changing a fixture to an outlet - keeping the switch

aweshucks

This was installed not long ago, it's conduit on the outside of the walls and ceilings. The power runs into the room along the ceiling, to a box where there was a light fixture. Then the conduit goes back, and down along the wall to a switch. It's a dimmer switch. The conduit continues from that box to a few outlets around the room - none of which are controlled by the switch. The switch just controlled the box on the ceiling. I want to change that box from the fixture to an outlet, still controlled by the switch.

I took the fixture out - the conduit feeding that box from outside the room has a 3 whites, a red, a blue, and a black wire. The conduit going out of that box (to the switch) has 2 reds, a white, a blue, and a black.

The dimmer switch has two black wires coming out of the back of the switch. One wire ties to two blues (one going up towards the box, one going down to other outlets), the other wire ties to a red (going up to the box on the ceiling).

I tied an outlet in using the blues and the whites, plugged in a light and it works, it's just not connected to the switch. I feel that the red wire that only runs between the box and the switch is the key, I just don't know how to hook it up.

I'll be really happy to get this outlet on this switch! If you can help, I would really appreciate it. Thanks!!

ponch37300

The red wire is your switch leg. It carries switched power up to the box from the switch. That is the wire you will need to hook up to the brass screws on the outlet. I will assume you have the white wires hooked up to the silver screws. The blue wire is steady power for the other outlets. The red wire should have been the one the fixture was hooked up to.

Bondo

Ayuh,.....

I think you'll find it Will work if you use the Red on 1 side,+ the White on the other......

aweshucks

thanks! Yes, the red was hooked to the fixture. I also had the same red on one of the brass screws, and the two blues on the other screw, with the whites on one of the silver screws. Two wires per one screw, the bottom ones, I opened up another outlet box to look, and I was just following that. So that's how they did it...
So from your replies I think I will try to 'pigtail' the two blue and the red onto the same brass screw? (having red on top, blues on the bottom, the outlet is on, but not on the switch.

aweshucks

Cool! Thanks you guys, so much.
I had to sit and think for a second, and I drew a little diagram just to reason it out - then I got it - tie the blue ones together, and the red on the brass screw, just like you said.
It's amazing as always what a little knowledge can do . . .

So thanks again! My heartfelt appreciation,

Malcolm