Changing from switch to switch and plug
#1
05-28-03, 11:58 AM
Changing from switch to switch and plug
I'm trying to replace an on-off light switch in bathroom to a combo light switch and plug GFCI. The house was built in the late 40's. The previous owner did his own remodeling and he was not an electrican. I'm wondering what he did when he remodeled his bathroom.
There are 2 cables coming into the box that are side-by-side from the back, each cable has 1 black and 1 white wire. The original switch had the 2 black wires connected to it, the white wires were taped together.
The new receptacle has 2 silver screws and 2 brass screws on the sides and 2 black wires coming out of the top. On the back of the switch it has "line" on top and "load" on the bottom.
I have tried every conceivable configuration and cannot get it to work correctly. I get the light to work but it won't shut off, or I get the plug to work but the light does not turn on or off. I have switched the connections so many times I forget what I have tried. I am beginning to think that the new switch is defective.
I am totally confused at this point. Can anyone help me make sense of this?
There are 2 cables coming into the box that are side-by-side from the back, each cable has 1 black and 1 white wire. The original switch had the 2 black wires connected to it, the white wires were taped together.
The new receptacle has 2 silver screws and 2 brass screws on the sides and 2 black wires coming out of the top. On the back of the switch it has "line" on top and "load" on the bottom.
I have tried every conceivable configuration and cannot get it to work correctly. I get the light to work but it won't shut off, or I get the plug to work but the light does not turn on or off. I have switched the connections so many times I forget what I have tried. I am beginning to think that the new switch is defective.
I am totally confused at this point. Can anyone help me make sense of this?
#2
05-28-03, 12:33 PM
Can you identify with set of wires is the infeed?Next what size of wire is this #14 or #12? Is this on a 15 amp breaker or a 20 Amp. If anything else on this circuit? If there is post back you might be running into code issues. That said If there are only two cables coming in I would take it this is not going to any other devices (at least not from here) So the load side will not be used in this case.
The infeed wires would attach to the line side on the device, with the black going to the brass and white going to the silver. If you test the two black wires there should be continueity accross them when the switch is on and nothing when the switch is off if this is correct then the other two wires should connect to the two blacks coming out of the device.
The infeed wires would attach to the line side on the device, with the black going to the brass and white going to the silver. If you test the two black wires there should be continueity accross them when the switch is on and nothing when the switch is off if this is correct then the other two wires should connect to the two blacks coming out of the device.
#3
05-28-03, 12:58 PM
Hint. The two wires sticking out the back are the switch,
the screw terminals are the recepticle (appropriately marked
line and load). Ideally, you attach two pigtails (wires, 4-6 " long)
to the line terminals of the recepticle, join all the whites
in the box, the black recepticle pigtail and one of the switch
wires to continuous hot, and the other switch wire going to the light wire.
the screw terminals are the recepticle (appropriately marked
line and load). Ideally, you attach two pigtails (wires, 4-6 " long)
to the line terminals of the recepticle, join all the whites
in the box, the black recepticle pigtail and one of the switch
wires to continuous hot, and the other switch wire going to the light wire.
