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Electrical Wiring

Converting Switched Plug to New Ceiling Lights - Wiring Help Need

12 years ago

I want to add 4 recessed ceiling lights to my collectibles room and run them off the existing light switch which currently controls one plug on one of the wall outlets. I am a newbie to this type of wiring so I am hoping that some of the experts can help me make sure to get this right. I have attached a picture showing how the existing outlet is wired as well as what I hope is the correct way to re-wire this for the ceiling lights.

The light switch currently has black/white/ground running to the switch. The wall outlet has black/white/ground coming into the bottom of the box and black/white/ground running out the upper left of the box which I think goes to the switch and another black/white/ground running out the upper right of the box which I assume is going to the next wall outlet. The interesting thing is that the one white wire that is in the wire nut bundle with all of the black wires does not have a piece of black tape or any marking on it to show it is hot.

Does the picture I attached of the proposed wiring look correct and safe?? I will of course have to install a new wall outlet as the brass connector between the two plugs is currently broken off to have a single switched plug.

Existing Wiring

New Proposed Wiring

Thanks for the help!!

Eric

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Comments (5)

Ron Natalie
12 years ago
The feed to a switch loop used to be given special dispensation in the code from having to be remarked. In the current code you are (and you should in your work) remark it.

As you've shown it (assuming you are using the same devices), your circuit will not work. The switched half of the outlet has no power feeding it ever and neither does the switch and the resultant lights.

If you don't want to retained the outlet as switched, you can feed the switch (and the downstream lights) with the hot in the receptacle box (you'll need to replace the receptacle or jumper the "split" connection on it).
hatrick
Original Author
12 years ago
I was planning on putting in a new receptacle since the brass tab connecting the two plugs is currently broken off. If I put in a new receptacle, does my proposed wiring plan look correct?

Thanks,
Eric
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What do things look like in the other switch box in the closet you are talking about? Harder to see is what wires enter and exit the box at the light. The simplest set-up for a home owner to deal with will have a single gang box with one non-dimming 3-way switch at each location, and just one (black/white/bare ground) cable and one (black/red/white/bare ground) cable in the box with the switch. The cable that contains the red should go from box to box and makes up the travelers. The black and red ends of this cable should land on the screws on the switch that are the same color as each other (usually not black). The other cable either comes from the panel (the feed in) or goes to the light (the feed out). Put the black from this cable under the unique colored screw (usually black and sometimes called the common or point). Splice together all of the white wires and use the bare ground to ground each other and the switch and the box if it's metal. If you have a different wire arrangement than this, (and there are several that are both different and correct), and if you have only a small amount of experience then you would probably be well served by hiring a pro. I personally can't recall ever seeing or installing a 3-way in a walk-in closet and the black conductor landed on the ground screw makes me think that you will end up hiring someone to sort this out. Good luck.
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Ron Natalie
12 years ago
Yes, and while technically acceptable, I do not like making through connections on the device. I'd connect the black feeding to the switch to the others under the wire nut instead. The rest is fine (presuming that the omitted grounds on all the cables, devices, and any metal boxes are indeed connected together).
brickeyee
12 years ago
You can feed the new lights from the existing switched receptacle feeds or form the switch itself (if the switch is not on a switch loop).

The choice may depend on joist direction and light placement.

Running wire parallel to the joists allows it be be fished above the ceiling, running perpendicular to the joists means you need to bore a hole in every joist for the cable.
The holes at every joist require patching (and if the cable is not 1.25 inches from the bottom edge of the joist a nail plate to protect the cable).
hatrick
Original Author
12 years ago
Since you recommend not running the connections to the switch and next outlet through the receptacle, should I also have the white wire that goes to the next outlet in the white wire nut bundle just like you recommended for the black wire?

Since I have a walk up attic I was planning on running the wires up to the attic and then drill holes 3/4" holes through the middle of the joists to run the wires. I have 2x10 joists so I think I am all set just running the wires through the holes I will drill in the centers.

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