Tag: Half Switched Outlets

Dear Mr. Electrician:  Where do I find switched outlet wiring diagrams? Answer: The diagrams for switched outlet wiring are below.  There are a few wiring methods, such as switched and half-switched outlets.  Generally speaking, the outlet would get wired like a light fixture. NOTE: Some text links below go to applicable products on Amazon.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  Using my links helps keep this website FREE. Alternatively, it is possible to have a split outlet where one half of the outlet is switched, and the other half is live at all times.  Two switched outlet wiring diagrams further below depict split outlet wiring. Table of Contents: Switched Receptacle Outlet Wiring Diagrams How To Wire A Split Receptacle Outlet If you intend to convert a switched outlet to hot at all times to control a ceiling fan or light from the existing switch, you should click here to read my blog post with photos about how to do that. WIRING DIAGRAMS The wiring diagram above shows how switched outlets are often wired.  Although Article 404.2(C) in the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) requires that a wall switch controlling a light fixture also has a neutral conductor available, switches controlling outlets are exempt from this requirement. The neutral conductor is required for lights if the standard wall switch is changed to a smart home device or another type of control, such as a timer. It is a good idea to include the neutral for a wall switch controlling an outlet anyway because the regular wall switch could still be changed to a smart home device, which usually needs a neutral conductor to function. It has been a common practice among the uninformed to use the equipment grounding conductor as a neutral whenever a neutral is unavailable.  That is an unsafe practice and could be a shock hazard. Top Of Page When using the white wire as a hot or LINE, the white wire must be re-identified with a different color.  However, when working on older homes, it has been my experience that the white wires' color was rarely changed when used as the LINE. Consequently, it is not unusual to find that the white wire in a switch box is a LINE and not a neutral conductor.  A non-contact voltage detector is suitable for checking which wires are hot. Any receptacle outlet that could be accessible by children, including kitchen countertop outlets, must be tamper-resistant outlets.  They prevent things from being inserted into the outlet slots as children are known to do.  Article 406.12 gives the details of this code requirement. The diagram below shows the power coming from the circuit breaker panel.  The same wiring diagram can be used if the power comes from another outlet connected to one of the depicted outlets. In the wiring diagram above, a hot and a neutral enter the single pole switch box.  A 3-conductor cable is installed to a switched electrical receptacle outlet.  A two-conductor cable is installed from the switched outlet to feed an always live outlet.  A two-conductor cable is run from...