# electical help. wiring a switch to an outlet **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [July 22, 2008, 9:17pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998 "2008-07-22T21:17:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Willybeen](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/willybeen/32/7351_2.png) [@Willybeen](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Willybeen)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2008, 9:17pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998/1 "2008-07-22T21:17:28Z")
Basically I have a wall switch that controls an entire outlet and I only want it to control ONE of the plugs and have the other be constantly live. how can i wire it? can it be done just by changing around the wires.? [http://www.indepthinfo.com/wire-switch/light-switch-outlet.shtml](http://www.indepthinfo.com/wire-switch/light-switch-outlet.shtml) thanks ---
**Author:** ![Willybeen](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/willybeen/32/7351_2.png) [@Willybeen](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Willybeen)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2008, 9:25pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998/2 "2008-07-22T21:25:35Z")
[http://en.allexperts.com/q/Electrical-Wiring-Home-1734/Outlet-Light-Switch-wiring.htm](http://en.allexperts.com/q/Electrical-Wiring-Home-1734/Outlet-Light-Switch-wiring.htm) now i just need to reread it i think ---
**Author:** ![Willybeen](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/willybeen/32/7351_2.png) [@Willybeen](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Willybeen)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2008, 9:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998/3 "2008-07-22T21:31:07Z")
nope thats not what i need… ughhh ---
**Author:** ![Cavi\_Mike](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/cavi_mike/32/5217_2.png) [@Cavi\_Mike](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Cavi_Mike)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 2:29am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998/4 "2008-07-23T02:29:15Z")
Unless the outlet has a jumper that you can cut or remove, there’s no way to wire them seperately. ---
**Author:** ![AngryHero](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/angryhero/32/7495_2.png) [@AngryHero](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/AngryHero)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 3:16am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998/5 "2008-07-23T03:16:56Z")
pm sent ---
**Author:** ![JayS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jays/32/15375_2.png) [@JayS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JayS)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 5:36am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998/6 "2008-07-23T05:36:59Z")
I love this site for my home wiring questions: [http://www.selfhelpandmore.com](http://www.selfhelpandmore.com) Specifically in your case: [http://www.selfhelpandmore.com/switch-outlet/composition-of-a-standard-electrical-outlet.php](http://www.selfhelpandmore.com/switch-outlet/composition-of-a-standard-electrical-outlet.php) And this if your power is at the plug: [http://www.selfhelpandmore.com/switch-outlet/outlet-plug-half-switched/single-switch-power-supply-at-outlet-plug.php](http://www.selfhelpandmore.com/switch-outlet/outlet-plug-half-switched/single-switch-power-supply-at-outlet-plug.php) Or this if your power is at the switch: [http://www.selfhelpandmore.com/switch-outlet/outlet-plug-half-switched/single-switch-power-supply-at-switch.php](http://www.selfhelpandmore.com/switch-outlet/outlet-plug-half-switched/single-switch-power-supply-at-switch.php) If reading any of that confuses you seek professional help. Mistakes here burn down your house. ---
**Author:** ![Paulo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/paulo/32/7328_2.png) [@Paulo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Paulo)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 6:11am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998/7 "2008-07-23T06:11:18Z")
My drunken convo didn’t help last night? ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 6:20am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998/8 "2008-07-23T06:20:43Z")
Man you do have a business degree… ---
**Author:** ![Paulo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/paulo/32/7328_2.png) [@Paulo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Paulo)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 6:24am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998/9 "2008-07-23T06:24:25Z")
^hahaha. ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 6:33am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998/10 "2008-07-23T06:33:00Z")
Anyhow, AFAIK you would have to modify the outlet itself to disconnect the top from the bottom. :nono: That’s bad. Code violation I’m sure, probably not the safest thing, etc. IIRC 87conquesttsi is an electrician so he’s probably already taken care of you, but you have a couple of options: 1. Leave it as is. It’s not worth the effort. 2. Rip the outlet apart and cut the drywall to install a 2 gang box and 2 outlets, only one of which has the switch interrupting its power. 2b. When you do all that only to find out that power comes in at the switch, you will have to pull new romex past the switch to the second outlet wishing the whole time that you had just gone with option 1. 2c. If power comes in at the switch, you could just replace that switch with a wirenut sending continuous power to the outlets, and put a switch on one outlet or the device itself locally. ---
**Author:** ![JayS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jays/32/15375_2.png) [@JayS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JayS)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 6:52am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998/11 "2008-07-23T06:52:47Z")
> [@Fry](#): > > Anyhow, AFAIK you would have to modify the outlet itself to disconnect the top from the bottom. :nono: That’s bad. Code violation I’m sure, probably not the safest thing, etc. Really? Then why do most outlets come with a means to do this very thing? > 1. A metal joining tab between silver screws 3 & 5. This electrically conductively connects the second halves of the outlet together so that one wire connected to one of the silver screws will serve both halves of the outlet. > > 2. A metal joining tab between silver screws 10 & 12, This electrically conductively connects the 2 half’s of the outlet together, so that one wire connected to one of the brass screws will serve both half’s of the outlet. > The metal tab (4 & 11) between 3 & 5, and 10 & 12, can be broken off which will as a result break the electrical conduction between the 2 half’s of the outlet, this may be done for special purposes for such arrangements as… > > - an outlet that is half switched > - a split circuit outlet as use along the kitchen counter. ---
**Author:** ![skatanic28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@skatanic28](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/skatanic28)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 6:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998/12 "2008-07-23T06:54:29Z")
> [@Fry](#): > > Anyhow, AFAIK you would have to modify the outlet itself to disconnect the top from the bottom. :nono: That’s bad. Code violation I’m sure, probably not the safest thing, etc. nope, there are removable tabs on the sides meant for split-wiring on most of them ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 6:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998/13 "2008-07-23T06:54:36Z")
Well no shit. I guess I never looked that closely. I was envisioning hack-saw type work. ---
**Author:** ![JayS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jays/32/15375_2.png) [@JayS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JayS)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 6:58am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998/14 "2008-07-23T06:58:07Z")
> [@Fry](#): > > Well no shit. I guess I never looked that closely. I was envisioning hack-saw type work. When you’re bored today spend some time over at that site I posted. You’ll learn a ton about home electrical. Helped me a ton when I was trying to wire the ceiling fan in our bedroom to have full power all the time for the fan but have the dimmer still control the light. ---
**Author:** ![skatanic28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@skatanic28](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/skatanic28)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 7:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998/15 "2008-07-23T07:01:35Z")
it will be pretty easy if you have an unswitched hot in the outlet box. if its just a switched hot coming in, then you have a bit more work ahead of you. ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 7:03am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998/16 "2008-07-23T07:03:47Z")
is the outlet and plug all in one box? if not you’re probably going to have to run some wire in the wall… ^^^ what he said… it’s not just a matter or changing the wiring… ---
**Author:** ![drvnkd](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/drvnkd/32/109615_2.png) [@drvnkd](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/drvnkd)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 7:12am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998/17 "2008-07-23T07:12:40Z")
At least they are not 3 way’s. Running wires walls can be fun. I even went as far as buying the greenly flexible drill bit to go through the floor while in the wall. I then returned it after 1. drilling through to the outside ☹ and 2. breaking it on my second attempt. ---
**Author:** ![walter](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/walter/32/7202_2.png) [@walter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/walter)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 7:15am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998/18 "2008-07-23T07:15:40Z")
This can be done. I’m not going to answer because I don’t want you to burn down your house. If you aren’t sure, you really should call an electrician. That said, there is plenty of info (already in this thread), on the internet in general, and in the front of every Home Deopt store in the book section. I’ve seen some nasty hack wiring in my time, its a great way to burn everything you own, be careful. ---
**Author:** ![skatanic28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@skatanic28](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/skatanic28)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 7:26am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998/19 "2008-07-23T07:26:46Z")
> [@walter](#): > > I’ve seen some nasty hack wiring in my time, its a great way to burn everything you own, be careful. while demo’ing some stuff at my sister’s new place a few weeks back i found some open #12’s in the stud cavity :smash2: ---
**Author:** ![boxxa](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/boxxa/32/5045_2.png) [@boxxa](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boxxa)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 7:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998/20 "2008-07-23T07:54:08Z")
If you electrocute yourself, can I have your bike? [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electical-help-wiring-a-switch-to-an-outlet/51998.md?page=2)