We have two relatively small bedrooms (~10'x12') that have no ceiling fixture but a switched outlet right by the door. The outlet is in a spot that makes a floor lamp somewhat inconvenient and I'd like to make things easier with a ceiling fixture.

How would I wire a ceiling fixture to that switch while bypassing or taking the outlet off the switch?

 

more description please.. thanks..

 

Please supply the following information:

(1) After I'm done, I would like the currently switched receptacle to be:
(1A) Still controlled by the same switch that controls the new overhead light.
(1B) Always hot, independent of the switch.
(1C) Either way is fine.

(2) There is an accessible attic above this room.
(2A) True.
(2B) False.

(3) It would be easier to fish a new cable:
(3A) From the ceiling to the switch.
(3B) From the ceiling to the receptacle.
(3C) How the heck would I know?

(4) The switch and the receptacle:
(4A) Neither is on an exterior wall.
(4B) Both are on an exterior wall.
(4C) The switch only is on an exterior wall.
(4D) The receptacle only is on an exterior wall.

(5) The switch currently controls:
(5A) Only the top half of the duplex receptacle.
(5B) Only the bottom half of the duplex receptacle.
(5C) Both halves of the receptacle.

(6) There is a white wire connected to one of the screws on the switch.
(6A) True.
(6B) False.

(7) The lever of the switch:
(7A) Says "on" and "off".
(7B) Is blank.

 

(1) After I'm done, I would like the currently switched receptacle to be:
(1B) Always hot, independent of the switch. (unless it makes the job quite a bit more difficult)


(2) There is an accessible attic above this room.
(2A) True.


(3) It would be easier to fish a new cable:
(3A) From the ceiling to the switch.


(4) The switch and the receptacle:
(4A) Neither is on an exterior wall. (switch directly above outlet next to interior door)


(5) The switch currently controls:
(5C) Both halves of the receptacle.


(6) There is a white wire connected to one of the screws on the switch.
(6B) False. (just two blacks, but there are three whites tied together with a connector in the box)


(7) The lever of the switch:
(7A) Says "on" and "off".


Thanks, hope this helps.

 

You need to fish the wire from your new light down the wall to the switch box. You probably need to remove the box and install a new old work box. Make the following connections in the switch.

Connect all the whites together.
Connect all the existing black together with a short pigtail black wire.
Connect the pigtail black wire and new cable black wire to the switch.
Connect all the ground wires together.

At the light
Connect black to black, white to white and the ground(bare) to ground.

I would recommend that you run a 14/3 cable with a red wire in it. Cap the red at both ends. This will give you a future option for a ceiling fan and allow separate control of the fan and light. If this is a 20 amp circuit then you need a 12/3 cable.

 

with this wiring the receptacle will still be switched correct? i'm assuming the new box is so i can actually get the fished wire in to the switch correct?

good idea about the 12/3. it is a 15 amp circuit but i'm going to use 12 anyway.

 

Joe's instructions are simple and correct and will give you everything you ask for. The receptacle will no longer be switched (and you don't need to touch the wiring at the receptacle itself). Joe is speculating that you might need a new box if the old box is too small to hold all the connections. If the old box is large enough, you may not need to replace it. If this is a 15-amp circuit, things will fit better if you use #14 instead of #12.

 

great, thanks guys!

 

It may be large enough but removing it makes fishing the cable much simpler. I don't know if you could even do it with the box in place.

Using 12/3 is a waste unless you have it on hand and would need go buy the 14/3. Since the rest of the circuit is #14 you couldn't use a 20 amp breaker on anyway.

 

The easiest way I've found to fish a cable into a wall box is to drill a hole in the top plate (from the attic), drop a light chain down through the hole, and then fish the chain into the box with a coat hanger. Then you can use the chain to pull in the cable. You can use some cord instead of the light chain, but it doesn't hang as straight and will probably be harder to catch with the coat hanger.

As Joe says, use the #14 rather than the #12. It'll be much less trouble.