wireing light and receptacles

I am redoing a room in our house. what I would to,is put in aceiling light in the room. but there is only 1 set of wire coming into the room. and that's for the 2 receptacles that are in the room. so how can I run a set of wires of that set, to a light switch for a light and still use the same set of wire's for the receptacles

Thanks
Ron

 

First things first. If you are redoing this room I would completely bring it up to code. Most usable rooms in a residence require at least one recepticle on each wall. More are often required or at least desirable. Depending on the type of renovations being done, it may be required to bring this room up to code anyway.

I would consider adding recepticles as well as a ceiling light. Depending on the situation you might need or want to run a new circuit for this.

But on to your question.

To add a light to an existing circuit you need to run a cable from either of the two recepticles. You can run the cable to the ceiling light first and then to the switch, or to the switch and then to the ceiling light. I prefer to go to the switch first, but the choice is yours. I would probably wire for a ceiling fan even if I weren't installing one, but again the choice is yours.

Provide some more information and we can go from there.

 

Does "redoing" include opening up the walls?

 

Hey thanks for the replys.it's been a big help ! I wish that I could add a new circuit for it, BUT it an old house that has been add on to at least 2 or 3 times. there is craw spaces up above the ceiling and below the floor, But no one left any way to get into them. and from what I can tell from the holes
that I have found to peek thur,there is no space to craw even. so thats why I am going with the circuit that is already there. also yes John,redoing include opening opening up the walls. the room is totaly gutted out down to the studs. by the way the wire that is coming in to the room now is 14/2 wire. I would like to some how just tie in 12/2 wire. let me know what you think.
Thanks
Ron

 

From the sounds of your project you are likely required to bring the electrical up to code. Even if for some reason it is not required, you should anyway.

Are the existing circuits grounded or are they two wire only?

 

They are 3 wire,but old type receptacles. so they just wraped the ground wire around the outside jacket is all. and yes I am adding more receptacles in the room.

Ron

 

If the current wiring is three wire and if the ground is properly connected at the other end (you need to verify this) then you can safely replace the redceptacles with new grounding ones and also add to the circuit. With the walls open it is very easy to lengthen the circuit. Just remember that you cannot increase the size of the breaker.

To add the new receptacles you simply run the wire from either of the existing receptacles to the next receptacle and to the next, etc.

To add a deiling light/fan you need to run wires to the ceiling first and then run a switch loop, or to the switch first and then to the ceiling, whichever is easier. Again, I recommend using 3 conductor wire for the run from the switch to the ceiling, to support a light and a fan.

 

ok,if I run the cable from the last receptacle, to the light switch, and to the light it self, then I would use the 2 black wires for the hot wires on the switch? also then what wires do I use to hook up the light itself? the 2 black or the black and white? all that I can say, is I sure am GLAD that I found is web site. you have been a Big Help!!!!!!

 

You don't have two black wires to hook to the light.

Run a cable containing a black wire, a white wire and a ground wire (this is called 14-2 or 12-2, depending on the size wire) from the last receptacle to the switch. Run another 14-2 or 12-2 cable from the switch to the light.

At the switch connect the two black wires to the switch. Connect the two white wires together with a wire nut. Connect the ground wires to each other, to the switch and to the box (if it is metal). At the light connect the three incoming wires to the light wires, black to black, white to white and ground to ground.