I've been in this house for 7 years and have done wiring before e.g. added fans, updated lights etc. I am replacing all the switches and receptacles right now.

There is a wall switch at the entry to the living room which has never controlled any of the wall receptacles. The wall switch and receptacles are on the same circuit. The wall switch has one 3 wire entering it only.

There are 6 receptacles in the room. 4 have a total of two separate 3-wire romex lines coming and going. 2 have three 3-wire romex coming and going. There are no red wires anywhere. None of the receptacles have more than one black, one white and one ground attached to it. All the receptacles work, but none responds to the wall switch.

All of the brass tabs are still present so I think the original electrician screwed up or someone replaced a switch at some time.

How do I determine which of the receptacles are controlled by the wall switch?

Once I determine that, I need to pigtail two separate black hot wires onto each of the brass screws....correct?

sheshore

Yes, those two wires (the white painted black and the black you point to that I labeled "switch") are in the same romex line.

I am using a VAC/DC 110/220 tester that has a black and a red probe with a light that turns on inside when it responds to current. It's a little hand held item a little bigger than a pen.

When I used the tester:
switch off: white + ground = tester lights up
black + ground = no light on tester

switch on: white + ground = light
black + ground = light

hkstroud

You have incorrectly identified the cable going to the switch. Put all of the wires back the way there were.

Rereading your post, you said earlier,

"All three of the blacks are attached to a black pigtail that goes on a screw on one side and all the whites are attached to a white pigtail and attached to a screw on the other side (the side as the ground screw."

If this is true in all of the outlets, the switch is not connect to the outlets. If it were, you would trip the breaker any time you turned the switch on. I say this because you would be making a direct connection between the hot and neutral when you turn the switch on.

Put the wires back the way they were and lets start over. Check to insure that everything works, including outlets and lights in other rooms.

I ask earlier how you knew that the switch was on the same circuit. Turn breaker to outlets off and check for voltage at switch.

I suspect that I know what has happened (electrician screw up) but lets go thru the steps.

sheshore

Harold,
I can't thank you enough. You are right about everything. I had made a stupid assumption that no one would switch the outlet just 3 feet below the switch. When I rewired it, I hadn't pulled all the wires out of the box to see that a white was attached to the blacks etc.

I have it all put back together correctly now. The switch operates the lamp on the table right next to it and all the outlets are working down the line.

Thanks again, you saved me having to hire an electrician.

Nina in FL

hkstroud

Congratulations

Patience is a virtue, you are now a virtuous person.

sheshore

Now......... I wouldn't go that far!

But you are a Saint.

Yeah, Saint Harold. I can worship that!

hkstroud

Gawd, we're getting deep. You must have been checking voltage by sticking you tongue to the wires.

KeepItSimpleStupid

Nice job Harold.

One comment: If those are metal boxes, I can't tell. The box must also be grounded.