# light swithch -> switch and socket



## redbourn (Sep 7, 2011)

Hi,

I have a light switch on the wall and bought a new gizmo that will allow me to continue to turn the light on and off and it also has a socket.

Sorry that I don't know the tech names for these things.

I turned off the circuit breaker and discovered that there are only two wires going to the light switch.

The way that I have it wired right now is the live going to live and the other wire going to neutral.

The light switch only works if I plug something into the socket.

I imagine that I need to bridge two of the sockets but don't know which ones.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Michael


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## nealtw (Sep 7, 2011)

First thing first, are you working with 240 or 120 volts? It will be an easy fix.


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## kok328 (Sep 7, 2011)

If Michael is in Israel, I don't think he's working with 120 or 240V circuits.
More like 100V but, the concepts are the same.
Unfortunately, I don't have a clue as to what he's referring to without correct terminology.


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## nealtw (Sep 7, 2011)

I think what he has is like an old bathroom fixture that had a razer plug built in and he wants to use the plug with or without the light.


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## redbourn (Sep 8, 2011)

nealtw said:


> First thing first, are you working with 240 or 120 volts? It will be an easy fix.



240 - thanx for the reply.


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## redbourn (Sep 8, 2011)

thanks kok328 and nealtw 

http://is.gd/5hZudZ

The above is similar to what I'm trying to do.

I just took a picture of the back of my new socket and will upload it a little later.

I just moved and have to look in boxes to find my card reader; or I'll buy another one.

Sorry not to have been more explicit.


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## nealtw (Sep 8, 2011)

I was afraid of that I don't think I can be much help here. It may be helpfull to have a photo of your setup.


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## redbourn (Sep 8, 2011)

Two images ...

http://i53.tinypic.com/303bvnq.jpg = back

http://i56.tinypic.com/2rgywpz.jpg = front

Normally in Israel brown is live neutral is blue and earth is green/yellow

But this an old apartment (40 years old) and I only have red and yellow at this outlet.

Thanks,

Michael


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## nealtw (Sep 8, 2011)

Have tried finding the manufactures web sit for instruction? I just don't think I want to make a guess here.


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## JoeD (Sep 8, 2011)

If you only have two wires then you can 't do it. You have hot in and switched hot back to the fixture. You don't have the return wire to use for a receptacle. Doesn't matter if it is 120 or 240. You need three wires to make a switch receptacle combo work.

Looking at the pictures it appears that (on the back image) power in goes to the terminal with the brown wire(right). Return power goes to the left connection(this is the wire you are missing). Ground goes to the upper connection. Fixture switched power goes to the red wire.


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## redbourn (Sep 11, 2011)

JoeD said:


> If you only have two wires then you can 't do it. You have hot in and switched hot back to the fixture. You don't have the return wire to use for a receptacle. Doesn't matter if it is 120 or 240. You need three wires to make a switch receptacle combo work.
> 
> Looking at the pictures it appears that (on the back image) power in goes to the terminal with the brown wire(right). Return power goes to the left connection(this is the wire you are missing). Ground goes to the upper connection. Fixture switched power goes to the red wire.



A local electrician says that it can be done and he's going to swing by and do it (for free) as he doesn't trust me to do it. He's going to bridge two of the connections on the back of the socket.

I will let you know how it goes.


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## nealtw (Sep 12, 2011)

Having a pro do it is the best idea. Joe didn't realize it was all in one box.


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## JoeD (Sep 12, 2011)

If you only have two wires it can't be done by anyone. If he makes it works then I want pictures of the unit with the wries attached before he installs it so I can see how he wired it.


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## redbourn (Sep 12, 2011)

JoeD said:


> If you only have two wires it can't be done by anyone. If he makes it works then I want pictures of the unit with the wries attached before he installs it so I can see how he wired it.



A guy is coming on Wednesday and if it works I'll take pictures ;-)


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## redbourn (Oct 5, 2011)

Hi,

just to let you know that the guy that was going to do the job with only two wires never arrived.

My son-in-law came by last night and both the socket and light are now working.

He did of course have to bring in another wire, which he did very quickly, from a ceiling light.

He also changed the jumper on the plug however because he said that it was wired so that the the light would be on all the time and the socket would work via the switch.

Why anybody would want that, I can't imagine.

Anyway, thank you all for the feedback!

I guess these cowboys who say, "yeah I'll come fix it" and don't know how to do it, exist everywhere.

Michael


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## nealtw (Oct 5, 2011)

JoeD; sorry I thought the light was in the same fixture!


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