Switched Receptacle wiring advice required

stuvwxyz99

I have an existing duplex receptacle in which both halves are switched (via a single switch). This is a middle of the run receptacle. It is currently wired as follows:

Coming in from the left (from another, unswitched outlet), there is one black (hot) and one White. From the right, there is one red (switched) and one black (hot). The white is attached to one of the neutral terminals and red to one of the hot terminals. Both tabs are still intact. The two black wires are connected via a wire nut. Thus, the switch turns on/off both outlets.

I'm trying to figure out how to have only half of the outlet switched. My guess is that i need to break the tab, connect hot to one half and the switched wire to the other. But this leaves me with a spare hot, which I assume needs to be connected to the other hot. So do i need to add a small piece of black wire so that the two exising hots and the new wire can be connected together via the wire nut?

Thanks for you help.

electures

Break the tab. Pigtail the black and connect it to whichever terminal the red is not connected to.

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stuvwxyz99

Thanks. "Pigtail" means connect a brand new length of wire, correct?

Techy

yes, put the existing blacks, and a short (6-8") piece of wire to go to the receptacle together with a connector of your choice

stuvwxyz99

Great. Thanks to you and electures. This is my first time wiring any sort of receptacle

electures

Make sure you turn power off first.

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stuvwxyz99

Yup, got it.

stuvwxyz99

The existing (15A) receptacle is wired with 14 AWG wire. Is it ok to use 12 AWG wire for the pigtail? The wire nut would connect both 14 AWG along with the 12 AWG, and then the 12 AWG would also connect to one of the terminals on the receptacle.

electures

SOunds good.

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