Help figure out switched outlet wiring
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Help figure out switched outlet wiring
Hello,
In my office, there is a switch at the door that switches the top socket of an outlet on the far wall, probably intended for a floorlamp. The bottom socket is always on.
I want to wire up two dimmable CF can lights, and replace the switch with a CF-compatible dimmer switch that control those lights only; I want to modify the socket on the far wall so that both top & bottom are always on like a normal socket.
When I pulled the switch and the outlet to inspect the wiring, I could not figure out what was going on. I saw a 14x3 as I expected, but I also saw a separate 12x2 whose involvement I can't quite figure out. My Home Depot 'Wiring 1-2-3' book didn't quite cover this scenario either. Can someone please help me out?
1) To power the cans, I planned to use the RED and WHITE from the 14x3.
2) Replace the (split) outlet with a normal non-split outlet; wire it with black and white from the 14x3, capping off the unused red wire.
Thanks for your help!
-Jeff
In my office, there is a switch at the door that switches the top socket of an outlet on the far wall, probably intended for a floorlamp. The bottom socket is always on.
I want to wire up two dimmable CF can lights, and replace the switch with a CF-compatible dimmer switch that control those lights only; I want to modify the socket on the far wall so that both top & bottom are always on like a normal socket.
When I pulled the switch and the outlet to inspect the wiring, I could not figure out what was going on. I saw a 14x3 as I expected, but I also saw a separate 12x2 whose involvement I can't quite figure out. My Home Depot 'Wiring 1-2-3' book didn't quite cover this scenario either. Can someone please help me out?
1) To power the cans, I planned to use the RED and WHITE from the 14x3.
2) Replace the (split) outlet with a normal non-split outlet; wire it with black and white from the 14x3, capping off the unused red wire.
Thanks for your help!
-Jeff
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Thanks for your prompt reponse!
I think I understand. So the actual power is coming from the 12/2, and the 14/3 is just used to carry both the switched (red) and unswitched (black) hots to the outlet.
I think what confused me is that both the switch and the outlet are not at end-of-runs, if I follow what you are saying: there is something that the 12/2 powers upstream of the switch; and, there is something that the 12/2 powers downstream of the outlet.
Thanks for helping me wrap my head around this!
I think I understand. So the actual power is coming from the 12/2, and the 14/3 is just used to carry both the switched (red) and unswitched (black) hots to the outlet.
I think what confused me is that both the switch and the outlet are not at end-of-runs, if I follow what you are saying: there is something that the 12/2 powers upstream of the switch; and, there is something that the 12/2 powers downstream of the outlet.
Thanks for helping me wrap my head around this!