Eliminate switch loop

Hello

I am trying to install a gfci to replace an old two slot one. The old outlet goes up to a ceiling fan/light box that has 4 two wire cables. The fan/light is controlled by a wall switch which I believe is on a switch loop because the box in the ceiling has a white wire from the switch pigtailed to the other blacks in the ceiling box. I think the 4 cables are : A the power line coming in. B the line to the wall switch. C and D two lines going out to other fixtures on that circuit. My question is can I eliminate the switch loop to the wall switch that controls the fan/light and just have the light/fan operate from the pull chains? Will this eliminate the switch loop then? If so can I then install the gfci to the old outlet? I live in older house with only 2 wire cable with no ground which is the reason I am installing gfci. Any info or guidance would b appreciated.

 

Welcome to the forums! Physically you can eliminate the switch loop, BUT it will violate code. You must have a switch operated overhead light or a switched receptacle in each room. Why do you want to eliminate the switch loop? You can install the GFCI in the receptacle box without altering anything.

 

Thanks for the reply...I thought a gfci can't be connected to a circuit with a switch loop? The outlet I wanna replace is 1st in the circuit. It comes from the breaker box to that outlet..from there it runs up to the ceiling fan box. In that box it has 3 two wire cables not counting the feeder from the outlet. Two cables go to other lights throughout the house and the other is the cable for the switch to control both the fan and light which is the loop because switch is end of run with the white being tagged as hot so has no neutral. This is a 20 a circuit w 12 g wire. I want that first outlet in the circuit to be a gfci with its load to protect all the other fixtures on that circuit. I just want house to b as safe as possible by adding gfci s instead of rewiring. So can gfci go on a switch loop circuit? Also I thought switch loops were not code anymore..please help this is making me nuts.

 

Ok... you want to remove an existing two prong receptacle and install a GFI type.

Ok.... but what has that to do with the receptacle ??

The switch has nothing to do with the receptacle.

 

Also should I maybe use an afci outlet there instead of a gfci just for more protection? I know they cost more but might b worth it to eliminate a fire hazard with this older ungrounded wiring.

 

But aren't they on the same shared circuit fed from the breaker box to that outlet? One being the line and the other the load to the ceiling box and from there to the other fixtures on that circuit?

 

A GFCI will give adequate personnel protection at a moderate cost. The switch loop only controls the "on and off" operation of the light. The GFCI will protect the light as well as the other circuits if they are all off the LOAD side. Putting too much into this, IMO.

 

I would keep the new GFI or AFCI on it's own as you only have a two wire cable there.

It's the ground you are missing so you want to use a GFI receptacle or a combo receptacle. Cannot be AFCI only.

 

Ok I will just put in the gfci then...I have 1 more question, where I am putting the gfci I know which is the line and load cable, but for the load cable the wires are both black and I don't remember which was the hot and which was the neutral. How can I test to see which is which? I know the gfci won't work if the line and load wires r wrong but will it work if I accidentally reverse the hot and neutral on the LOAD side even if the hot and neutral are correct on the LINE side? In other words if I accidentally put the white on brass screw and black on silver screw on load side. Will reverse polarity affect gfci on only load side? Again both wires are black on load cable how do I know which is which? The line cable has a black and white. I really appreciate all the help.

 

Are you saying that you have two cables where the receptacle is..... that would be four wires ?
You could connect the downstream receptacles to the load side if desired.

The hot side of the circuit needs to stay connected to the small slot on the receptacle. You can connect the load side and then check the downstream receptacles. You would check from the small slot to a known ground like a water pipe or faucet.

I've had to use a three prong extension cord plugged into a known grounded receptacle and then use the ground hole to check to.

 

Yes there are 2 cables or 4 wires where I wanna install the gfci. I know which cables are the line and load. I know which wires are the hot and neutral on the line cable. I am Not sure which wires are the hot and neutral on the load cable as they are both black. How can I b sure I connect the load side correctly to the gfci? Will the gfci work if the load wires are reversed but the line wires are correct?

 

A cable will not have two black wires. If these are cloth covered look very carefully in a good light. If you still can't you will need a multimeter and a wire long enough to reach the other end of the cable. You will check which wire is used as neutral at the other end then disconnect it and use the multimeter set to ohms to find which wire it is at the other end.