Switch problem...

I replaced an outlet that was controlled by a switch (at the time I did not realize this). Now the outlett is always hot, and when the switch is turned on the breaker trips!

In the box With the original outlett there was the feed from the box, and two other wires, one that continues the power to the hallway lights and one that goes to the switch, I think. I have not tested the wires with the meter yet to trace them. I am not sure what I did wrong. I understand now the whole break the tab thing to keep one outlet hot and have the other switched, but I do not know what I did wrong to cause the switch to trip the breaker! Please help.

Thanks, Doug

 

First thing to do is check each set of wires to find out just how many hots you have in the box. Check the switch and see if it wasn't sending power to the receptacle too.
How many wires and what are there colors in the box with the receptcle?
When ;you say you understand the breaking of the tab which tab did you break off?
Under normal conditions if the power is coming into the box from another location (not the switch) then the neutral connects to the silver screw and the black connects via a pigtail to the white to the switch, a black to half of the receptacle, and to the black going to the next outlet. The Black from the switch then connects to the other half of the receptacle on the brass side (side with broken tab).

If you have a 3 wire cable in this please let me know?

 

I did not break any tabs off yet. I found out about that later. I was just saying that to avoid the discussion.

The box with the outlet has one wire coming in, directly from the main. I know this because I traced it back when I had the paneling off. There are three wires leaving (I believe). The switch box only has one wire. When I say one wire I mean black,white,bare. I am thinking one of the wires coming out of the outlet box is the switch wire. The other two continue the power on to other locations. The hallway lights and the kitchen light. Unfortunately, I did not pay attention to the wires when I took the original outlet out, and I no longer have the original outlet. I just hooked up black to black, white to white and ground to ground. I do not leave the breaker on because I am worried about what is going on. I can use my meter to find the switch wire and then wire it correctly, but I always get confused with switches because of the color change. :-(

 

You say three wires leaving do you mean three wires or three cables with a number of wires in each?
Find out for sure which wires are live.
I think your entire problem may go away once the tab on the brass side of the receptacle has been broken off.
the white from the switch box should take the incoming power to the switch and return it to the receptacle on the black. You should mark this white wire so in the future people will realise this is not a netruel.

 

You have two choices. You can break the brass tab and wire half your receptacle hot and half switched or you can leave the tab and wire your receptacle switched.

To wire the whole thing switched, tie the white wire going to the switch with all the other blacks (except the black going to the switch) and push the splice into the back of the box. The rest of the whites (total of 3) will need to be pigtailed with the tail going to one of the silver screws. The black wire coming from the switch will need to go to one of the brass screws.

To wire the receptacle half & half, break the brass tab and put the black from the switch on one brass screw and pigtail off the splice in the back of the box and put it on the other brass screw.

The way you had it wired before created a direct short between hot (black) and neutral (white) when you turned on (closed) the switch.

 

I am sorry, when I say three wires I mean three cables all containing three wires (one white; one black; one ground).

 

Everything worked out once I identified the cable for the switch. Thanks for all your help.