# How do you change swithched outlets and continue power to swithch box



## dastaljo (Aug 4, 2010)

Hi there, I have three outlets that have the top switched and the bottom constant.  The switched outlets are controlled by a single pole switch that is part of a 3 gang box.  I have Lutron Radio Ra2 throughout the house and would like to take the power from the switch and use it to power a 6 button keypad.  My issue is this.  There is just a 2 wire with ground going to the switch ocation. So, if I hook up the 3 wires from the wall box to the corresponding wires on the keypad...The keypad lights up and can be used to send information for scenes, but, the switched part of the outlets will not have power.  In contrast. If I twist together the black and white in the box where the switch is...the outlets work but now I cannot hook up my keypad.  This is very frustrating and considering that the keypad was $400. I really need to make this work.  Please help!


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## JoeD (Aug 5, 2010)

You must change the cable. It needs to be a three wire cable. The only other solution is to pull a new power feed into the box.


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## kok328 (Aug 5, 2010)

The 2 wires going to the switch location are switch legs.  On is a source of power and the other leads to the hot on the top of the outlet.  Your most likely looking at one black and one white but the white is not a neutral leg, it's a hot switch leg.
*Therefore, you can not use the wires leading to the switch as a circuit.*
To make the outlets constant power you can either replace the outlets or wire the hot and neutral with a jumper wire from the bottom lugs to the top lugs.  If you look closely at the outlet and compare that to a new outlet you will notice that the tab that connects the top and bottom lugs have been removed.


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## dastaljo (Aug 6, 2010)

OK, I get that I am going to have to replace the outlets or use jumpers.  But in that case the B, W, G that are then going from the last outlet before it goes on to the switch location should somehow be able to have Hot Neutral and ground... Shouldn't it?


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## kok328 (Aug 6, 2010)

This all depends on how the outlets are wired.  If the top and bottoms of the outlet are the same circuit then it is possible to achieve with some rewiring.  If they are a different circuit then you won't have a neutral to use in the switch box, especially if the two hots are not from adjacent breakers.  If you can make that determination with a little research, and maybe post a diagram, then we could proceed with greater confidence.


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## JoeD (Aug 9, 2010)

If you want the receptacles to remain switched then you must change the cable. If you can live with the receptacles being always hot then you can simply rewire the last receptacle to povide power feed to the Lutron.


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## budro (Aug 15, 2010)

switched receptacles have the tab broken between the two hot terminals. change the switched plugs and you have hot everywhere. go back and bypass the switch and your fixed up.


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## JoeD (Aug 15, 2010)

budro said:


> switched receptacles have the tab broken between the two hot terminals. change the switched plugs and you have hot everywhere. go back and bypass the switch and your fixed up.



Switched receptacle only have the tab broken if they are half switched.


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## budro (Aug 16, 2010)

joe d, go back and read his first sentence.


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## JoeD (Aug 16, 2010)

budro said:


> switched receptacles have the tab broken between the two hot terminals. change the switched plugs and you have hot everywhere. go back and bypass the switch and your fixed up.





> Switched receptacle only have the tab broken if they are half switched.





budro said:


> joe d, go back and read his first sentence.



He is also not having a problem with the switching. The only problem is the lack of a neutral in the switch box.
I stand by my answer that only half switched receptalces have the tab broken. There are many situations where the entire receptacle is switched.


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## budro (Aug 17, 2010)

ok joe d, i stand corrected about the "half" switched receptacles. upon further review if i am reading it right this time he has power supplied to the plugs in question and a switch leg running to the 3 gange box with one of the three controlling them. if this is the case and he wants power with a nuetral at the wall switch he can change the plugs with the broke tabs to make them all hot, use the switch leg now as a 120 volt supply from the plugs and viola, power to the three gange box. the switch leg that was carrying one hot wire to be broken was probably 12-2 w/g using black and white for hot only. if so he can use it for 120 v supply. all this is said if he doesn't mind giving up the "half" switched part of the plug. sorry if i read it wrong earlier. thanks, buddy


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