I have an old 60 year old house with a tiny bathroom. Originally there was no outlet in the bathroom. Someone in the past has run a wire from the light to add an outlet and it is only hot when the light is on. It is a GFCI outlet with a tiny green light that comes on when the light switch is turned on. I would like very much for the outlet to be hot all the time instead of just when the light is turned on. How do I change the way the wire is run in order to accomplish that? Thanks for the help in advance.

Assuming there is only 2-2 wire cables at the light, switched power from the switch, and the 2 wire cable to the outlet, changing the existing wires path or splicing will not work.

Either a new 2 wire feed needs to come from a 24 hour constant source to the outlet, or a 3 wire cable needs to run from the switch to the light, which then can offer constant power on the third wire, to power the outlet.

Your problem is easy to correct: the wire supplying power to the receptacle is connected to the normally open side of the switch.

1. Turn the circuit breaker or disconnect the fuse supplying power to the switch.
2. Move the wire, which goes to the receptacle to the other side of the switch which is hot at all times.
3. Reset the circuit breaker or fuse and you will have fixed the problem.

Eeseely, I would like to bring your attention to the statement:


Someone in the past has run a wire from the light to add an outlet

I take the assumption that there is only two 2 wire cables at the light, the old one from the switch, and the new one to the outlet.

There would appear to be a cable from the switch to the light at one time, and then a cable was extended FROM the light to the new outlet.

Your plan will not work.

I may have made the wrong assumption, and if so you are correct.
The truth of the matter is we don't know how it's wired, do we?

We can only offer advice based on the specific information that the poster provides, such as:


Someone in the past has run a wire from the light to add an outlet and it is only hot when the light is on.