Can someone advise me as to what this switch is for?

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Perhaps you had a light over the sink that is now burried or was the house wired for a garberator.
 
It looks like it is getting power from the outlet not supplying it to the outlet. I like the garbage disposal idea, that or wiring for undercabinet lights or another light that is no longer there.
 
The switch for the disposal is on the other side of the sink. The previous owner had the house rewired (it's over 100 years old) and passed away shortly after remodeling it. Maybe he left wiring for future plans in the wall. If I can't figure it out, I'll just put a blank plate in.
 
Double check that there is no power coming in from that line and join the black and white with a wire nut. Just add another outlet instead of a blank.
 
one of two possibilities. If the switch is getting power from the receptacle then it controls two things as I see two wires on the one pole. under cabinet lights?
If the switch is meant to control the receptacle then perhaps the receptacle was changed at some time and the tab was not cut between the hot screws. This would make the switch not do anything.
 
The receptacle does have power, regardless of the switch position. The previous owner's daughter told me that he had remodeled the house as a rental (which it was when I bought it), but planned on moving in and upgrading various things at some point. He did put in a 'rental grade' kitchen, so it's possible that he had electrical run for future plans, such as under cabinet lights. That's all I can think of at this point. But, I can't imagine someone would leave live wires concealed behind drywall. If there is no obvious answer, my options seem to be either add a second outlet, or tear out some drywall and see where the wires go.
 
Have you done a good search for an outlet that would be for under cab lights, it could be inside a cupboard or above.
 
I've looked where I can. The wall cabinets above that switch have a 1/4" back with ledgers on all 4 sides, so it's possible there's an outlet or wiring in that gap between the 1/4" and wall. I won't know until I take those off the wall. It's looking like that's when I'll find out.

Those two leads have to go somewhere from the switch. It's definitely a head scratcher.
 
Like I said just wire nut the black and white together and tuck them in the back of the box, that way if it is ever energized it will just pop the circuit breaker.
 
The question is are the wires going out some place and doing something or just going out and dead ended. Take the wires off and put your meter on them and see if they have some resistance. If it comes out they are and open circuit and you don’t want to tear up the wall to figure it out unhook them from the switch and cap them off. Replace the switch with another outlet and if it’s the kitchen and the one you are showing is not feed off a GFCI put one in there and run the other off the load side.

If you do find a load on the other end of the wires you might want to explore and figure out what you have. You could also measure current and get an idea of what’s powered.
 
un hook the wire, then investigate all plug ins for power, check outside lights also

my guess is he had a switched plug .

can you access attic? trace the wire
 
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