Hello,

I have two switches, three wire coming into the box is red black and white. Switch 1 is connected to the red and is connected to the other switch 2 with a small white wire. Switch 2 is connected to the white wire coming in and the black wire. I want to install a receptacle that runs all the time and I am not sure which wires to use.

First of all, which country are you in? (This affects wire colours used. Also, many countries require a licensed electrician to work on mains wiring [if that's what you're asking about].)

Secondly, your description isn't very clear. You talk about wires coming into a 'box' - what is this box? What do the two switches currently do? Is the 'receptacle' to want to connect a mains power outlet (called a 'GPO' - General Power Outlet - in Australia)?

Thirdly, it sounds to me like what you've called 'switch 2' is in fact a socket or load of some sort - it seems to be switched on/off by 'switch 1'.

Can you be more specific with your descriptions?

Rgds, Daniel

<moved from Electronics>

Thanks for the reply. I think I posted this in the wrong category thank you KISS for fixing that for me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DanielF

First of all, which country are you in?
(This affects wire colours used.

Canada

Also, many countries require a licensed electrician to work on mains wiring [if that's what you're asking about].

I am in a rural area and am not able to get a licensed electrician so I am trying to use this forum to wire things myself. I am not an electrician, however I don't make a move until someone with expertise explains in detail what I can do. I am studying electrical books on basic wiring as was suggested by another poster earlier but the books just don't give specific enough instruction.

Secondly, your description isn't very clear. You talk about wires coming into a 'box' - what is this box?

Okay sorry, I have a cable with three wires (black, white and red) there is also a ground in my electrical box (outlet box?) All I have seen these called is a box.

What do the two switches currently do?

For clarity I will call them switch 1 and switch 2. Switch one turns on the pantry light and switch 2 turns on the front porch light.

Is the 'receptacle' to want to connect a mains power outlet (called a 'GPO' - General Power Outlet - in Australia)?

I am from Canada Hey! LOL I don't know what this means, what I want to do it to run a receptacle off of the hot wire and a neutral. I have a multimeter and with the switch off it shows that white is a hot wire. I am guessing that the red and the black are neutrals?

Thirdly, it sounds to me like what you've called 'switch 2' is in fact a socket or load of some sort - it seems to be switched on/off by 'switch 1'.

No it is a switch.

Can you be more specific with your descriptions?

Anyways I want to run a receptacle out of this box if it is at all possible. If it is possible I don't know which wires to use, I know that I need one hot and one neutral. Do I pigtail the white before the switch connection and if yes which neutral should I use and again do I pigtail before the switch?

Again the cable brings in three wires the red is connected to the bottom of Switch 1 and the white is connected to the top of switch 1, then there is a short piece of white wire that connects from switch 1 to switch 2 (top) then the incoming white wire (from the cable is connected also to the top of switch 2 ( I know that two wires should not be put under one screw on the switch so I will use a pigtail to correct that problem) then the black wire is connected to the bottom of switch 2. They are both single pole switches.

Hope this clarifies a bit more.

Rgds, Daniel

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If I am reading this right then you will need to find somewhere else to get power for a receptacle. You have no neutral wire in the box with the switches. What you do have is an always hot white wire with black and red both being switched hots supplying power to the lights.

Ah okay that makes sense. If I travel back to the light box (switch 1 operates the light) there are three cables coming into it. One goes to the 2 switches, one goes direct to the porch light and I don't know what the other is but I am assuming that is where the electricity must be coming from. Can I pig tail off the white and black in that cable?

You can connect the grounds, connect to the whites(if a couple are together)do not connect to a white going to a switch. The hot will connect to the three black wires tied together
(2 are connected to each switch/a constant hot).
I think 1 cable is supply, 1 is to one light, and other to other light.

There are three whites together. The black hot wire coming into the box is connected to a white wire heading off to the switch. Can I just add a black hot wire to that and the neutral to the group of whites?

Neutral can go to group of whites, and the black connect to the blacks connected to each switch.
If all else fails, connect volt meter to each contact on switch and see what remains hot when switched.

In the light box connect the grounds together, the neutrals together (the group of whites) and the hot to the group that has the black and white. While you are there put black tape on the white in the hot group to reidentify it as hot.