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    wisdom9's Avatar
    wisdom9 Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Mar 10, 2012, 09:08 PM
    Wall switch/outlet stays on in both positions
    Very odd ~ our bedroom lights that are plugged into an outlet (connected to the wall switch by the door) came on in the middle of the night. The wall switch and the outlet were swapped out with new ones but it still does not work. In other words the wall switch stays on in either position. Any suggestions? Thanks
    ballengerb1's Avatar
    ballengerb1 Posts: 27,378, Reputation: 2280
    Home Repair & Remodeling Expert
    		  
    #2

    Mar 10, 2012, 09:11 PM
    And it's doing this even after replacing the switch? Is there a second switch in or near this room that could be a 3 way also controlling the outlet. When the new receptacle was installed did you break off the small brass tab on the side to separate the two outlets?
    wisdom9's Avatar
    wisdom9 Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Mar 11, 2012, 01:47 PM
    No and we realized yesterday that we needed to do that. (break the link) Thank you for your advise, we will try doing that today.
    Thank you!
    ballengerb1's Avatar
    ballengerb1 Posts: 27,378, Reputation: 2280
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    #4

    Mar 11, 2012, 06:32 PM
    Yes an outlet that has one hot side and one controlled by a switch must have that tab removed. You have one white neutral plus hoprfully a gren ground but there should be two black hot, one controlled by the switch. Is that what you see in your box?
    wisdom9's Avatar
    wisdom9 Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #5

    Mar 12, 2012, 12:04 AM
    We broke the brass tab and all is working the way it should! Thank you for you help! I felt like this was something out of ghost hunters ` the lights go on for no reason in the middle of the night and the switch does not work... du du dun!
    Thanks again
    ballengerb1's Avatar
    ballengerb1 Posts: 27,378, Reputation: 2280
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    #6

    Mar 12, 2012, 11:55 AM
    Glad to have helped
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