wall outlets not working with wall switch


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Old 01-02-05, 10:52 AM
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wall outlets not working with wall switch

Yesterday I replaced my bedrooms wall outlets and noticed last night that I could not turn on/off my two lights. These lights are plugged into two seperate outlets that I could switch on/off at a wall outlet.

Do you need special outlets for switchable lights?
I bought the standard 15amp outlet.
Thanks,
Chris
 
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Old 01-02-05, 11:54 AM
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What used to happen before, and what happens now? Could you turn them on and off before, and now can't turn them off?

Did you wire the new receptacles exactly like the pevious ones? Did you check the old receptacles to see if the tab between the two halves was removed on either side, and then made the new recptacle match?
 
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Old 01-02-05, 12:22 PM
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I had one light on each switch and could turn them on/off with the light switch.
I wired them exactly like the previous outlets... but, no I did not "pull the tab". I didn't know I needed to pull a tab. I'll try and see if I can find the old outlet to see what tab you are talking about.
 
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Old 01-02-05, 12:27 PM
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If the light can't be switched off and only stuff plugged into 1/2 of the receptacle previously was switched, it is the tab. Only the tab on the brass side needs to be removed.
 
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Old 01-02-05, 12:44 PM
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how do you pull the tab off? I tried pliers, but it would not pull off.
 
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Old 01-02-05, 12:46 PM
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Do not try to remove the tab if it was not removed on the old receptacle. Also, do not try to remove the tab unless there is more than one cable coming into the box and connecting to the receptacle.

Why don;t you try telling us exactly what wires exist at each switch and at each receptacle, and how they are connected (or how they were connected) and we can go from there.

To remove the tab you use a pair of pliers and bend gently back and forth until the tab breaks off.
 
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Old 01-02-05, 12:49 PM
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I found the old outlets and yes, the tabs were removed on one side. I have two pairs of wires coming into both outlet boxes.
 
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Old 01-02-05, 01:11 PM
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If the tabs were removed from the old receptacles, and if you want the new receptacles to function in the same manner as the old receptacles, then you will need to remove the tabs so that the new receptacles are electrically equivalent to the old receptacles. You will also have to connect the wire up in exactly the same electrical manner.
 
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Old 01-02-05, 01:24 PM
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Use your pliers to bend the tab back and forth until it breaks off. Only do the brass-screw side.
 
 

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