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Subject Author Date
Switch/Receptacles? Toller 08-21-2007
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Posted by Toller on August 21, 2007, 11:12 am
Does the switch control the receptacle, or is the receptacle always powered?
I read through several manufacturers sites, but they don't say! I am
guessing it is always powered, giving the option of breaking the tab and
wiring to the backside of the switch; but the obvious answer is not always
the right one.

They have 2 brass screws on one side, and a brass and nickel on the other.
I presume the brass and nickel go to the light to be controlled by the
switch?



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Posted by Beachcomber on August 21, 2007, 11:27 am


>Does the switch control the receptacle, or is the receptacle always powered?
>I read through several manufacturers sites, but they don't say! I am
>guessing it is always powered, giving the option of breaking the tab and
>wiring to the backside of the switch; but the obvious answer is not always
>the right one.
>
>They have 2 brass screws on one side, and a brass and nickel on the other.
>I presume the brass and nickel go to the light to be controlled by the
>switch?
>
>
The nickel (silver colored) screw is for the neutral (white wire)
only. You have the option of wiring it as a switch controlling the
outlet or an independent switch and an always-on outlet (a third
option, having the outlet controlled by another switch somewhere,
would require breaking the tab).

Otherwise, for the first two options, the important thing is what side
of the switch your incoming hot wire would be connected to... Tab side
for an always-on outlet and the single brass screw on the other side
if you want the switch to control the outlet.

These are really simple wiring concepts, but if you are having
difficulty understanding them, you should probably ask someone you
know for more assistance. Wiring errors can kill people, burn down
houses, etc.

Beachcomber




Posted by Toller on August 21, 2007, 11:45 am

>
>
>>Does the switch control the receptacle, or is the receptacle always
>>powered?
>>I read through several manufacturers sites, but they don't say! I am
>>guessing it is always powered, giving the option of breaking the tab and
>>wiring to the backside of the switch; but the obvious answer is not always
>>the right one.
>>
>>They have 2 brass screws on one side, and a brass and nickel on the other.
>>I presume the brass and nickel go to the light to be controlled by the
>>switch?
>>
>>
> The nickel (silver colored) screw is for the neutral (white wire)
> only. You have the option of wiring it as a switch controlling the
> outlet or an independent switch and an always-on outlet (a third
> option, having the outlet controlled by another switch somewhere,
> would require breaking the tab).
>
> Otherwise, for the first two options, the important thing is what side
> of the switch your incoming hot wire would be connected to... Tab side
> for an always-on outlet and the single brass screw on the other side
> if you want the switch to control the outlet.
>
> These are really simple wiring concepts, but if you are having
> difficulty understanding them, you should probably ask someone you
> know for more assistance. Wiring errors can kill people, burn down
> houses, etc.
>
Thank you.
They are only simple if you happen to know how the S/R works. If not, it is
simply unknown; no amount of electrical experience can tease it out.



Posted by dpb on August 21, 2007, 11:56 am
Toller wrote:
>>
>>> Does the switch control the receptacle, or is the receptacle always
>>> powered?
...
>> These are really simple wiring concepts, but if you are having
>> difficulty understanding them, you should probably ask someone you
>> know for more assistance. Wiring errors can kill people, burn down
>> houses, etc.
>>
> Thank you.
> They are only simple if you happen to know how the S/R works. If not, it is
> simply unknown; no amount of electrical experience can tease it out.

A few minutes w/ an VOM would "tease it out" if only a modicum of
electrical experience is available...

--

Posted by RickH on August 21, 2007, 2:40 pm
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >>Does the switch control the receptacle, or is the receptacle always
> >>powered?
> >>I read through several manufacturers sites, but they don't say! I am
> >>guessing it is always powered, giving the option of breaking the tab and
> >>wiring to the backside of the switch; but the obvious answer is not always
> >>the right one.
>
> >>They have 2 brass screws on one side, and a brass and nickel on the other.
> >>I presume the brass and nickel go to the light to be controlled by the
> >>switch?
>
> > The nickel (silver colored) screw is for the neutral (white wire)
> > only. You have the option of wiring it as a switch controlling the
> > outlet or an independent switch and an always-on outlet (a third
> > option, having the outlet controlled by another switch somewhere,
> > would require breaking the tab).
>
> > Otherwise, for the first two options, the important thing is what side
> > of the switch your incoming hot wire would be connected to... Tab side
> > for an always-on outlet and the single brass screw on the other side
> > if you want the switch to control the outlet.
>
> > These are really simple wiring concepts, but if you are having
> > difficulty understanding them, you should probably ask someone you
> > know for more assistance. Wiring errors can kill people, burn down
> > houses, etc.
>
> Thank you.
> They are only simple if you happen to know how the S/R works. If not, it is
> simply unknown; no amount of electrical experience can tease it out.- Hide
quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Draw a schematic, understand it, then wire it. Usually you split the
duplex outlet so one side is always hot and other side is switched,
(by breaking tab). Wire un-switched side to existing hot in wall box
(hot is small spade brass screw) then wire neutral to neutral side
(large spade silver screw). The switch is wired in series with the
hot feed from the switch box to the other half of the duplex outlet
(other separated hot screw), neutral is common to both sides
(unsplit). Remember the switch does NOT get wired to neutral in any
way, its in series on the hot feeder. Switch must be rated at or
higher than the outlet and the outlet must match the rating of the
breaker 15 or 20 amp. If the hot feed from the switch box is not
already going to the outlet box, then just pull (or push) a new wire
to it (that is if you're using conduit).




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