Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 05, 2000 04:56am | #1

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   Mark:

   I'm still trying to figure out your description so I'll ask the simple question first:

   Did you break the little tab between the two brass screws on the receptacle that is supposed to be switched? This allows one of the outlets to be live all the time and the other one to be switched.

1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 05, 2000 06:24am | #2

   *USUALLY the white is neutral, the black is constant hot and the red will carry power from the switch to the outlet. Usually. IF this is the case, in the switch end put red and black on the switch. All blacks together and all whites together. In outlet, all whites together and all blacks together. pigtail the whites to neutral side of outlet and the red on hot side of outlet.If you want both parts of outlet to be switched, don't break the tab on the hotside. If you do want only one half switched, break the tab , put black on one half and red on other.Good luck.

2. 
   J._Belcher | Oct 05, 2000 02:55pm | #3

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   These guys have the right idea.

   At the switch you almost can't screw up - you only have a black and a red - all other wires are already wire-nutted together. The black should be the always hot and the red should be the switched hot.

   At the plug end what you probably had before was one of the two sides of the duplex was switched / one side was always on. If you want that again, break the tab off the back and put the black to one and the red to the other. If you want both switched, put a wirenut over the black and put the red to one outlet. In either case the white wire goes on the neutral side (the side that accepts the taller prong).

3. 
   Mark_C._Bither | Oct 05, 2000 05:00pm | #4

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   I'm currently in the middle of remodeling a newcomig baby's room for myself
   istarted what i thought would be an easy task and gave mself a headache i just can't figure out. I changed out all my plugs and switches and am having a problem. the light switch turns on one of my wall plugs when iwired it up the plug is always on and the switch won't work. The switch has 1 wire w/whtie,black,red, and 1 wire w/black,white and the blacks are tied together and so are the whites leaving a black and a red. the wall plug is 2 wires black, white, and ground and 1 wire black,white, and red
   any suggestions???????????!!!!!!!!!!

4. 
   Guest_ | Oct 05, 2000 05:00pm | #5

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   Or,

   This switch could be connected to a second switch, a pair of three ways.

   Why don't you tell us which wires are hot and where, and when? You need to do a lot of testing, that's really the key, not which colors are which. There could be other circuits, or wires to nowhere, or other wiring malady, it's very common. What was it like when you started?