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KingsX · Dec 28, 2007, 08:07 AM

In my area, code requires a light fixture in every room or a switched outlet for a lamp etc. I have in my main living room a really nice ceiling and I don't want to put a fixture in it. I'm going to upgrade all the electrical in the house. I'm going to run all my outlets in the room according to code on one circuit. What I'd like to do on two of those outlets is split the top of each and have them switchable, so that a person could put a lamp in either or both of those locations and have them run off the switch but the bottoms of those outlets could still be used for TV and such and if someone wants to turn off the light, the TV doesn't go off etc. But here are my questions, if I run a separate circuit for the top split of those, is there a way to gang the two breakers together so that if a future owner wants to do some electrical work, turns off the breaker for the room, test the bottom outlet, thinks "okay powers off" and then opens the box and alas the top is still hot and gets electrocuted. So if the breakers are ganged, then when you shut one off they both go off.

Or, is there a way to do what I'm looking to do with one circuit? Meaning run a switch to two tops and not the rest?

Thanks everyone again for your help, this site is great!

donf · Dec 28, 2007, 08:13 AM

There is a much simpler way. Use one breaker, split your outlet. At the end of the run, add a run to the switch. Cut the black wire and attach to the switch terminals. Continue the run onto the top of the split outlet. Connect both the White and Black conductors as you would normally and any grounds.

One circuit, one breaker.

KingsX · Dec 28, 2007, 08:21 AM

Thanks Don, that's exaclty what I was thinking, but I don't think that'll be as easy for me. It's a retro fit for my old house, and the two outlets that I want to split will be a good 16 feet from each other. So I'd have to run the wire from the switch to the one outlet, and then all the way to the other.

But now that I've thought about it, I don't think I have a choice if I want to use one circuit. I'll have to run wire back to the outlet regardless. And even if I used a different circuit, I'd still have to run a separate wire to the switched outlet, right? So really, I should have figured this out before posting! Maybe just confirm what I've said to be sure. But thanks again Don.

donf · Dec 28, 2007, 08:48 AM

Kings X,

Wait a minute, if you want to use two split receptacles controlled by two different switches, then what I gave you above will not work. You would have to use 14/3 or 12/3 conductors to make the run to the second switch.

I strongly suggest that you purchase the "Complete Book of Electrical Wiring" by Black and Decker. You can get it at any Lowe's, Home Depot or Barnes and Noble. This book will give you explicit connection details that are easy to follow. They will not make either your eyes or brain bleed while you struggle to understand them.

KingsX · Dec 28, 2007, 08:55 AM

I was just thinking that myself actually. At first I was imagining it with only one switch, so what you mentioned above would work fine. But I probably will run two three way switches. But I won't have to run three conductor, for the entire run. I can run two conductor to the first switch and then three conductor to the tops of the two outlets, and then to the last switch. I've attached a picture from the web to describe what I mean. But replace the light fixture with the split outlet tops.

EDIT: sorry, that's exactly what you just said...

KingsX · Dec 28, 2007, 10:29 PM

Sorry guys I had to ask another question about this as I've been thinking about it for a while. If I do this configuration, am I going to have an issue with room in the boxes? Because I'll have the original 2 conductor with ground going into these boxes and pigtailed to run to the other outlets etc, because I can't daisy chain them normally with the tab broken off (for split). And then when I come back into these boxes for the top split between the switches like in the picture above, I'll have 3 conductor wire with ground to deal with as well. So that's a lot of nuts and wires to jam into that electrical box! Maybe there's a deeper box? But I'll have to find a renovation box that is deeper as I'm upgrading in an old house. What do you suggest? Or am I up the creek here?