fixture
Indicates P terminal is HIGH and N terminal is LOW
Shows that your circuit is wired correctly

Light OFF:

Standard appearance, no glow
Indicates no power, or incorrect wiring
Check your switches and circuit breakers

Testing Your Circuit

Toggle switches to see lights respond
Turn circuit breakers off to see lights go dark
Test different switch combinations
Verify all lights in your plan work as expected

💡 Tip: If a light doesn’t turn on in simulation, check: Is the circuit breaker on? Is the switch in the right position? Are all wires connected?

Editing Light Properties

Opening the Properties Panel

Click on the light to select it
The properties panel appears on the right side of the screen
Or double-click the light to open properties

Available Properties

Currently, the light component has minimal configurable properties:

Label - Name the light (e.g., “Kitchen Ceiling”, “Living Room Sconce”)
Other - Placeholder for future features

Future versions may include:

Wattage/power consumption
Light type (incandescent, LED, fluorescent)
Dimming capability
Color temperature

💡 Labeling: Always label your lights with descriptive names. This makes your electrical plan much easier to understand and maintain.

Common Lighting Patterns

Pattern 1: Single Light, Single Switch

Circuit Breaker → Switch → Light
              → Neutral Bus → Light N terminal
              → Ground Bus → Light Ground terminal

Result: Simple on/off control from one location

Pattern 2: Multiple Lights, One Switch

Circuit Breaker → Switch → Junction Box → Light 1
                                       → Light 2
                                       → Light 3
All lights share common neutral and ground

Result: All lights turn on/off together

Pattern 3: Multiple Lights, Multiple Switches

Circuit Breaker → Switch A → Light A
               → Switch B → Light B
               → Switch C → Light C
All lights share common neutral and ground

Result: Independent control of each light

Pattern 4: Switched and Unswitched Lights

Circuit Breaker → Switch → Switched Lights (controlled)
               → Direct → Unswitched Lights (always on)
All lights share common neutral and ground

Result: Some lights controlled by switch, others always powered

Practical Applications

Room-by-Room Lighting

Living Room:

Ceiling light (center)
Wall sconces (decorative)
Floor lamp outlets (controlled by switch)

Bedroom:

Overhead light (switch at door)
Bedside reading lights (separate switches)
Closet light (door switch)

Kitchen:

Ceiling lights (main switch)
Under-cabinet lights (separate switch)
Over-sink task light (separate switch)

Bathroom:

Vanity lights (switch at door)
Shower/tub light (same or separate switch)
Night light (always on or separate switch)

Hallway:

Ceiling lights with three-way switches (both ends)
Stairway lighting (three-way or motion sensor)

Special Lighting Scenarios

Outdoor Lighting:

Porch lights (inside switch)
Landscape lighting (timer or photocell)
Security lights (motion sensor)
Pathway lights (dusk-to-dawn)

Accent Lighting:

Display case lights
Picture lights
Cove lighting
LED strips

Task Lighting:

Workshop bench lights
Garage workbench lights
Office desk lamps
Reading nooks

Lighting Design Considerations

Brightness and Coverage

Room Size and Light Quantity:

Small room (< 100 sq ft): 1-2 lights
Medium room (100-200 sq ft): 2-3 lights
Large room (> 200 sq ft): 3+ lights
Open concept: Multiple zones with separate controls

Light Placement:

Center of room for general lighting
Corners for accent lighting
Over work areas for task lighting
Near seating areas for reading lights

Switch Placement

Convenient Locations:

Near room entries (both sides for through-rooms)
At bedside (for bedroom lights)
Top and bottom of stairs
Inside and outside of rooms

Multiple Switches:

Three-way: Control from two locations
Four-way: Control from three or more locations
Use for: stairways, hallways, large rooms, master bedrooms

Energy Efficiency

LED vs. Traditional:

LED: Low power, long life, cool operation
Incandescent: High power, short life, warm light
CFL: Medium power, medium life, warm-up time
Halogen: High power, bright, hot operation

Control Strategies:

Dimmers for adjustable brightness
Timers for automatic shutoff
Occupancy sensors for automatic on/off
Photocells for outdoor lighting

Troubleshooting

Light Doesn’t Turn On in Simulation

Check Power Source:

Is the circuit breaker ON?
Is power reaching the switch?
Are wires connected from panel to switch?

Check Switch:

Is the switch in Position 1?
Is the switch wired correctly?
Does the switch have power input?

Check Light Wiring:

Is Phase (P) terminal connected to switch output?
Is Neutral (N) terminal connected to panel neutral?
Are both connections complete?

Check Circuit Continuity:

Is there a complete path from breaker → switch → light → neutral → panel?
Are there any breaks in the wire chain?

Light Stays On When Switch is Off

Wiring Issue:

Phase terminal may be connected directly to power (bypassing switch)
Switch may be wired backwards
Multiple switches may be creating unintended paths

Solution:

Verify Phase terminal connects to switch OUTPUT, not panel directly
Check switch wiring matches the intended pattern

Multiple Lights, Only Some Work

Partial Circuit Issue:

Some lights may not be connected to the switch
Wires may be connected to wrong terminals
Series wiring may have a break