receptacle and switch


  #1  
Old 08-02-06, 04:55 PM
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receptacle and switch

ok i have a switch on the wall that works my over head light in my kitchen i installed a receptacle below the switch for my clock and timer on my stove but I cant get the receptacle to be hot all the time what am i doing wrong?
 
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Old 08-02-06, 05:05 PM
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Does the switch now make the outlet you installed hot when you turn the switch on?,, plug a lamp in it and turn the switch on,, if it does we can help you ,, easy fix
 
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Old 08-02-06, 05:08 PM
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no when i turn the switch on the light come on but the receptacle is dead when i turn the switch off the receptacle is hot...
 
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Old 08-02-06, 05:22 PM
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How many wires are in the switch box?

I suspect you tapped a switch loop, which you cannot do. You will need to find another power source for the receptacle.
 
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Old 08-02-06, 05:24 PM
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just 2 wires and there old i dont even know which is black or white
 
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Old 08-02-06, 05:30 PM
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I think what you did was break the hot wire going to the outlet,,, your doing this through the switch,, pull the switch,, make sure all white wires are connected together and not connected to anything,, just wire nutted together,,, that takes care of the whites,, now,, on the black wires,, take these off the switch completely,,, determine which one is the hot wire feeding that switch box,, , once you have found that,, get another piece of wire and hook it to one side of the switch,, (about 6 inches long),, wire nut the short piece of wire to teh hot wire feeding the box and also connect the black wire feeding the outlet,,, you should have 3 wires under that nut now,, and one black wire remaining,,, this wire gets connected to the other screw on the switch,, this black wire should be the wire feeding the light,,, try that and get back to us,,
 
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Old 08-02-06, 05:32 PM
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Bob,, that was my next thought,, it might be a switch loop,, but he said he was able to get the light to come on,, which led me to think it may not be a switch loop
 
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Old 08-02-06, 05:42 PM
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This can be explained with a little theroy. In a series circuit, if you break the circuit anywhere and test voltage you will see full system voltage. When the switch was in the off positoin You were reading through the lamp. When the switch was on you should still have gotten some voltage but not enough to register on a good meter.

This is dangerous, because anything that is plugged into that outlet could be run in series with the lamp. It could cause damage to your equipment.
 
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Old 08-02-06, 05:48 PM
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Agreed,, wheni was typing me first response,, I was under the impression he had a feed to the switch and a feed back to the light,, (2 runs),, now that he says he has only two wires,, (switch loop),, this changes everything,, Bob is right,, he needs another power source for the outlet,, Sorry for any confusion
 
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Old 08-02-06, 06:10 PM
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Ypu do indeed have a switch loop. You have no neutral at the switch.

Find an alternate source for for your receptacle.

Better yet, call an electrician.

Or at the very least, buy and read several good books on electricity before doing anything else.

Electricity can and does kill people. Don't be next.
 

Last edited by racraft; 08-02-06 at 06:51 PM.
 

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