GFCI with a switch issue

[lo21212]

I have a old house, the wiring is the old cloth kind. I wanted to update my outlet and light switch to gfci. So i purchased a cooper gfci outlet with a light switch. No the old outlet was a two pronged outlet and two light switches. So now my problem is this, the outlet works fine but when I hook up the wires to the lights with the light switch and the load out connects both lights work with the switch but are incredibly dim. When I hook them up individually to the load out the work nice and bright, but even when I ganged them up to the load out there was still the same problem. What should I do? Do they sell gfci outlets with two light switches with an outlet? HELP!!!!

[diytim]

Is the box a single or double gang box? If it is a double gang box you can use a GFCI outlet and use the load out terminal to power a double switch.

[lo21212]

It is a single gang. unforetunately.

[LazyPup]

You stated that in your present configuration both lights work from the switch but they are incredible dim. From that statement I have derived two facts. 1. Operating both lights from one common switch would be acceptable and 2. you have a minor wiring mistake that has resulted in the two light fixtures being wired in series instead of in parallel as required.

Note: When two resistive loads are wired in series the amperage remains constant and the voltage drops across each load, whereas when resistive loads are wired in parallel the voltage remains constant and the amperage drops across each fixture, which would be the proper manner.

Typically GFCI devices that have both an outlet and switch will have two open terminals to supply the GFCI outlet, then there are two additional terminals under a yellow tape that can be used to provide GFCI protection to additional outlets downstream of the device. The switch will then have either two terminals or two wires.

I suspect that you presently have the power and common feeding the box connected to the open terminals of the GFCI, then you have a common and a powered conductor to one light fixture connected to the secondary terminals under the yellow tape and the power and common wires to the second light connected to the wires from the switch. In this configuration the power from the GFCI secondary terminals under the tape is going to the first light fixture then returning to the switch via the common from fixture number one, through the switch and to light fixture number two through the black wire and finally back to the GFCI common terminal to complete the circuit. If this is correct then you actually have the lights in series with the switch between the two light fixtures therefore when the switch is off the lights are off, but when the switch is on the lights are in series which is resulting in only 60 volts per light fixture and the dim operation.

There are two possible configurations you could use, depending upon whether you want GFCI protection on the light fixtures as well as the box or whether you want the outlet to be GFCI protected while running the lights in the normal manner.

1. GFCI OUTLET- NO GFCI TO LIGHT FIXTURES.
Correctly you should have a short pigtail of black wire from the GFCI power terminal (Brass screw). The pigtail and one wire from the switch should be connected to the primary black wire feeding the box. The second wire from the switch should then be connected to the two black wires to the light fixtures. You then attach a short pigtail of white wire to the common terminal of the GFCI device (Silver screw) and connect this pigtail and the two white wires from the light fixtures to the white wire on the primary feeder to the box.

2. GFCI FOR BOTH OUTLET AND LIGHT FIXTURES.
Connect the primary power cable feeding the box to the power and common terminals of the GFCI outlet. Remove the yellow tape and connect one wire from the switch to the power (brass screw) under the tape. Connect the second wire from the switch to the two black wires feeding the light fixtures. Connect a short pigtail of white wire to the common terminal under the tape (Silver screw) of the GFCI to the two white wires from the light fixtures. In this configuration when you turn the light switch on both fixtures will come on at full brilliance and both light fixtures will have GFCI protection.

[lo21212]

I am going to try your second method, to make the light also gfci and will let you know the results. Thanks!!!!!!!!!