Rewire a switch that controls an outlet.

z00ropa

Okay, I have a switch that controls a single recepticle of an outlet. Recently I had to do some work on the ceiling that gave me the chance to install a light in the ceiling. Ran the wire for the light down to the wall switch. The plan was to install a second switch, one to control the ceiling light the other to control the outlet. The power comes into the outlet, then up to the switch. Well, installed the second switch, and what happens now is, the outlet switch works fine, no problem. The ceiling light switch will work only if the outlet switch is on, and if I turn on the ceiling light switch the light will come on, cause a light plugged into the outlet to dim, and the ceiling light will go out. I wish I could draw a diagram of how I have it wired. But bascially my questions is this:

If the power comes from the outlet up to the switch. Is it even possible to install a second switch getting power from the outlet at the switch? I don't want to open the wall to get to the power in to the outlet. Or can I just wire the the light and the outlet to the same switch?

jbfan

That depends on the number of wires from the receptacle to the switch.
If you have just a black and white wire, then you can have the overhead light, but not switch the receptacle.

What wires did you connect?

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joed

Sounds like you have a switch loop. You have wired the new light in series with the receptacle. You can one or the other device switched but not both unless you change the cable between the receptacle and the switch box.

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z00ropa

Yes just a white a black from the outlet up to the switch.

jbfan

You are going to have to pull the receptacle from the wall and do some rewiring.
After the power is of, connet the white wire from the switch to the white wire at the receptacle.
Connect the black wire from the switch to the other black wires at the receptacle.
On the brass side of the receptacle, the tab may have been broken, and you will have to put a wire on each side.

At the switch, connect the white wire from the receptacle to the white wire going to the light.
Connect the black wire from the receptacle to one side of the switch, and connect the black wire from the light to the other side of the switch.

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Yes I am a Pirate, 200 years too late. "Jimmy Buffett"

rjniles

This will not do what the poster wants. He wants 2 switches, 1 for the receptacle and 1 for the light. Since the power is at the receptacle, he needs a 3 wire cable from the receptacle to the switch (hot, neutral and switched hot for the receptacle.).

I would eliminate the switched receptacle and make it constant hot and use the 2 wire to the switch to carry hot and neutral.

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jbfan

RJ, I know, but he can not get what he wants.

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Yes I am a Pirate, 200 years too late. "Jimmy Buffett"

z00ropa

I don't mind loosing switch control of the outlet as long as I can have power to the ceiling light. Question: The tab on the outlet that is broken off, would I need to replace the outlet?

rjniles

You can use the receptacle. At the receptacle box , pigtail the whites and connect to the receptacle. Pigtail the blacks and connect to the receptacle but wrap the pigtail around both screws.
At the switch box, wire nut the whites together. Connect the 2 blacks to the switch.

__________________
Location:
Coastal South Carolina