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Adding Outlet off Light Switch

2K views 23 replies 5 participants last post by  joed 
#1 ·
Hi Folks, remodeling our small MA bathroom. Wanted to add an outlet (GFI of Course) next to our light switch. My question is if possible how can I make that new outlet constantly hot using the existing light switch? There is only one electric wire coming into the current single box. Thanks so much in advance for your time and help!
 
#2 ·
do you mean you only have one wire coming in?

as in one black wire and one white wire, in the same cable? both connected to the switch?

if so, there is no way to wire an outlet there, you don't have a neutral wire there, both of those wires are hot wires, its a switch loop
 
#3 ·
Yes one wire coming into the current light switch box, so one black and one white connected to light switch and the ground.

Gotcha! What if I where to add another wire say going to an exhaust fan giving me two black and two white would I be able to wire something then? Thanks much!
 
#8 ·
Ok fella's so I was able to fish a new wire into the light fixture electrical box. The other end of course going into the double gang box, eventually to a GFI outlet.

So what I have as suspected when I looked from the attic is 3 original existing wires. Attached to the light fixture was a single black and two twisted whites. Now the black going to the light fixture, it's white is twisted up with the two other blacks and wire nutted off. The two remaining whites are twisted and as mentioned connected to the light fixture. Hope that makes sense, I will try to add a pic in a moment!

So my question is how do I tie in this line I ran to the box? Thanks again so much for your help and time, this forum has been invaluable over the years!
 

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#14 · (Edited)
Thanks Joed! The GFI outlet and wiring to the vanity light is a separate line and is working properly (however they are housed together in a 2gang box, but separate line) and shows on my tester it's correct so that seems ok.

Now the light switch and the exhaust fan: Originally there was one line (blk, wht, grnd) coming into the light switch box. I fished another 2nd line down into the light switch box, wired nutted off the blacks, same for whites and grounds and added jumpers to the light switch.

On the exhaust fan I just went green to green, white to white, black to black and wire nutted them all off. If the light switch is off the line to the fan is hot?
 
#16 ·
Originally there was one line (blk, wht, grnd) coming into the light switch box.
You can't add anything to that line. It is a switch loop. You don't have a neutral. As I stated you now have the fan across the switch in series with the light. You need to find a different power source for the fan.

If you remove the light bulb the fan will not run.
 
#19 ·
So I am also adding an outlet to a switch but I am confused on the wiring.
In my case, I have power coming in (black/white/ground)that is going to a switch with two screws and a ground screw and from the switch going to an outlet (gfci).

I guess what I need clarification on is the wiring. Am I right on saying one black goes to one screw and the other black goes to the other screw, of course two grounds go together on the ground screw and then I use a wire nut to tie the two white wires together ?

I tried wiring it a different way last night and it popped the breaker so before I do anything else I want to make sure I know what Im doing here. Any insight appreciated
 
#21 ·
Truman, is the power coming in the only line coming into the switch box or are there more then one line coming in? I only ask because I thought I had power coming in with my one line. But after some great folks here helped me out I realized that my power/hot was coming from my vanity light. Obviously am no pro so I'll let the other guys reply.
 
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