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wccbr · Jul 10, 2009, 04:19 AM

Hello,

I am looking for help to wire some 16A spst lighted rocker switches to some split duplex receptacles so that each switch will control one outlet on each receptacle. I am doing this to create a panel which will allow me to turn on/off the equipment for my aquarium. This way I can choose to turn off a single pump or piece of equipment for maintenance etc. The switches each have two silver (terminal 1&2) and one brass terminal (terminal 3) with terminals 1&3 labelled as line and the center terminal labelled as load.

Thank you! :)

hkstroud · Jul 10, 2009, 05:22 AM

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wccbr · Jul 31, 2009, 06:45 PM

I tried this solution but one of the switches stayed lit all the time and the second one would turn the light in the switch on and off when toggled but neither receptacle worked with the switches in the open or closed position. :confused:

hkstroud · Jul 31, 2009, 08:35 PM

Which situation do we have, feeding the switch or feeding the outlet? When I first read you post I read it as you want to control the top half of the receptical with one switch and the bottom half with the other switch. Upon rereading I realize that I may have misread. Is that what you want to do or do you want to control half of one receptical with one switch and one half of another receptical with the other switch. If you want to contol top and botom half of one receptical with the switches, did you break the tab between the hot terminals of the repectical?

Note: Where I show the terminals on the switches may not be where they physically are on the switches. I rely on you to connect the incoming white wire to terminal 1 (silver, line) and the incoming black to terminal 3 (brass, line).

Are these switches standard, lighted, wall switches? Did they come with any wiring diagrams (sometimes printed on the inside of the box.

Post back and we will sort it out.

wccbr · Jul 31, 2009, 10:12 PM

The situation I tried was the one laid out for feeding power to the switch. These switches are 16A lighted rocker switches from IDEAL IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC. - Rocker Switches Cat # 774039.
You were correct with your first assumption in that I wanted to have one switch to control the power to the top of the receptacle and one switch for the bottom.
I broke away the tab between the two 'hot' screws (brass terminals) and left the common (silver, white wires) terminal tab in place.
The switch has a very simple wiring diagram printed on the back of the cardboard insert. This diagram indicates the two outside terminals as "Line" and the center terminal as "Load" with the top and middle terminals silver in colour and the bottom terminal is brass. I connected the wires such that the common white wires were connected to the top silver terminal on the switch and the black to the brass terminal. I believe I connected all the wires as indicated in your diagram, but it is sitting in the garage right now so I'll check it over again tomorrow since I did the work while barbequeing dinner!

Thanks for your help.

hkstroud · Jul 31, 2009, 10:35 PM

Well, you couldn't have wired them the same or they would have acted the same. The one that the pilot light toggles on as it is supposed to is probably correct. You have the hot wires (line and load) reversed on the one that stays on. However, that should not affect the outlet.

You do have a neutral wire going to the outlet don't you?

Right now the only thing I can think of that would prevent having power at the outlet would be if you have the in coming hot and neutral reversed at the switch. Note that the pilot would still burn if you did that.

And don't burn the steaks.