How To Wire A Split Outlet

Connected the switch output hot to the upper brass terminal and the lower hot terminal should be connected to the switch input hot wire.

How to wire a split outlet. When wiring a plug you only need to use 14 2 or 12 2 wire. This project does involve a little more skill and electrical know how. In this wiring the outlet operation has been split into two parts i e. To do this simply remove the breakaway fin tab between the brass terminals hot as shown in fig.

The neutral wire from the circuit is shared by both sets. For split receptacle wiring you will need to use 14 3 or 12 3 wire. Here 3 wire cable is run from a double pole circuit breaker providing an independent 120 volts to two sets of multiple outlets. This wiring is commonly used in a 20 amp kitchen circuit where two appliance feeds are needed such as for a refrigerator and a microwave in the same location.

One strategy is to wire the switched outlet to one circuit and the always on outlet to a different circuit altogether. If you add an outlet to a kitchen or bath it must be gfci protected. Learning how to wire a split receptacle is the natural progression from wiring a plug. Use an outlet box that s large enough to house the 220 outlet you plan on installing.

While wiring the split outlet is fairly easy running the 12 3 or 14 3 electrical wire to the electrical box will not be easy if the walls are closed. This wire has a black white and bare wire in it. The best time to wire a split outlet is when the walls are open prior to installing the drywall. Split receptacle circuit wiring.

In the standard wiring configuration for a switched split wired receptacle a two wire cable with a hot neutral and ground supplies power to the switch or receptacle and three wire cable with red and black hot wires and a white neutral then brings power from the switch to the split receptacle where the tab between the hot terminals on the receptacle is. The upper outlet is controlled through the switch while the lower portion is always hot. Find a spot on your wall that s next to a stud to place the outlet box and trace the outline of the box on the wall with a pencil. When to wire a split outlet.

A split wired circuit also known as a multi wire circuit can be recognized by the red black and white wires entering the receptacle outlet box from a single cable. So before using the method we show here for how to wire a wall outlet in a kitchen or bathroom check with an electrical inspector. Wiring diagram for dual outlets.