Please Help

jwn2126

Finally at the end of my recessed can install and of course , I hit a snag on my last set.The problem is that the box I was going to get power from to go to my lights is a switch loop for top and bottom of recepticle. Is there a way that I can get power for my light switch and keep the recepticle switched ? If so ,how ? Any help would be appreciated. By the way , there are only two wires in the box with the switch , a black and a white. Thank You :o

RobertWilber

From your statement, I read that you have a dead-end switch leg to control a receptacle, and want to add a switch to control recessed lighting.


If you want to get power at the switch and still leave the receptacle switch controlled, then you will have to either replace the switch leg cable with a 3-wire cable or run a parallel 2 wire cable for the feed you want.

... or abandon control of the receptacle and convert the switch leg to a feed-thru

Sorry, I don't see any way out of it.

jwn2126

Thank you for your reply Robert , Unfortunately I didn't see it before I did the work , but I think I got it. What I did was opened the wall , pulled all wires out of recepticle box and placed them into a J-box (feed wire , traveller to next circuit and original switch leg which is now feeding 2 gang switch box). In the switch box , I pigtailed the hot lead for 2 switches 1 for recessed cans and 1 for recepticle. I then pulled 14-2 to the recepticle made all connections and everything worked perfectly. Is this an acceptable way to do it ? If not What should I change? THANKS AGAIN :D

RobertWilber

It sounds like you have used the original line to the switch box and converted it to a feed, then run a separate line back to the receptacle for that use.
The only problem that could exist is if you buried your splice box where you took the original wiring out of the receptacle.
If that is the case, you need to reestablish ALL that stuff into the original receptacle location [for access if there is a problem later]
This can be accomplished by using a larger box for the receptacle location, maybe a 1900 with an extension ring and a plaster ring [to allow one device opening]
You need 2 cubic inches for each 14 CONDUCTOR and device at the box
Otherwise - congrats on solving your problem!
You can get my website from my profile and call if you need to

jwn2126

OK , I will remove the splice box and run those wires to the recepticle box. Thank you for the advice , I really appreciate it.