# How do I get switch working again?



## Kevbo (Aug 14, 2016)

I am in the process of replacing all the old outlets and switches in my house. Each bedroom has 4 outlets with a switch. All the outlets were half hot. My intention is to only keep a couple outlets in each room that way. However I have changed out an entire room with new outlets and switch. I replaced everything the exact same way and tore of the brass fins on the two outlets I wanted to stay half hot. Well now all the outlets (even the two I tore the fins off of) are hot all the time. The switch does not control anything. In another room i changed out the switch and did not touch the outlet. Now the outlet is hot all the time. For the life of me I can't figure out what is going on. Any help would be appreciated. 

Thanks!


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## Kevbo (Aug 14, 2016)

Photo of switch


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## slownsteady (Aug 14, 2016)

If all the outlets are controlled by one switch, why does the switch have two sets of wires connected?


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## Kevbo (Aug 14, 2016)

The wire is stripped in the middle, sending the wire in two directions. Which made me think - do I need to pull all the fins on each outlet to break the loop? I really don't want very outlet to be a half hot outlet.


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## slownsteady (Aug 14, 2016)

Was the switch wired that way before you changed it? You need to figure out where the power source is coming from. I think in your case, it would have to go to the switch first.


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## Kevbo (Aug 14, 2016)

I changed out everything exactly the same. The wiring was already like that. The only difference is that the fins are still on two of the outlets.


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## bud16415 (Aug 14, 2016)

Your outlets are a chain wired in parallel. You are correct the ones you didn&#8217;t snap out are acting as a jumper and putting the power back to the switched side of all of them.


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## kok328 (Aug 14, 2016)

Your back feeding the circuit with the outlets that have the tab but didn't before you started. Drop one of the hots off these outlets or remove the tab.


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## nealtw (Aug 14, 2016)

One wire is live and one wire is switched, the outlets that want to be powered continuously do not want the switched wire attached, that is you back feed.


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## Kevbo (Aug 15, 2016)

Thanks for the help! I removed the live/switch wire from the appropriate outlets and put wire nut on them. The outlets all now work as I want. Thanks again!


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