New GFCI receptacle
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 12
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
New GFCI receptacle
I am remodeling a mid-70's bathroom. I have a receptacle next to the sink. It is not currently a GFCI and I would like to replace it with one. When I pulled the receptacle from the wall, I found three complete cables. I think one is hot, one goes to a switch which controls the light above the sink and mirror, and one goes to the light. The wires were connected to the receptacle in this manner--all grounds wired together in a pigtail with one ground wire running to the receptacle, a white and a black screwed to the appropriate sides of the outlet, two whites and two blacks backstabbed to the outlet. How should I rewire this for the GFCI? One other thing that I am doing--all of this is in a single box with short wires which doesn't give me much room to work. I am installing a double box with a blank on the other side to give me more room. Thanks for any advice.
#2
Welcome to the forums.
You don't have the wiring ID'ed correctly. If one cable was power in, one was to the light, and one was to the switch.... they wouldn't all be connected together at the receptacle.
It sounds more like you have power in, power out, power to the switch which then goes to the light. You'd need to connect all the whites together with a small tail to go to the GFI. Do the same with all the black wires.
You don't have the wiring ID'ed correctly. If one cable was power in, one was to the light, and one was to the switch.... they wouldn't all be connected together at the receptacle.
It sounds more like you have power in, power out, power to the switch which then goes to the light. You'd need to connect all the whites together with a small tail to go to the GFI. Do the same with all the black wires.
#8
One white, one black, and one red attached to the switch
There are two cables coming into the switch box
#9
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 12
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
I'll try to be a little more specific. Three cables are coming into the switch box. Cable 1 has White to the switch, Red to the switch, and Black nutted to Black of Cable 1. Cable 2 has Black nutted to Black of Cable 1 and White nutted to White of Cable 3. Cable 3 has White nutted to White of Cable 2 and Black to the switch. I hope this is more helpful.
#13
The first switch is the one which is closest to the GFI outlet and the lights. The other switch is outside the bathroom door.
I have power at the receptacle but the light doesn't work.
Which switch controls the light that doesn't work?
#14
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 12
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Both switches would potentially control the light. Neither one is at the moment. The outlet is between the switches and the light. When I wired the GFI by pigtailing the whites and the blacks at the outlet box and running a black and white and ground to the outlet, I had power at the outlet but nothing happened at the light.
#15
So are both switches 3-way switches that control the light?
Please a simple answer not a confusing one. Did both switches control the light before you installed the GFCI?
Both switches would potentially control the light.
#17
Cable 1 has White to the switch, Red to the switch, and Black nutted to Black of Cable 1. Cable 2 has Black nutted to Black of Cable 1 and White nutted to White of Cable 3. Cable 3 has White nutted to White of Cable 2 and Black to the switch.
At the hall switch which color wire to the common?
I am drawing a diagram so I can better see what you have but I need the above information to finish. I'm pretty sure which one but need to verify.
Just to not forget the obvious have you redone the wire nut connections at the GFCI? Swapped out the bulb?
Last edited by ray2047; 04-14-15 at 07:50 PM.
#19
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 12
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Following your suggestion about the obvious, I left the breaker turned on and gently jiggled the wire nuts that connect pigtails with the blacks and the whites (bad idea, I know, but I am home alone at the moment so who will know. Which turns it into a super bad idea, I know). Anyway when I lightly jiggled the nut at the white wires there was a slight sizzling sound (not from me, thankfully) and lo and behold, everything works. So I assume that now I should redo the wiring and connections with the wire nuts. I promise I will switch off the breaker first. Then I will post my results.
#20
Anyway when I lightly jiggled the nut at the white wires there was a slight sizzling sound (not from me, thankfully) and lo and behold, everything works. So I assume that now I should redo the wiring and connections with the wire nuts.
Last edited by ray2047; 04-16-15 at 01:51 PM.
#21
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 12
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Everything works! For those of you who were following this thread, go to the part where it says to pigtail the blacks and whites together and attach the GFI. Then ignore the rest.
This is a great website and a tremendous service. Thanks for the help and patience.
This is a great website and a tremendous service. Thanks for the help and patience.