How to Wire a Circuit Where the Switch Controls the Power to an Outlet

[@KEMcMillan]

Excellent!! Best example of how to set up your connections. Thanks for posting. I learned a lot.

[@eric_eagle]

Very helpful- I’m a DIYer who inherited a partially finished, wrongly configured shed on my property and I used your video to make it right. Thanks!

[@trapped7534]

Always a great learning opportunity when you post a video!!!! Thanks so much!!!! God bless you and yours!!!!

[@franciscojosesabino9942]

Hoy he aprendido mucho con sus exposiciones de electricidad y le doy las gracias señor americano

[@CareyVandenberg]

Excellent VERY CLEAR explanation. Thanks for putting that on a board like that rather than showing a real life example (which is too hard to see clearly)

[@ahnania8405]

Thank you for sharing this information!!! You really break it down for a beginner to understand.

[@yummyside7353]

Clear and crisp instructions, Thank you!!!! right to the point

[@Rhaspun]

Thanks for a great explanation. I was replacing a receptacle and when I pulled out it out. I looked at the wires and the broken tab. I could understand what was going on.

[@sydbarlow4828]

Thankyou for a straight forward explanation 😊

[@ianpullman203]

Great all encompassing lesson thanks for the full explanation

[@AnnStacy-k1m]

Thank you for the thorough explanation!

[@pabloescobar6605]

You teaching abilities are amazing!!!!!!! You broke it on down to kindergarden level

[@franciscojosesabino9942]

Excelente explicación y diagrama del sistema de un swing apagador

[@danielgonzales4745]

Very well explained! Thanks!! This helps a lot!

[@paulware8219]

Thank you very very the way you explained if was spot on 😊

[@Drummer828-i3d]

This was so helpful thanks!

[@paulabrams759]

Excellent instruction

[@dynoesaur]

Great teaching. im gonna install a fan in my living room, but i would like to know where to intercept the power on this type of setup

[@brettleybuilt]

I would recommend running abrand new dedicated circuit for the unit.

[@lisas7805]

Great video! My house has an outlet in it where only the top plug runs off the switch and the bottom plug is always hot. Just recently, I removed my garbage disposal that was plugged into the outlet so I could perform some maintenance on it. When I went to plug it back in, it turned on despite the switch being off. Both plugs are now hot all the time. I tested the switch with a meter and it's good but I'm not sure about the outlet. The new outlet has four places to plug into, two on the left and two on the right, plus the green for the earth ground. The wires I'm looking at are red, black, white, and copper earth ground. I won't mention the copper wire because there's no doubt where that goes. The old outlet had red and black on the right and white on the left. I noticed that the new outlet has continuity at both connection points on the left and the right where as the old one only had continuity on the left. Removable tab? I think I see it but I'm not sure. Anyway, I'm still messing with it but since I liked your video, I thought I'd ask you and see if you could add that little tidbit to it.

[@franciscojosesabino9942]

Desde Venezuela Francisco Sabino gracias señor

[@walterferguson3433]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Can you tell me if it is possible to add a wall outlet off of a light circuit that is controlled by two wall switches?

[@brettleybuilt]

It is possible. There will always be a wire that is always hot in a single pole light switch box. That will provide the power. Then connect the grounds and neutrals up as you normally would. Not something I would recommend, but its possible.

[@McmM-cv9sb]

great video this was very helpful thanks.

[@jodiforrester7]

I am so lost. I have a light switch. From the light switch there is an outlet above it. The light switch works. The outlet does not. I have watched many videos and it seems like everything is connected properly. I’ve tested all the wires and it doesn’t look like I have power on one of my black wires. But my white neutral wire has power. Ugh I don’t know

[@JeraldFuller]

Thank you Brett. Good explanation. My question is detecting is the power comes to the switch or the plug first. It's hard to tell. Do you use a non contract tester to check that?❤

[@brettleybuilt]

Yes.

[@rangertommy]

Fantastic! Thank you!

[@RammaJamma3]

Good job u made that easy don’t know how many videos make it such mess

[@MichaelTavares]

I live in New Zealand. All our power sockets have switches.

[@brauliovega829]

Thank you so much…

[@jesseh0113]

How would I keep the outlet hot while still running power to the switch for a light and garage door with another run going to another outlet all in the same box? Also, there’s no ground wire coming in from the power source feed.

[@MrPONCHO467]

This is awesome, what would do differently if I wanted to turn my outlet to a junction box. Currently I plug my basement ceiling light into an outlet. I want to wire it so I can use a switch to turn them on and off. I'm in western pennsylvania and there's two rooms in my basement that don't have wired ceiling lights but I want to, then run them to a switch

[@russellsmith159]

AWESOME!!!!

[@NoConcentrationTV]

Thanks

[@civilcopycat]

how does it work when the switch onlycontrols one of the receptacles on the outlet? the other receptacle is always hot. is that a specific type of outlet?

[@silasoniphonex4129]

I have a switch that controls my lights and the outlet underneath I should I bypass it to let the outlet always be hot and the light switch to still turn lights on and off

[@ashleyhaller4172]

I have a metal pole barn and I’m using metal boxes. How would I wire a switch that would turn on a string of outlets and make sure it doesn’t make the barn hot?

[@brettleybuilt]

What do you mean make the barn hot?

[@MisterSchwabenland]

Could this be done in the same box? I would like to put this together in my garage without adding another box.

[@brettleybuilt]

Absolutely.

[@FancyCheetahs]

I was trying to take an existing outlet that is controlled by a switch and make one outlet controlled by the switch and one outlet hot. Is that able to be done with an existing setup?

[@BrendanMorris-pp7pc]

That's how all of my "switchable" outlets are. Top is hot, and bottom is controlled by the switch. You need another romex wire running to the outlet (maybe from upstream the switch. Take the little metal connector on each side of the outlet and break it off. This separates the top and bottom outlet electrically. Now just wire one to the switch like the video, and the other to the live romex.

[@miked6647]

I have a question please if anyone can answer, I want to put a switch to turn pool pump on/off when vacuuming this video explains perfect but my out is a 3 prong insert and twist, will the wiring be any different, I didn’t install the outlet a neighbor did and he has since moved and darn electricians are too darn expensive

[@paul6989]

I currently have the configuration that starts at 6:20. Can I make this outlet half hot? All the videos I can find only show power going to the outlet first, not to the switch and then the outlet.

[@surferdude642]

Yes you can. You'll need a 14/2 from your power source to the switch and a 14/3 between the switch and the receptacle. In the switch box, join the black wire from the 14/2 to the black wire of the 14/3 and add a pigtail to one screw on the switch. The other end of 14/3 goes to the receptacle contact that you want hot all the time. Break the tab on the hot side only on the receptacle and connect the red wire to the screw for the switched contact, and at the other end to the other screw on the switch. The neutral wires will be joined in the switch box and continue to the neutral side of the receptacle.

[@Ronaldbrilliant-d4s]

I have a wierd situation. I have a 12/3 wire power source running to a receptacle. Then there is a 12/2 wire runs from receptacle to the switch to control the switch. I am replacing the receptacle and switch but now I cannot figure out how it was wired. Can you explain how to do this

[@brettleybuilt]

Is there a switch that powers the 12/3 wire to the receptical? Is this a situation to where the outlet is only supposed to have power sometimes?

[@x007xo55y]

I have question, I have 3 main wire coming out from wall switch, my problem is one of the main wire neutral and hot wire are both hot the other main wire is to the outlet reads hot groun rev the 3rd wire to the other room I'm assuming but put a tester in also read hot ground rev....any advice out there much appreciated thank.

[@brettleybuilt]

Can you email me some pictures of the wiring and I will try to help you out? [e-mail]

[@x007xo55y]

@brettleybuilt will do soon I get home this e evening...thank you for your reply.

[@mtnn4459]

Hi can you do a quick how to video. I have a small shed that I will be running 12/2 romex to a GFCI outlet plug. Then running 12/2 to 20 amp light with switch then a second circuit outlet. If you can do a quick diagram that would be helpful. Summary 12/2 romex wire GFCI outlet ➡️ light with switch ➡️and then a outlet.

[@brettleybuilt]

Please email me at [e-mail] and I will send you a diagram.

[@G.I.JeffsWorkbench]

Great video. The diagrams were very helpful. Thanks too for keeping it moving and on point.

[@alanjohnson8017]

I have a detached garage. It has a wall in the middle separating into two parts. One part has a pair of lights controlled by a switch in the house. The breaker box in the garage does not affect the lights. The other part does not have any lights. I purchased string lights to remedy the problem. They plug into an outlet tied to the garage breaker box. That outlet has power all the time, so I have to unplug the lights when done. The wiring is all outside of the walls, which makes for easy access. The wire for the lights is run along with the wire for the outlet. Is it possible to connect the outlet to lights so I don’t have to plug and unplug the string lights?

[@brettleybuilt]

Absolutely. Basically it is the first circuit I demonstrated. If you want, send me your email and I will draw you a diagram of what I would do. [e-mail]

[@giekacal1915]

can you take a hot wire from another switch to power up a second light with a switch

[@brettleybuilt]

Do you mean the hot wire powering the first switch, or adding another switch past the first switch.

[@wolverinegnr]

Why use a white wire from switch to receptacle instead of a black wire?

[@joshwaddell8768]

Can tie in several other outlets from this?

[@brettleybuilt]

Yes.

[@MrKingMofo]

Code requires a neutral in every switch box, would you run 12/2/2?

[@brettleybuilt]

No, 12-2 wire. 12-2 wire has a hot and neutral wire. It also has a ground, but the ground isn't counted as a wire as it doesn't carry current.

[@choiceblade]

I’m trying to use a double pole single throw switch to run a tablesaw and a vacuum on two separate circuits AND Extend the second circuit to two other outlets in my shop, which remain unaffected by the switch. Hell if I can figure this out.

[@brettleybuilt]

Feel free to email me if you need help. [e-mail]

[@InspectorCallahan.44]

For the first example, the switch controls both outlets, correct? That's not a split receptacle?

[@brettleybuilt]

Yes, that is correct.

[@michaelmappin4425]

Why should I care if the breaker is off to work on the outlet controlled by the switch. The switch is off, and I've used my multimeter to verify zero volts at the outlet. I'm good, right?

[@brettleybuilt]

Technically, yes. If there is no power at the outlet, you are good. When I change out lights, I generally only turn off the switch and check for voltage and don't turn off the breaker. You should alway turn off the breaker. There, I said it for liability reasons.

[@michaelmappin4425]

@@brettleybuilt Thanks. I love this response.

[@Marco-sp2li]

What if my outlet had constant power? What do I do then?

[@brettleybuilt]

Do you mean the outlet has constant power and you want to use it to power a switch?

[@Marco-sp2li]

@@brettleybuilt yes I wired the outlet correctly and its suppose to be operated by a switch to go on and off. Unfortunately when the switch is off at the wall, the outlet is still on causing my disposal to run when it’s suppose to be off. What am I missing? Am I suppose to break that tab off the outlet where the disposal is plugged into?

[@tredogzs]

never enough!

[@kennethjenkins3972]

So I have a light switch that doesn’t do anything, I opened it up and and it has the two grounds tied together, the two neutrals tied together the two blacks tied together with a third black wire split off the two going to the switch and a red wire coming out of one of the cables to the other side of the switch, I killed power and and isolated the red and the black wires and capped them, (they were both live) and none of my outlets or lights were affected. WTH? Any ideas

[@brettleybuilt]

Not sure why they were both live. The light isn't getting power to it. If both wires were live and connected to the switch, the light the switch controls would be on all the time. You need to find the hot wire that goes from the switch to the light and make sure it is connected properly. Feel free to email me some pictures and I will try to help you out.

[@mlaforet]

1 minute in... didn't you say that the 14-2 15a wire shouldn't go on the 20a breaker? or am I an idiot? (not an electrician trying to make sense of the wizardry of electricity)

[@brettleybuilt]

Yes. I didn't have a 15 amp breaker for this demonstration. 14 guage wire is powered with a 15 amp breaker, where 12 guage wire is powered with a 20 amp breaker.

[@NoConcentrationTV]

im from pittsburgh lol

[@MickSupper]

The Declaration of Independence? I'm assuming that was a joke.

[@brettleybuilt]

Yes.

[@yacoabreu9]

Yes it made perfect sense but it didn't work.

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