Removing electrical switch and drywalling over it.
#1
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Removing electrical switch and drywalling over it.
There is an extra switch on my wall that turns off one of the power outlets. I find it annoying since sometimes I accidentally turn of the power outlet. This extra switch has nothing to do with the ceiling lights for the room. I want to remove this switch so the outlet box will always be on. I am not an electrician and I am hoping someone can review my project for approval before I do it.
My plan is to cut the wires to the switch then connect the black wire to the white wire to complete the circuit. Then place the wires back in the electrical box and cover the electrical switch hole with drywall.
I would greatly appreciate a review of my plan.
Thanks.
My plan is to cut the wires to the switch then connect the black wire to the white wire to complete the circuit. Then place the wires back in the electrical box and cover the electrical switch hole with drywall.
I would greatly appreciate a review of my plan.
Thanks.
#2
You cannot cover any sort of splice or junction. It has to remain accessible. You can remove the switch, wire nut the connection, and put a blank cover over it, but you cannot cover it.
#4
Hey X..... if the OP only has two wires in the box then he has a switch loop. There will be only a white and black and they do get connected together.
#5
You can place a switch guard over the switch so it cannot be turned off. Live junction boxes cannot be buried under the wall finish.
#6
If it is a switch loop the cable can be abandoned in place by rewiring at the receptacle. Once the cable is abandoned on both ends the switch box can be removed. Tell us about all the wires at the switch and if the tab on the brass side of the receptacle has been removed.
#7
You could also install a blank switch filler:
Toggle to Blank Switch Plate Filler Inserts Leviton 80700 - Kyle Switch Plates
Any home store should have them.
Toggle to Blank Switch Plate Filler Inserts Leviton 80700 - Kyle Switch Plates
Any home store should have them.
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Thanks everyone for the excellent advice.
Ray2047, I like the idea of rewiring and abandoning the receptacle. However, that sounds complicated for someone like me that is learning. I will have to rewire the wires from the outlet then directly to some other junction box, right?
Ray2047, I like the idea of rewiring and abandoning the receptacle. However, that sounds complicated for someone like me that is learning. I will have to rewire the wires from the outlet then directly to some other junction box, right?
#10
It sounds complicated but it really isn't.
Identify which receptacle is the switched one....top or bottom. Turn the power off to that circuit.
You would need to remove the switched receptacle from the box. Don't disconnect any wires yet. If you look on the side of the receptacle with the small slots and the brass screws you need to find that wire that is connected to the screw for the switched part of the receptacle. It should be a black wire. You WILL be removing that wire from the receptacle.
Now... follow that black wire into the box. You should see the white wire that is its mate in the switch loop cable. That white wire will be connected to a black splice. You WILL be removing that white wire from the splice.
Once you have the wires ID'ed you will be cutting them off at the back of the box.
You will now need to change the receptacle as the jumper will be broken off on the brass screw side.
Identify which receptacle is the switched one....top or bottom. Turn the power off to that circuit.
You would need to remove the switched receptacle from the box. Don't disconnect any wires yet. If you look on the side of the receptacle with the small slots and the brass screws you need to find that wire that is connected to the screw for the switched part of the receptacle. It should be a black wire. You WILL be removing that wire from the receptacle.
Now... follow that black wire into the box. You should see the white wire that is its mate in the switch loop cable. That white wire will be connected to a black splice. You WILL be removing that white wire from the splice.
Once you have the wires ID'ed you will be cutting them off at the back of the box.
You will now need to change the receptacle as the jumper will be broken off on the brass screw side.
#11
Ray2047, I like the idea of rewiring and abandoning the receptacle.
If it is a switch loop the cable can be abandoned in place
If only half the receptacle is switched and you have a switch loop this is what you do but if the whole receptacle is switched or you don't have only two wires in the switch box post back for different instructions.
In this example the tab is broken between the brass screws and the receptacle is replaced with a receptacle with an unbroken tab.