Hello everyone,
I am working on getting lights installed in my new house and would like to share the environment and my ideas and you can tell me if there is either an easier way OR if I'm being an idiot and my method would either be dangerous or wouldn't work at all.
Scenario: I have a light switch that controls an outlet and have no existing lighting. We would like to install some recessed lights, and have attic access for this area.
I believe there is a line coming from the outlet TO the switch, then another line that returns the power from the switch TO the outlet. So... with all this said lets get into my thoughts and someone can tell me if I'm being silly. I feel I should be able to find the "return" line from the attic and cut it (12/3) put in a junction box and connect the following wires. All whites together, all ground together, Black to black ( for outlet ), Red to black ( new line for lights (new line will be 12/2))
Please let me know if this is a safety hazard, if so why, if this theory should work, and if you can think of an easier way about this.
I am here to learn and maybe save a couple bucks all while doing it, but priority one is always safety!
You're on the right track, but there usually aren't two cables between the switch and the outlet. Doesn't mean it can't be like this, but more likely, that there's a different configuration. Also, unless the switch and outlet are across a doorway, it's likely the cable goes directly from the switch to the outlet in more or less a straight line.
Can you confirm what wires/cables are at the outlet?
But not to fret, you can still most likely do what you're looking to do. With an open attic, you can fish a new wire down to your switch and to the new recessed lights if needed.
Cutting in the attic is not generally the best plan but 'best' is usually determined by seeing what you have onsite. At the switchbox on the wall and at the switched receptacle, you may need to pull the fixtures out of the box and analyze the wiring to determine but, as Zorfdt stated, it is more likely you have power coming into the switch box and then two wires, one switched and one always hot, going to the receptacle.
As stated above I had the exact same thing in all the upper bedrooms without ceiling lights. I had to run new wire from the powered switch to the ceiling and rewire the receptacle as always hot.
All,
Thanks for the responses. I am away from the wiring currently but I believe I have enough to give a general idea of what's going on.
Note: White/White Means they are connected same for Ground/Ground Black/Black ( just so there's no confusion )
At the outlet. Two feeds.... Left wire is as follows. White-> top right of receptacle, black/black, ground/ground. ( this wire should be 12/2 )
Right wire ( feed )- Red-> top right screw of receptacle, White-> bottom left of receptacle, black and ground connected.
At the switch. Left wire: Red-> top right of switch, Black pigtailed to bottom right of switch. White/White, ground/ground
Right wire: Black to bottom right ( both blacks are on the same connection on the switch ) White/White Ground/Ground.
Hopefully this was clear enough... I can take pictures when I get home OR verify the info I provided. I feel like this is fairly accurate.
Grounds are understood to be properly connected and are not included in a wiring discussion.
Confirm your wiring size first. Don't assume #12 and don't use #12 automatically.
I never wire any residential lighting circuits in #12. It's not needed and takes up to much room in complicated switchboxes. I always use #14. Some people feel differently. Same with some electricians.
This is what you have based on your description. That would be fairly common. You have a two cables at each location. We know the three wire cable connects the two boxes. We do not know which end power comes in on a two wire cable and then travels back out on another two wire cable. It doesn't really matter. If you find the correct three wire cable in the attic.... red is switched, black is hot and white is neutral. That will never change. You can change how the receptacle operates by removing the red from the receptacle and cap off. Connect black wire to receptacle.
I completed this room with little to no issues. Everything works great.
new issue. I have the same scenario with a switched receptacle, I go up cut the line in hopes of adding a third line…. But am now dealing with the original line being too short to deal with. Am I able to extend this with other wiring and put all of this in the same box?
so this would be a total of 7-8 connections in one box. ( due to extending the wiring )
Hello Folks,
Have been doing upgrade in my bathroom. Replacing some chrome style fixtures (faucet, towel bar, light fixtures, etc) with brushed nickel ones (I prefer them).
I stumbled upon a problem with installing the light fixture. The person who did some electrical work there years ago left the wires ending at fixture slipped away inside the wall and then had to cut an extra opening in the drywall in order to fish the wire. It was ok before because the previous fixture was large enough to cover the whole thing. But that is not the case of my new fixture which has a smaller profile. What would be the best approach to address this situation? Some plastic molding around it, maybe.
[img]https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.doityourselft.com-vbulletin/2000x1504/img_20221013_204717433_d722a8741dba622b46bff3a636d7a64eefbf003f.jpg[/img]
[i]Old light fixture and irregular drywall opening around electrical box[/i]
[img]https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.doityourselft.com-vbulletin/2000x1504/img_20221013_211524674_71b23e6d0b49666e10584593e50abffbca177807.jpg[/img]
[i]New light fixture, test fitting[/i]
Any input and insight would be appreciated.
Hi All, I am trying to replace an existing single pole light switch with a smart switch.
The existing switch has 3 black wires going into it (2 back stubbed) and one to the screw on the side. I assume one top back stub (A) is live. The adjacenct screwed black wire (B) carries live to other switches in the room. And the bottom backstab is the lout wire (takes power when switch is turned on).
and a bunch of white wires are bundled together in the box.
The new smart switch (Meross MSS510) has 4 wires. Live lout neutral and ground.
Questions :
a) How do I make the connections?
b) Can I combine the 2 black wires (A and B) and the live from the smart switch with a single cap?
c) As there is no ground wire, can I leave the ground in new switch empty?
Thanks in advance.
[img]https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.doityourselft.com-vbulletin/2000x1504/c6c218c2_a1a0_4b4f_98fe_29d60a5f7ce4_18a8242cac846952b2b4037f864f6f159774c47b.jpeg[/img]
[img]https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.doityourselft.com-vbulletin/2000x1504/0d814cc3_4157_42d0_b3f8_cfa9ebfb6e02_4c0735c7ff798b4118186630757889f3c3e90c6b.jpeg[/img]
[img]https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.doityourselft.com-vbulletin/2000x1504/542fac97_ffa2_46b0_8472_c688566e7f3f_2503a940a4ef2a60f08e89d7e2f7992184bc5462.jpeg[/img]
09-17-22, 04:04 AM
