Easy light switch power question. But I’m dumb....

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Not “better” to switch the hot leg.

It is “essential” and “required” to switch the hot leg.

Neutral cannot be switched.

Or people can die, appliances can burn up.
 
Not “better” to switch the hot leg.

It is “essential” and “required” to switch the hot leg.

Neutral cannot be switched.

Or people can die, appliances can burn up.

I agree it is not only to code but the safe thing to do in always switching the hot leg in residential wiring. On the other hand we buy grandma a table lamp with a non-polarized plug and don’t worry about her changing the bulb by simply turning the light off first.


These plugs and replacement plugs are still sold every day.


https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hubbell-15-Amp-Volt-White-2-Wire-Plug/50179179


Everyone should be aware of proper polarity with light socket wiring.
 
Bud, I have a question regarding your #40 post. I have never heard don't use the second set of screws on an outlet to extend a circuit as best practice. I am not an electrician by trade but have done a lot of wiring over the years. I have never heard that said before and rarely seen it done. Normally when I have seen it, it was because there was more than two wires that needed tied together. Where did you see this suggested as best practice? As long as the wire for the extended circuit is securely fastened around the second screw I have never seen a failure. Not trying to start a flap here, just truly curious.
 
Bud, I have a question regarding your #40 post. I have never heard don't use the second set of screws on an outlet to extend a circuit as best practice. I am not an electrician by trade but have done a lot of wiring over the years. I have never heard that said before and rarely seen it done. Normally when I have seen it, it was because there was more than two wires that needed tied together. Where did you see this suggested as best practice? As long as the wire for the extended circuit is securely fastened around the second screw I have never seen a failure. Not trying to start a flap here, just truly curious.

I don’t think it is a code issue doing it both ways and I have done it both ways myself.


With doing pigtails if the outlet fails as they do sometimes you have no chance of loss of the outlets downstream. It is a bit more work doing the pigtails but in the future if you need to replace the outlet it is a simple straightforward task.


My dad taught me the pigtail method and told me the jumper bar was there with the other set of screws incase you wanted to split the outlet like switched and powered.


There is a lot written about it and most of the time the pros say the pigtail is the preferred method. That of course would depend on the skill of the guy doing the wire nut. For a while I was in the no pre-twist camp and as I went on I became convinced pre-twisting made a better joint. It is just what I prefer on all my joints I do in my personal home. Again like you I’m not a pro just a handyman doing my own work. :)


https://www.jlconline.com/how-to/electrical/q-a-to-pigtail-or-not-to-pigtail_o


https://www.mikeholt.com/forum/Forum1/HTML/001774.html


https://www.mikeholt.com/forum/Forum1/HTML/005609-2.html
 
This shouldn’t change how it’s wired, but just to be clear, the box in the ceiling will be a switched outlet. I have an LED light installed in the ceiling that plugs in.
I want the wall outlet to be constant hot.
47B1023B-BBE5-49FE-A3F9-2797EC39DAD6.jpeg
 
And I always use pigtails on outlets and switches. I didn’t start doing it thinking forwards the failure of an outlet, I just started doing it because it makes it a lot easier to wire nut than getting the wires on the terminals. Especially when the person that did the work before you only leaves very little wire to work with....
 
This shouldn’t change how it’s wired, but just to be clear, the box in the ceiling will be a switched outlet. I have an LED light installed in the ceiling that plugs in.
I want the wall outlet to be constant hot.
View attachment 23096

You still have B&W switched around. the black/hot wire wants to run unbroken to the switch. A wire nut in the ceiling box is fine. then the white wire coming back should have black tape on each end. it should go to the hot screw on the outlet and the white wire go to the neutral screw.
 
Ok, I’ll try this one more time because I’m getting frustrated that I can’t figure it out, and I’m sure I’m p*****g you all off because I’m not catching on.
-So, source power comes in to the ceiling box
-Wire nut the black from the constant hot wall outlet, the black going to the switch, and the source hot
-Wire nut the source neutral, the ceiling outlet neutral pigtail to the neutral side of the outlet, and the neutral going to the wall outlet
-Run the neutral from the switch, (with elec tape on each end showing it’s hot), up to the brass terminal on the ceiling outlet
The black rectangles are wire nuts which would actually be in the ceiling box unlike the drawing shows.8E249628-4613-4F98-AF92-B3C2E3D9EA40.jpeg
If this isn’t correct, I’m done. I’ll use a flashlight.....
 
You are very welcome.

Just be safe and kill all the power first to that circuit and double check with your meter it is off. I didn't show the bare ground wires but each romex will have them. attach them to the green screws and to each other and eventually back to the one in the ceiling feeding this project.

Basically from the ceiling box you will run 2 romex to the GFCI box and one romex to the switch box. Not sure if you are pulling them thru finished walls if you are pull them both together to the GFCI box. If it is open construction run them together and staple them every couple feet. The black tape placed around the white wire is to show someone down the road it is not a white neutral wire but it has power and is actually a black wire.

Don't feel bad about asking questions as you go and let us know how it turns out if you follow this plan.
 
Will do. I’ve done to many ignorant things while working on electricity, as in doing it while it’s hot...
It is an open ceiling so an easy run. I did staple the two lines I already ran, and will add a second to the GFCI box. I encased each line in plastic conduit running down the wall for protection.
I’ll be finishing this up Thursday afternoon when I get off work.
Thanks again
 
If there is a shared neutral up in the ceiling box, you will want to turn off the breaker for the other circuit that it is servicing.

Or else kill main power, just to be safe.
 
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