Adding A Switch To An Electrical Outlet

Add a switch or outlet box without removing wallboard.

Adding a switch to an electrical outlet. Wiring an outlet to a switch loop. This wiring diagram illustrates adding wiring for a light switch to control an existing wall outlet. Again that s no problem but you ll have to purchase a switch outlet combo. The new owner is expected to use a lamp to light the room rather than a ceiling light.

However suppose you want to keep the switch and the light fixture but add an outlet underneath the switch. The circuit wires required for an outlet include a ground wire a neutral wire and the circuit power wire. The source is at the outlet and a switch loop is added to a new switch. If a switch or outlet is on a circuit that often blows its breaker or fuse.

The hot source wire is removed from the receptacle and spliced to the red wire running to the switch. Don t make matters worse by adding yet another outlet to the circuit electrical codes restrict the number of lights or electrical outlets that can be connected to one circuit. Typically you can have no more than eight lights or electrical outlets on a 15 amp circuit. Switched outlets are very common in modern construction of new homes.

It fits in the electrical box occupied by the switch and provides the functionality you want. To add an outlet to a light switch you start by making a pigtail using the hot wire the wire going to the fixture controlled by the switch and a third length of wire. In order to add a receptacle outlet to a light switch the circuit wiring must be at the location of the light switch or contained inside the electrical box of the light switch. When adding a new switch like this a new double gang box will have to be installed if a single outlet is used for the source.

Adding an electrical box to your existing wall for a switch or outlet is easy when you have the right materials and know a few tricks. And you don t have to remove any drywall except for the box s cutout itself. Buy a single pole switch if one switch controls the lights or a three way if you have two switches controlling the same lights. It is much cheaper for a builder to add a switch than it is to add a switch plus a ceiling electrical box plus a light fixture.

Wiring a switch and light in a double outlet box. This diagram is similar to the one above but both the receptacle and the new switch are in the same box at the end of a household circuit.