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bob1789 · Dec 11, 2007, 11:29 PM

Hi I have a light swith that only has two wires to it it allows an outlet to be turn off and on, I need to have this control the outlet and a new ceiling fan... there is no overhead light in the room now... how would I need to wire this switch

srhill3 · Dec 11, 2007, 11:49 PM

Originally Posted by bob1789

hi i have a light swith that only has two wires to it it allows an outlet to be turn off and on, i need to have this control the outlet and a new ceiling fan......there is no overhead light in the room now.....how would i need to wire this switch

Need more info. Is that two wires with two wires and a ground in each how old is the wiring. What color are the wires going into the switch?

bob1789 · Dec 11, 2007, 11:57 PM

Hi there are only two wires one is white and the other is black... I checked it and neither is a hot wire

bob1789 · Dec 12, 2007, 12:08 AM

You also ask how old was the wiring not sure... it looks just like the new stuff you can buy... but the hyouse is about 50 years old

bob1789 · Dec 12, 2007, 12:10 AM

Hi the house is about 50years old there are only two wires one white and one black... neither is a hot... but when both wire are together it will allow the outlet to work

Cobraguy · Dec 12, 2007, 06:20 AM

Hmmm... I wonder if they are switching the neutral with a switch loop. That should be fixed if they are. Can you get into the receptacle and tell us if the hot is there?

Stratmando · Dec 12, 2007, 06:23 AM

Run wiring from switched receptacle to Fan location. Would leave switch alone.

labman · Dec 12, 2007, 07:34 AM

Cobraguy and Stratmando are correct, but I am giving you more info. Likely what you have is a pair of wires at the outlet feeding power. The black wire of that pair should connect to one of the wires to the switch. The other wire of that pair will be hot when the switch is on. If one of them is white, it should be marked black. The outlet should be connected brass screw to the hot when the switch is on and silver screw to the white from the feed pair. Anything you connect to those wires should be on when the switch is on, as you want. Use the second screw, or connect the 2 wires to a short third wire and connect it to the screw.

If as Cobraguy mentioned, the switch is connected to the white wire of the feed pair, you should reconnect it to the black. One wire at the switch should always be hot, but you will not measure a voltage to the other unless something is plugged into the outlet and on.

donf · Dec 12, 2007, 09:38 AM

Bob,

You have a switch loop installed. Follow the conductor backwards to the source connection. Use a volt meter and verify that there is 120 VAC between the Black Source wire and the White Source wire. If the voltage is correct, then turn the breaker off so that you are not working on live wires.

Once you get there, you need to understand what's going on at the switch. The switch feeds on power from its source. When activated the switch feeds power to the lamp circuit.

First, normal electrical installations call for the White wire to connect to the Black wire at the source. Also to signify that this wire is no longer a "Neutral" wire since it is now a load carrying wire wrap the end of the white wire insulation with black tape. Connect the White wire from the Source to the White from your fixture.

Back at the switch, again wrap a small amount of black tape around the White insulation of the wire and then connect it to the bottom of the switch. Next, connect the Black wire oat the switch to the top of the switch. At the ceiling, connect the Black wire of fixture.
Now turn on the breaker and work the switch. If there are still problems, please let me know.