There’s a single-pole switch at the foot of my basement stairs, with a standard duplex receptacle beside it in the same box. The switch and the receptacle both draw current from the three-wire cable coming into the box (red, white and black wires, plus a bare copper ground wire — the only cable entering the box), but the receptacle is always live, regardless of the switch position. The switch controls a ceiling light.
That receptacle was the only one installed in the unfinished basement with the original wiring, 25 years ago. There are newer circuits which supply receptacles all around the walls, and we no longer need the first one. I’d like to remove it, and use the space in the box for another switch, on a different circuit.
I can’t find any description that matches the original wiring. Here’s how it’s been done:
There are two terminal screws on the switch (no ground screw). The red wire is connected to one of the switch terminals. The white wire is connected to one of the receptacle screws, but not to the switch. The black wire is connected first to the other switch terminal (bare patch about 4 inches from the end of the wire passes under the screw) and then continues on to the second screw on the receptacle. The bare ground wire is connected first to a grounding screw on the box, and then continues on to the green screw on the receptacle.
The guy who did the original wiring followed his own rules, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this was dangerous, or contrary to code, or both.
How can I wire a new switch into this circuit? Thanks in advance.
Replies
Sounds like pretty standard stuff - the black wire is always hot and feeds both the receptacle and switch. The white is neutral and is used only by the receptacle. The red wire is the switch leg back to the light fixture. The only difference between this and a typical switch leg is the neutral for the receptacle.
Removing the receptacle is a snap - simply cap off the neutral and reconfigure the black wire to go to the switch only, leaving no exposed bare conductor. As for adding another switch, that depends on what you're trying to control with it.
That isn't all that weird, the supply wire comes into the lite in the ceiling and then down to the box via a piece of 14/3 so it remains live for the receptacle and still allows the light to be switched on and off.
If you would like to remove the receptacle, open the ceiling fixture and cap off the black , then put in your other switch. Or just leave it and run another wire to another ceiling lite and the power is already there! Hope that helps.
David
Whatever you're smokin', I'll take two.SamT
Thanks for your help -- fast replies, with clear explanations. Great forum!
Given that you have a neutral available at the switch location, you might be able to make the new installation a lot easier by going with X-10. You might be able to control the new thing you want to switch without having to make a new run to the existing box.
-- J.S.