Dear Mr. Electrician: How do I add an electrical outlet from the existing wall switch wiring?
Answer: Whether or not you can add an electrical outlet from your existing wall switch wiring depends on the wiring in the switch box.
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The photo at the top of this page shows a three-wire cable and a two-wire cable inside the electrical box. When I saw the wires I knew I had a LINE hot wire and a LINE neutral wire inside the existing switch box. Both of which are needed to provide power to an electrical receptacle outlet. I separated the wires and tested them with my Wiggy voltage tester.
The images below depict the installation of two electrical receptacle outlets that derive their power from an existing switch. One of the new outlets is switched while the other electrical outlet is always live.
After I removed the wall plate I used a fish tape to probe inside the wall. I slid the fish tape end into the wall between the box and the drywall and pushed it downwards to feel for blockages inside the wall. I also pushed the fish tape sideways to determine where the next wood stud was inside the wall.
An existing wall switch with a bare wall below it waiting for a new outlet to be installed. The space below and to the right is where the client wanted new outlets installed. The client preferred that the access hole I needed to cut be located down low so it would be hidden by furniture.
I cut the access hole by holding the compass saw at an angle so I could easily reuse the cutout piece for patching the hole.
I used my angle drill with an auger drill bit to drill a hole in the center of the wood stud.
Removing an old plastic switch box is easy. The splices must be taken apart and the wires straightened. A large flathead screwdriver or a small prybar is used to get between the box and the wood stud. Gentle prying gets the nails pulled out from the wood.
In the example above I cut the hole for the two-gang box first to make it easier to get the old one-gang box out.
With the big holes, I was able to drop the new 14/3 cable down the wall from the switch and then push it through the drilled hole and up to the new outlet location.
A 14/3 Romex cable was installed from the switch box to the new outlet box location. By using the three-conductor cable, I was able to make one outlet live at all times and the other outlet controlled by a new wall switch.
A two-gang old-work plastic electrical box was used to mount the new receptacles to. When an old work box is used, the ears on the outlets and switches should be removed so the devices sit better.
I prefer to install old-work electrical boxes next to wood studs so I can drive one sheet metal screw through the side to make the box more secure and less dependent on the plastic box tabs.
To patch the hole in the wall, I buttered the edge of the access hole with joint compound. I also buttered the edges of the cut-out piece of drywall. I pushed the cut-out piece into the access hole and the joint compound oozes out.
I used a wide taping knife to smooth the excess joint compound. It needs to dry overnight before a second coat of joint compound can be applied.
The client was planning to have the room painted sometime soon and the painter will put a finish coat on the hole. In the meantime, furniture hid the access hole.
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This switch installation may be helpful to you.
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