# need wiring help



## KEN KERLEY (Nov 13, 2006)

Replaced a combo light swith/outlet but the new one doesn't work right. The outlet is only hot when the switch is on instead of being hot all the time like it used be. I have two black wires, white wire and ground. The unit has a jumper on one side connecting the two screws and two screws on the other side along with the ground screw. One black and the white are on one side and the other black is on the other with the jumper. What am I doing wrong?
Thanks.


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## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

Sounds like you need to reverse the location of your black wires. make sure your white is on a silver colored screw and your blacks are on a brass colored screw. Your "hot" wire should go the plug first and then that should energize 1 side of your switch. When you turn the switch on it completes the circuit out to whatever it feeds


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## KEN KERLEY (Nov 13, 2006)

That's what I've got but it's not what I want. The switch and electrical outlet seem to operate like they're wired in series and I need them to operate seperatly like they're in parallel.


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## Redstalker (Jul 4, 2004)

KEN KERLEY said:


> That's what I've got but it's not what I want. The switch and electrical outlet seem to operate like they're wired in series and I need them to operate separatly like they're in parallel.


1st isolate the hot by turning off the breaker and removing and separating all the black wires. Then turn the breaker back on and check with a tester to find the line side power. After you have determined witch one is the "hot". Turn the breaker back off and tie in 2 additional black wires about 12" in length with a red wirenut, fold these wires in neately leaving enough to attach one wire to the switch and then one to the gold screw on the plug. When you re-energize the circuite the switch should operate what ever it powered before and the plug should remain hot.


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## grayfish (Jul 31, 2005)

KEN KERLEY said:


> Replaced a combo light swith/outlet but the new one doesn't work right. The outlet is only hot when the switch is on instead of being hot all the time like it used be. I have two black wires, white wire and ground. The unit has a jumper on one side connecting the two screws and two screws on the other side along with the ground screw. One black and the white are on one side and the other black is on the other with the jumper. What am I doing wrong?
> Thanks.


One of the blacks is going to be the hot wire from the source and the other is going to go to the load.(light, outlet, fan or what ever). You need to know which black is hot. If you do not know how to tell. STOP HERE.

The hot wire will be connected to the same side as the jumper. This supplies power to both the switch and outlet through the jumper. The other black will attach to the switch screw opposite the jumper side. The white will attach to the outlet screw opposite the jumper. The ground will attach to the ground screw.

This will leave the outlet hot at all times and the load controlled by the switch.


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## grayfish (Jul 31, 2005)

A little drawing to show how it may look.

I AM NOT AN ELECTRICIAN. Take the advice above and here for what you payed for it. Zilch.


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## KEN KERLEY (Nov 13, 2006)

Thanks guys for the help. I'll take another look at it in the morning.


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## grayfish (Jul 31, 2005)

KEN KERLEY said:


> Thanks guys for the help. I'll take another look at it in the morning.


Any luck?


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## jdot7749 (Dec 1, 2008)

How come none of those electricians on the job board are on here answering this mans questions. A little help for a 2 cooler guys!


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## speckle-catcher (May 20, 2004)

jdot7749 said:


> How come none of those electricians on the job board are on here answering this mans questions. A little help for a 2 cooler guys!


simple: liability.


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## Harbormaster (May 26, 2000)

grayfish said:


> A little drawing to show how it may look.
> 
> I AM NOT AN ELECTRICIAN. Take the advice above and here for what you payed for it. Zilch.


Excellent diagram Grayfish!

"You have given out too much Reputation in the last 24 hours, try again later."


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## Titus Bass (Dec 26, 2008)

These are helpful.....you need to know a little about electricity...

*Option 1. Fixture Controlled by Two Switches: Power Through a Switch Box
*Two three-way switches control one light with the electric power coming through the first switch, flowing to the second switch, and then to the light fixture. The ground wire goes through both switch boxes and the ceiling light box and it is connected at all junctions, except the light, with a pigtail (short piece of wire) and wire connector. The hot wire in the drawing is black and is connected to the COM terminal. The neutral wire is white. Track each with a finger to its conclusion at the light fixture to ensure proper connection. Some light fixtures with a chain pull have a ground connection.


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## Titus Bass (Dec 26, 2008)

*Option 2. Fixture Controlled by Two Switches: Power Through Light
*Two three-way switches control one light with the electric power coming through the light on a two wire cable. In order to code the white wire, which is used as a power wire from the light fixture through the switches, black electrician's tape is wrapped around the wire in the boxes. This way, if you or someone else goes into the boxes for repairs, the white wire taped black will indicate a hot wire. Even when taped black, the white wire may never be used to bring power to the fixture terminal. The red traveller (switch) wire runs just between the two switches, not the light. Note connections of the ground wire.


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## Titus Bass (Dec 26, 2008)

*Option 3. Fixture Between Two Three-Way Switches: Power Through Switch
*Light is controlled by two three-way switches with the light between the switches and the power first going through a switch, then to the light, and onto the second three-way switch. The ground wire is pigtailed with a wire connector at the switch boxes and the ceiling box. Grounding screws often are furnished with boxes and are green.
Tip:The traveller wire goes through the light ceiling box and that the white wire is taped black between the fixture and second switch.


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## Titus Bass (Dec 26, 2008)

There are more at homeimprovementweb.com
Type in 3 way switch......


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## Pier Pressure (Aug 30, 2009)

Titus Bass said:


> *Option 2. Fixture Controlled by Two Switches: Power Through Light*
> Two three-way switches control one light with the electric power coming through the light on a two wire cable. In order to code the white wire, which is used as a power wire from the light fixture through the switches, black electrician's tape is wrapped around the wire in the boxes. This way, if you or someone else goes into the boxes for repairs, the white wire taped black will indicate a hot wire. Even when taped black, the white wire may never be used to bring power to the fixture terminal. The red traveller (switch) wire runs just between the two switches, not the light. Note connections of the ground wire.


Option 2 is the way I always go with. I have wired 3 way switches throughout my whole house, both floors. Less wires to run in the wall.


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## Livetofishfishtolive (Feb 22, 2010)

Turn your breaker off for that circuit then check it to make sure its off. Take the device completely apart and sit it to the side. Seperate the wires so that none of them are touching anything and just to be on the safe side put a wire nut on each one if you have some. Turn the breaker back on and then go check either with a meter or hot stick to see which black or red wire is hot. Once you have that then turn the breaker back off. Then your going to take that wire that was hot and do what is called a pigtail. Take two pieces of wire and strip the ends, then tie those two wires together with the wire that was hot and wire nut them together. After you have done that stuff that wire nut in the box. Now you should have two wires that are hot all the time and one that is a switch leg for your light and a neutral or white wire and a ground, so 5 wires total. Now look at your plug, there are two vertical slits and one round hole where you can plug a device into it. The smaller slit or the one on the right is where your constant hot goes, or one of the wires you pigtailed earlier. So wrap one of those around that screw and then right above it on the switch put the other wire that you pigtailed. Now flip the switch over. On the other side wrap your ground around the green screw and tighten it down. Then wrap the white wire around the screw on the recepticle with the long slit. Then right above that wrap the other black or red wire that was by itself on the last screw, thats your switch leg. Now double check and make sure that everything has been tightened down and install your switch. Turn your breaker back on and you should be good to go. If that doesnt work then PM me and maybe I can swing by after work and help you out with it.


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