# Wiring off of a light- switch to outlet



## AandPDan (Mar 27, 2011)

Just one pair of wires? Or more?

It sounds like you have what is called a switch loop. You can't put in an outlet then as you don't have a neutral available. You'd have to run a new line.

If you have other pairs it may be possible. What's in the box?


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

You can't do it without adding more wires---that is a switch leg---power to the switch and power out of the switch to the light---NO neutral.

Without a neutral you can't add an outlet off of that box.


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## Sirscrub124 (Aug 7, 2011)

Going into the box was one pair of wires. Black/white/ground. 
i need to hook up an outlet. I purchased a bigger box , i just need the wiring configuration. Can i pigtail the wires coming into the box and connect it to the outlet.


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## AandPDan (Mar 27, 2011)

No. You can't pigtail the wires.

You don't have a neutral, hence you can't put in an outlet there. You need another wire.

One side of the switch is hot all the time, the other is switched. One may be white but it isn't a neutral.


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## Sirscrub124 (Aug 7, 2011)

any suggestions. i need an outlet in this closet for a natural gas alarm. Would a switch/ out let combo work. Thanks for the help


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

NO. The only way it can work is if you supply a neutral to the box. Right now you only have a switch leg. You will need to replace the 14/2 with 14/3, and pick up the neutral at the point where the switch leg goes.


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## SD515 (Aug 17, 2008)

You do not have a neutral at the switch box you want to pull power from. With the current setup, nothing you install at this switch will ever get a receptacle to work. You’ll have to run wiring from another receptacle (that is live all the time: and except kitchen, bath, or laundry) or maybe from the light that your switch controls, if possible. Or as Missouri said, run a new cable from light to switch first.


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

Summary:

Put the cover back on the switch box.
Turn off the breakers to the kitchen counter receptacles, all bathrooms, and the washing machine receptacle(s).

Now find some other location that is still alive to run a cable for this new closet receptacle.

If the best location you find happens to be the light controlled by the switch you first opened, then you may consider replacing the cable in between with a 3 conductor cable and going back to that first switch to tie in the new receptacle.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

The only way to do it without running new wiring, is to take the current run from the breaker panel, and use a junction box, to allow the receptacle to always be powered, and to have a leg feeding the light, which in turn would have a "switch leg" to allow you to turn off the light from a light switch. The Neutral was added in the 2011 NEC, because with dimmer switches on a Switch leg, there was none in previous wiring methods using 2 wire plug ground romex.


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## hidden 1 (Feb 22, 2009)

If you have a second circuit in same box can you pigtail neutral off that circuit ? So it then has both hot an neutral ?


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## Jim Port (Sep 21, 2007)

No, all conductors of the circuit need to be run together.


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## jbfan (Jul 1, 2004)

2 year old thread!


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## Jim Port (Sep 21, 2007)

And the second time to ask the same question too.


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## hidden 1 (Feb 22, 2009)

They worded it better than my post.
I'll just junction off outlet in another room ,non dedicated,outlet .


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## romex1220 (Jun 26, 2013)

If you have access to the wiring, you need to replace the 14/2 going to the switch from the light with 14/3. You would connect your white to your neutrals, the power to the red and black to the light. In the switch box, you would connect your red to the right side of the switch, your black to the top left and neutral to the bottom left and then connect your grounds. That's how you would install a switch/outlet combo


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## Jim Port (Sep 21, 2007)

Top, bottom, left and right are meaningless as there can be differences between brands and installed position.


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## romex1220 (Jun 26, 2013)

Jim Port said:


> Top, bottom, left and right are meaningless as there can be differences between brands and installed position.


I can see how someone would be confused by that. I was looking at one of my switch combos that is wired in the same configuration and just going off of that. Sorry about that


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## brian fraga (May 28, 2013)

Here we go......... Take the white wire (switch leg) currently wired to the light off the light wire to the neutral feed wire in that box then go ahead and wire your receptacle up, then get some of those battery push lights!


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## Philly Master (Mar 30, 2013)

Sirscrub124 said:


> any suggestions. i need an outlet in this closet for a natural gas alarm. Would a switch/ out let combo work. Thanks for the help



hmmmm .....


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