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Wall outlets stay charged even when light switch is turned off

8K views 33 replies 7 participants last post by  Stubbie 
#1 ·
I just replaced most of my outlet receptacles (cord plug-ins) in my house. But something is tripping the circuit breaker. I believe I've located the problem area, but I just don't know how to fix it. When the light switch is flipped on, the charge is going through the receptacles (which is what I want). But I see that there's charge going to these same receptacles even when the light switched is turned off. How can that be when the light switch is turned off? How can I determine exactly where the problem is, and what could be causing this problem? Would the problem be with a particular outlet receptacle, or would it be in the light switch's wiring?
 
#2 ·
If you had a switched receptacle and replaced it with new one, you probably didn't break the tab seperating the top and bottom receptacle. Some outlets are set up for a swithced receptacle on the bottom and constant on top. You need to find the hot coming from the light switch and seperate it from the constant hot feeding the other outlets.
 
#3 ·
This is a basic wall outlet (I don't know if I described it properly in my initial post). Can you tell me where I need to break this tab that you're speaking of? And where is the tab located on this receptacle? When I removed the wires from the old receptacle, I noticed that there was one extra white wire that I didn't know where it should go, so I tied that extra white wire into the other white wire.
 
#6 ·
This light switch is located on the corner of the wall, and this light switch sends charges to about 5 different receptacles, four of which are along the same wall (and the other receptacle is on a completely different wall). So which tab should I break? On the receptacle that is the closest to the light switch? Also, one of the receptacles has 3 sets of wires going to it, and the other receptacles only have 2 sets of wires.
 
#7 ·
Hmmmmmm,.... Got any Pictures,..??..??......

It sounds like you've got too many wires.......

Last I knew,.....
120V house circuits used a Black Hot leg, a White Common leg,+ a bare Copper Ground leg.....
And,......
A Switch would only be breaking the Black Hot leg,........
 
#9 ·
Hmmmmmm,.... Got any Pictures,..??..??......

It sounds like you've got too many wires.......

Last I knew,.....
120V house circuits used a Black Hot leg, a White Common leg,+ a bare Copper Ground leg.....
And,......
A Switch would only be breaking the Black Hot leg,........

Sorry---no pictures to offer as I'm not over at the house right now. I tried to contact that third white wire to the other white wire. I don't remember exactly how it was connected to the old receptacle. Now regarding breaking a tab, I'm not sure about breaking a tabs (that someone else had mentioned earlier). Where is this tab? And on which receptacle (out of the 5 receptables that are being charged) should I break this tab on?
 
#10 ·
"Was the black wire connected to any other wire with a wire nut?"

I think so. But if so, I never bothered that, so it shouldn't have affected it. All I did was put new receptacles on and put all the wires the same as they came off the old one. All except for this third white wire that I'm questioning, as I'm still not sure where that third white wire was connected to.
 
#11 ·
"Was the black wire connected to any other wire with a wire nut?"

I think so. But if so, I never bothered that, so it shouldn't have affected it. All I did was put new receptacles on and put all the wires the same as they came off the old one. All except for this third white wire that I'm questioning, as I'm still not sure where that third white wire was connected to.
When does the circuit breaker trip? And, are you sure the switch controled all of the outlets in the room?
 
#14 ·
"I think that white wire you connected to others may have been the switch leg for a switched receptacle. I think you created a dead short between two different circuits."

Then what should I do with that third white wire? At first, when I saw that third white wire, I just laid it down and didn't attach it to anything---but it still tripped the breaker. How would you recommend that I fix this problem?
 
#15 ·
"are you sure the switch controled all of the outlets in the room?"

This light switch is in a living room/dining room combination. I know that this one switch controls at least 4 of the receptacles, but it definitely doesn't control the entire room.
 
#16 ·
sounds like you may have split outlet one switched one hot all the time.Possibly two circuits one that for the hot side one for the switched. I would take a look at your recept. If their is a red a black connected probably a swithched outlet.What you need to do is on the side of the blak and red wires there sholud be tab about 1/8" long that links the two screw together it's toward the front side of the outlet and lookes like it would come off easy. Take a needle nose pliers and gently rock back and forth until it breaks off. do this on all outlets that have the black and red wires attached. wondering about the third white wire was in the box closest to the switch if so reply back for further thinking.
 
#18 ·
No, this box with the extra white wire (with the 3 sets of wires and the only one with 3 sets) is the receptacle furthest away of all the receptacles that are controlled by this switch. Yes, I'd like to know your thinking on the white wire and what should be done with it.


"sounds like you may have split outlet one switched one hot all the time.Possibly two circuits one that for the hot side one for the switched. I would take a look at your recept. If their is a red a black connected probably a swithched outlet.What you need to do is on the side of the blak and red wires there sholud be tab about 1/8" long that links the two screw together it's toward the front side of the outlet and lookes like it would come off easy. Take a needle nose pliers and gently rock back and forth until it breaks off. do this on all outlets that have the black and red wires attached. wondering about the third white wire was in the box closest to the switch if so reply back for further thinking"
 
#19 ·
"The red is probably part of a three way switch. is there more than one switch to operate the same light? that or some one used a piece of white wire as a pig tail on the black side?"

No, there's only this one switch that operates these 4 or so receptacles. Now, this switch is part of a 3-switch panel (all lined up together), and those other 2 switches ARE 3-way switches. But this particular switch that we've been talking about is not a 3-way switch; it's just one switch that operates at least 4 different receptacles in the area.
 
#21 ·
"what colors are the switch?"

Well, our switch is ivory. It used to be a different color, and that's why we changed the switch. Are we talking about the same switch here???? I'm talking about the light switch on the wall that you use to turn lights off and on. What kind of switch are YOU talking about? I hope we haven't been talking about 2 different types of switches here.
 
#24 ·
"What color wires did you put onto the Switch,..??"

and

"I think that white wire you connected to others may have been the switch leg for a switched receptacle."

Looking at the above 2 previous questions, this is why I'm beginning to think that you guys are talking about one type of switch, when I'm talking about a completely different type of switch.

Regarding the first question ("What color wires..."), I put the color wires on the receptacle, not a switch.

Regarding the second question ("I think that..."), what is a switch leg?

Whenever I've mentioned the word "switch," I've been talking about the actual light switch to turn lights on or off, or power to the wall receptacles on or off.
 
#25 ·
When I removed the wires from the old receptacle, I noticed that there was one extra white wire that I didn't know where it should go, so I tied that extra white wire into the other white wire.

Here is a hint.

You screwed up TWO things here.:furious:

The "extra" white wire (suicide switch) and receptical tab.



If you would have simply paid attention to things when you took them out you would be OK.


You shouldn't be messing with the electrical system. :no:

I could spend an hour on the internet trying to guide you thru it......or not.

Call someone. Tell them what you did and they will fix it in a few minutes for a minimum service charge.
 
#27 ·
Hi Proofer

Would you agree that things got a little confusing on this thread?

Would you care to start over? With a little luck I think we can solve this pretty quick.

My first question is you never mentioned anything about changing a switch that controlled the receptacles so have you changed the switch or just receptacles and just telling us what wires are connected to the switch?

The way I understand there is a red wire and a black wire connected to the switch that controls the receptacles.

And the white to negative however the term negative doesn't tell us anything so what is it connected to...another white wire... a screw on the switch or what?

Next in the receptacle boxes do you remember if a red wire appears in most of them or in just one of them?

Were both halves of the receptacles controlled by the switch or just 1/2 of the receptacle?

Next... take a deep breath and answer these questions one by one.

Thanks
 
#28 ·
Would you agree that things got a little confusing on this thread?

Absolutely!

-----

My first question is you never mentioned anything about changing a switch that controlled the receptacles so have you changed the switch or just receptacles and just telling us what wires are connected to the switch?

I replaced the switch as well as the receptacles.

-----

Next in the receptacle boxes do you remember if a red wire appears in most of them or in just one of them?

Just some of the receptacles have this red wire.

-----

Were both halves of the receptacles controlled by the switch or just 1/2 of the receptacle?

Both halves of the receptacles were controlled by the switch.

Well, after reading these replies and asking around at work, I clipped off the tab on all the receptacles. What happened? Now only one of the halves of each receptacle has charge to it. The other half of all the receptacles completely lost their charge. So it looks like back to the hardware store to buy all new receptacles.

It looks like it's time to bring in an electrician. However, I appreciate the feedback that I've received on this site. Although it didn't help me fix the problem myself, it's definitely been a learning experience. Hopefully, I'll be able to pick up some valuable tips from the electrician.
 
#29 ·
UPDATE. I had an electrician come out to fix the problem. He was out for 2 hours. He found that I shouldn't have tied those 2 white wires together (that's what was tripping the breaker). He said that the previous electrician had laid one of those white wires down and didn't attach it to anything; so that's exactly how he put it back. He also went around to check out the rest of our house's wiring and found several changes that we eventually need to make. I feel better that I had someone else come out to fix this.
 
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