Installing a room light

Hi, I need some advice in how to use the wiring that is already in the home. I am trying to use a light switch that controls an outlet. There are 2 main wires coming into the outlet. The 1st wire has 1 BLACK--1 WHITE--1 RED--1 COPPER, the 2nd wire has 1 BLACK--1 WHITE--1 COPPER. The black wires are connected together and connected to the top of the out let. The red wire is connected directly into bottom of outlet same side of black wire. The white wire are connected together and connected on the right hand side of outlet. The copper wires connected together and connected to the bottom of outlet on green screw. I want to make the both sides of the outlet constant HOT and use the existing wire to connect a room light which will be connected to the switch. Thank you for your advice

 

When you say "room light", I am guessing you mean a ceiling fixture? I'm sure you know that the purpose of the switched outlet is to control a lamp. Do you have wiring in the ceilings for lighting now?

 

Hi, Thanks for the quick reply. Yes sorry a ceiling fixture. Yes very aware that its use is for a lamp thank you for reminding me but i guess the lamp i have it connected to may have given that away. I will install the the ceiling fixture once i know for sure what to do with the wires. [Inappropriate remarks removed.] Thank you again for your assistance

 

From your description those are cables not wires. A wire is a single conductor. A cable is two or more conductors in a metallic or nonmetallic sheath.

A three conductor cable and a two conductor cable. Verify the 3-conductor cable comes from the switch by opening the switch and telling us the connections there for all the wires. From your description I would expect to see one 2-conductor cable and one 3-conductor cable at the switch.

Do you mean connected to a pigtail (short length of wire)? (Note a receptacle has neither a top or bottom or a left or right.)

If the switch is wired as I suspect it will be easier to run the new cable to the switch.

Terminology: An outlet is a place where power is accessed. A receptacle is a female receiver for a plug. Both lights and receptacles are outlets.

 

Hi, thank you for your reply. Yes pig tails and cables. Thank you for the definition. The switch is pre wired. I wanted to know how would I take the outlet which is controlled by the switch based on the wiring i mentioned before, how can i make the outlet constant hot and use the light switch to control the ceiling light fixture. Which wire would I need to disconnect in order to make it constant HOT and route it to the ceiling fixture?? I appreciate the assistance. I know how the out and switch works and what use they provide. Can I have someone please just answer the question. If I missed some information please ask and I will try to be as clear as possible.

 

Run a 14/2 or better 14/3 cable from the switch box up into the ceiling and install a junction box in the ceiling. That's the hard part, the wiring connections are easy.

 

Thank you for the quick reply. How can I make the outlet a constant HOT and could I use the cable wires that lead back from the outlet to the switch for the ceiling fixture since I want to make the outlet a constant hot?

 

You make both sides of the receptacle hot by replacing that receptacle with a new one that doesn't have the connecting tab broken off. Connect the black and white wires as they are now but leave out the red and cap it with a wire nut. That should work but without knowing what is in the switch box, we can't be sure exactly what the setup is. How many cables into the switch box, what colors and what are they connected to? Also, if the breaker that controls this is 15 amp, use #14 wire to the ceiling, if 20 amp use #12. Test all the wires with a test lamp or meter before you touch them. It's possible there are two breakers involved here.