# Removing lightswitch control half of outlet duplex



## nelluk (Oct 28, 2012)

Alright I have a regular wall light switch, an overhead light, and two wall outlets, each with two plugs within the outlet.

The light switch controls the overhead light as well as one plug within each of the two outlets.

So if something is plugged into the top plug of either outlet, it will lose power if the light switch is turned off.

I'd like to restore the typical functionality to the outlets so that they operate regardless of the switch position.

I feel like this should be within my abilities although the only electrical work I've done is to replace the aforementioned overhead light fixture. Will this require changes in the lightswitch box, the outlet boxes, or both? Anything I should look for?

Thanks in advance!


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

There are two ways to change those outlets to constant on----both simple enough--do you have a simple two wire tester?


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## nelluk (Oct 28, 2012)

I have a cheap analog multi-meter. Thanks for the reply.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Here goes----

option one-----pull out the switched outlets-----there will be two power wires -one on each gold screw----
using your tester--find the switched wire----remove it from the outlet and cap it with a wire nut---

the tab that normally connects the two gold screws has been snapped off---so--either add a short jumper wire from the live screw to the one you removed the switch wire from----or install a new outlet that still has the connecting tab.

Option two----pull out the switch-----if you are lucky--the power (switch leg) for the ceiling and the wall start in that box---


If the switch has a power on one terminal---and two switch legs attached to the other terminal---

Figure out which switch leg goes to the wall---and move it to the power terminal on the switch---and the outlet will be 'hard wired' for constant power---


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

It is possible--although uncommon---that the ceiling light switch leg runs to one of the outlets----if you run into something confusing----come on back---let us know if this post helped you---


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Option one is the best choice-----big trouble could occur in the future if someone ,in the future, were to change the outlet without snapping off the tab between the gold screws.

If the switch leg is on a different phase than the outlet power--a 220 dead short will accure ---making for a bad day---


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## hammerlane (Oct 6, 2011)

As you refer to "two wall outlets, each with two plugs within the outlet" they are duplex receptacles

your current setup may look like this: you never mentioned if the two duple receptacles are within the same box or if they are each at different locations. The diagram below assumes they are within the same box.

I did not draw in ground wires for ease of drawing


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## hammerlane (Oct 6, 2011)

Here is Mikes solution #1 in diagram form by installing new duplex receptacles(so that the tabs are intact)


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## hammerlane (Oct 6, 2011)

Here is Mikes solution #2 in diagram form by moving the switched hot at the switch to constant hot


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## nelluk (Oct 28, 2012)

Thank you Mike and Hammerlane. Very helpful.

The duplex boxes are at two different locations.

I won't be able to tackle this for another week or so but in the meantime I want to do some reading so I can be more conversant on the terminology and maybe understand what I will see on the inside of a duplex receptacle. Any recommended reading sources?


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Your tester and Hammerlanes drawing are better than any book----remember----wire colors can not be trusted---always check what's going on with the tester first---then just go for it----take pictures as you work so you can undo something if your work goes wrong----and remember this site----have fun---Mike----


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

1. Remove the hot wire from the half of the receptacle that is switch controlled. Tape that wire end and curl it up inside the box.
2. Remove the other hot wire. Cut two 4 inch pieces (pigtails) of wire of the same color and wire nut them to this hot wire. 
3. Connect the other ends of the pigtails to the two vacated hot side screw terminals of the receptacle.

This slightly more complicated procedure is needed because each screw can hold only one wire.


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## nelluk (Oct 28, 2012)

I went and bought some red and white THHN write and a roll of electrical tape and a bag of wire nuts and opened up the light switch box yesterday, but quickly retreated.

I took a bunch of pictures and made a gallery of the inside of the box here

My main problem was lack of confidence and constrained space. I was hoping that the various connections would be easy to pull out and work with, but it looks like it will take some work getting them out from behind the far back panel, and with my large hands I might run into some trouble that I can't undo easily. I am also not well versed in how to use my little analog multimeter. Maybe I should get one of those simple no-touch live-wire testers? Are those recommended?

Any further suggestions on this job based on what the interior of the switch looks like? I figured that going at it from this end made more sense than rewiring each of the receptacles, since I now know there are at least 3 and possible 4 that are affected.


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## nelluk (Oct 28, 2012)

bump!


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## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

Reinstall the switch and don't change anything. That is a 3 way switch so there is another switch also controlling the light and receptacle.

Use Mike's option # 1 as it will work regardless of the wiring scheme. Pull the receptacle out and and disconnect the wire that goes to the brass screw on the switched side. Cap that with a wire nut and tuck back into the box. Install a new receptacle using the 2 insulated wires remaining on the old receptacle. Also reconnect the bare ground wire. Turn off the power at the breaker before you do any of this.


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## nelluk (Oct 28, 2012)

Thanks for the reply



> Reinstall the switch and don't change anything.


Got it. Will do.



rjniles said:


> Install a new receptacle using the 2 insulated wires remaining on the old receptacle.



Can you explain why I need a new receptacle? Isn't this just a matter of what wires are attached to the existing one?


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## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

You do not really have to but I think it is the easiest. If you want to reuse the exiting receptacle, you have to connect both brass screws together.

Remove the wire* from the brass screw. Take about a 6" piece of new wire and strip about 2" of insulation. Wrap the stripped end around both bras screws going clockwise and tighten screws. Strip an inch off the other end and wire nut to the wire* you removed.


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## Evstarr (Nov 15, 2011)

New receptacles are $3.00. And it will be much easier and faster to change them then to pigtail both top and bottom screws together on the old. 

The reason is that the old have been physically altered to be half switched.


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## Danny1976 (Feb 23, 2017)

oh'mike said:


> Here goes----
> 
> option one-----pull out the switched outlets-----there will be two power wires -one on each gold screw----
> using your tester--find the switched wire----remove it from the outlet and cap it with a wire nut---
> ...


I have the same issue as the OP. The second options is the less expensive, but I am not sure how it would be done. I have two wall switches, one turns on the Fan, the other turns on the light on the fan and the half hot outlet. I would really like to know which wire to disconnect from the light switch to keep the outlet completely hot. I can take a picture of the switch wiring and post it here if it helps. I dont know if you want a picture of the half hot outlet also.

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.


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## Danny1976 (Feb 23, 2017)

Here are some pictures I took.


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## Danny1976 (Feb 23, 2017)

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9qV7lcdu6Lma1N4dWpjNXEwZ0E
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9qV7lcdu6LmVENrcHJGNDQ0am8
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9qV7lcdu6LmZHFJTWVJTnFoaUU
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9qV7lcdu6LmVTI1RDlsZEFvaXM
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9qV7lcdu6LmY3RrY1BoMzgzWkU
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9qV7lcdu6LmRFY1ZlRLSV93NEk


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## hkstroud (Mar 17, 2011)

Replace the outlet with a new outlet. Wire the new outlet just as the present outlet is wired except, if the top half of the outlet is switched put a wire nut on the wire to the top half. If the bottom half is switched, put wire nut on the wire to the bottom half.
In other words do not use the wire to the half of the outlet that was switched. Just put a wire nut on it.

(I am guessing that the bottom half is switched. That would mean you would cap the red wire.)


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## AlanSwenson (Jan 27, 2019)

I came across this post because I'm trying to do the same thing, removing one outlet from a wall switch (but want to keep the others in the room like they are). I expected to see wires matching the original 'option one', and I bought a new outlet so that it has jumper intact.

Instead what I found is two sets of 3 wires coming into the electrical box. 

On the current outlet, the 'Hot' top screw has two black wires connected to it (one from each set of incoming wires). The 'Hot' bottom screw has two red wires connected to it (one from each). There's one white wire in each of the white screws. And then two ground wires connected to the green screw.

I'm confused why the two separate blacks and reds are connected to each other when only the bottom outlet is controlled by the switch, the top is always on.

I want to have both always on. So, if I just remove and cap off each of the red/black/white/ground wires that come from the switch, do I also just cap off the other red wire? Or should I still have the 'always on' black and red wires both connected to the new outlet?

Thanks!


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## AlanSwenson (Jan 27, 2019)

It won't let me post links, so attempting to attach some pictures here of the current outlet wiring.

Thanks!


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

The red wires are switch controlled wires. The black wires are the always hot wires. There are two of each because they continue on to the other receptacles in the room. To remove the switch control remove the red wires and cap them with a wire nut. This will keep the switch power going to the other receptacles. Put one black on each gold screw with the tab intact.


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## RAL238 (May 20, 2018)

Wire in the new receptacle the same way, except instead of connecting the red wires to the receptacle, just twist them together with a wire nut. And don't remove the metal tab between the upper and lower half on the hot side. 



The red wire is the switched hot. By connecting the two red wires together, you're passing that on to the next outlet in the daisy chain, which will still be switched, assuming it is connected to the red wire.


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## AlanSwenson (Jan 27, 2019)

That makes sense! I didn't even think about the two sets of wires being because it daisy chained to the next outlet. That's the part I was missing.

Thanks guys!


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## hkstroud (Mar 17, 2011)

Yes, you should find that you have additional outlets down stream from this outlet that are split. That is half controlled by the switch. If you wish to keep this capability connect the two red wires together with a wire nut. Connect the two white wires (neutrals) to the neutral side of the new outlet (silver screws). Connect the two black wires (hot) the the hot side of the outlet (brass screws).
If you *do not* wish to keep this capability, that is you want both halves of the down stream outlets to be hot all the time, connect the white wires to the neutral side of the outlet. Connect the two black wires together and add a pig tail (a short piece of wire). Connect the pig tail and the red wire to the hot side of the outlet (brass screws). 

Most people on this site do not recommend using the "quick connect" holes in the rear of outlets and switches, known as "back stabbing" as shown in your existing outlet.. The reason is that back stabbing leads to poor connections over a period of time. Finding such poor connections can be a real bear at times.


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## AlanSwenson (Jan 27, 2019)

I finally had time this evening to swap this out. Very simple to replace the outlet, get the wires where they needed to be, and just tie together the red wires. The new outlet is always on, and the rest of the outlets in the room are still half-controlled by the light switch.

Thanks for the quick responses!


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## mrassel (Apr 28, 2019)

Hey guys - I have a room that has two half hot outlets on the same circuit, both controlled by 3 way switches on each end of the room. I’d like to have both outlets be always on and remove the two switches entirely. Can anyone advise on how to do this? Here’s a drawing of the wiring I can see (I know the top left is missing a few, but I’m 90% certain that’s where the circuit gets its power). I’m happy to answer any questions to best I can to clarify things as needed. https://share.icloud.com/photos/0dnRwhzG49W6ufZ9hlTFeq9aA#Home


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