I recently swapped out my old, very dated porch lights for some nice, new stainless steel models. After that, I took out the old fluorescent fixture above my sink and installed a new, LED fixture. I'm now wanting to install another LED fixture on the wall above my stove where a nasty range hood once hung. I wanted to take this installation a step further, however, and put in a wall switch for the light as well as an outlet to plug my electric kettle into for tea. I know, too much preamble. LOL!

For those of you who are "in the know" about electrical connections, I need some wiring advice. I know, or at least I'm pretty sure, that I would need to place the switch on the circuit first since it will be the "ON/OFF" for the light. My question is how can I make the three way connection so that the light, it's switch and the outlet (I'm using a GFCI outlet) are all on the same circuit? I've looked at a few diagrams and I kind of have an idea of how to do it, but I figure I'd ask someone who's actually done it. Any helpful advice or input would be greatly appreciated.

You will have to run a 2-wire with ground cable from another outlet in the kitchen to where you want your new outlet. If you want the switch in between the new outlet and the new light, you would run a 2-wire cable first to the switch and then to the light.
If you want the switch to be some where else other than between the outlet and the light, you would run a 2-wire cable from the outlet to the light. You would also run a 2-wire cable from the outlet to the switch.

When connecting your wires you would connect the neutral at the outlet to the neutral going to the light. You would connect the hot from the outlet to the white going to the switch. You would connect the black coming from the switch to the black going to the light. That way the neutral goes directly to the light. The hot goes to the switch on the white and comes back on the black and then goes to the light on the black of the light.

Wiring as switch this way is called using a switch loop.

If the wiring for the old range hood is still there you could use it rather than trying to get a cable to an outlet.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hkstroud

You will have to run a 2-wire with ground cable from another outlet in the kitchen to where you want your new outlet. If you want the switch in between the new outlet and the new light, you would run a 2-wire cable first to the switch and then to the light.
If you want the switch to be some where else other than between the outlet and the light, you would run a 2-wire cable from the outlet to the light. You would also run a 2-wire cable from the outlet to the switch.

When connecting your wires you would connect the neutral at the outlet to the neutral going to the light. You would connect the hot from the outlet to the white going to the switch. You would connect the black coming from the switch to the black going to the light. That way the neutral goes directly to the light. The hot goes to the switch on the white and comes back on the black and then goes to the light on the black of the light.

Wiring as switch this way is called using a switch loop.

If the wiring for the old range hood is still there you could use it rather than trying to get a cable to an outlet.

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Thanks for the input; much appreciated.

Yep, the wiring from the old hood is still in the wall. I just need to take the wire screws off, trim them and strip off some more of the existing insulation.

That beings the case, would the wiring be any different?

No difference in principle. Circuit must be 15 or 20 amp.
Presumably you will want the light close to where the cable is now.
Describe where you want the switch and where you want the outlet.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hkstroud

No difference in principle. Circuit must be 15 or 20 amp.
Presumably you will want the light close to where the cable is now.
Describe where you want the switch and where you want the outlet.

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I bought a 2-Gang old work box and I'd like to put the switch and the outlet side by side in said box and have it maybe six inches below where the light is going to be mounted.

Can you get the old range hood cable to either the switch/outlet box or to the location you want the new light?

Six inches seems awfully close to the light to have an outlet.