Does it matter where the pigtailing of the white wires get done. Do they all have to be pigtailed to the main white wire coming from the panel at the switch(power is at switch) or can they be pigtailed at each outlet leading back to the main white. Also is this the same for the black wire?

 

I am a bit confused by your post. I'm not even sure what you mean by the word "pigtail".

In most situations, you would wire two receptacles controlled by one switch by running power to the switch box, then run a cable from the switch box to the first receptacle, and a cable from the first receptacle to the second receptacle. This is generally called a daisy-chain (not a formal term). You could run a cable from each receptacle to the switch box, but this tends to use more cable and make the switch box overcrowded, so it is not often done.

 

I heard the word pigtail from another help site. I mean connecting wires together instead of directly conecting them to the recptical. Ok i understand your way and its a lot easier but what should i do with the white wire coming from the panel to the switch. I am guessing to connect it to the line going to the first outlet? Will all the outlets turn on/off from that one switch.
Here is the other site i found someinfo on about this execpt i only need 2 outlets. Does your way and this way work the same? http://www.selfhelpforums.com/showthread.php?t=2392

http://www.selfhelpforums.com/showthread.php?t=2392

 

The word "pigtail" has no formal definition, but most people understand it to be a short section of wire (maybe 3 to 6 inches) often used to connect multiple wires to one device screw, or one wire to multiple device screws. If you are just connecting two wires to each other with a wire nut, that's not a pigtail--it's just connecting two wires to each other with a wire nut.

In a switch box that does not include a switch loop (which is what you have since the power feed is into the switch box), all the white wires in the box (no matter how many) are always connected to each other with a wire nut and are not connected to the switch (except for some specialty switches) or to any wires of another color.

 

Ok i see, just one thing, when you say "all the white wires in the box (no matter how many) are always connected to each other with a wire nut and are not connected to the switch"... Does this mean that i bring all the white wires back to the switch box and wire nut them together (3 total) one form the panel to the switch and the other 2 white wires are from the outlets.

 

What do you mean by "bring all the white wires back to the switch box"? Back from where?

Are you using cable assemblies (aka Romex or NM-B), or are you using individual wires in conduit. In either case, the white wire always travels alongside of the black wire it is paired with. So the idea of "bring back" doesn't make sense to me.

 

I am using romex wire but i was confused on how the white wires should be joined together. i would pigtail each white wire to the white wire that it is meeting at...outlet,switch. so i guess it doesnt matter that all 3 white wire dont get wire nutted at the main going to the switch. when you think about it all the white wires will be linked back to the main white wire even if they get pigtailed at each outlet.

 

There should be no pigtailing of white wires anywhere, as it is isn't necessary.

The white wires at the switch are connected to each other, and not to anything else. Use a wire nut for this.

If you go from the switch to the first receptacle and then to the second receptacle, just place one white wire under each silver screw on the return side of the first receptacle, and at the second receptacle connect the white wire to either silver screw. If you branch from the switch with one wire to each receptacle, then you only have one white wire at each receptacle.

Your black wires may need to be pigtailed, but only if both receptacles are wired back to the switch. The two black wires on one side of the switch get connected together with a pigtail using a wire nut, and the pigtail gets connected to one of the screw terminals on the switch.

 

Pug, forgive me for being blunt, but your post is gibberish. I don't think you know what you're doing. Please stop now and read three books on home wiring before proceeding. Otherwise, it is possible that you'll make it work but not make it safe. Not everything that works is safe.

 

Pug - lots of good books and even web sites available, but you might want to check out the Black & Decker books - especially their "Basic" one. They're available at Home Depot, Lowe's, and most book stores. And they're well worth the money. (Just a suggestion.)

Aarno

 

I agree with you both. I was just getting tired of paying my elecrician $100 of dollars each time i needed something. I know the basic IE. wiring a light to a switch, wiring an outlet to a switch, daising outlets to new outlets, running a new circuit to the fuse panel . i just didnt want to wire this job and find out only the first switch was controlled by the switch. But in any event i was trying to look for some good books out there. Thank you for giving me some good titles to buy.