basement ceiling light and outlets

[Joan]

Hi;
I have some basic wiring skills, as I have just changed a porcelain ceiling basement light fixture that had a pull chain that kept breaking off to a toggle switch controlled light--------NOW, I would like to have an outlet in this area to plug into. How would I get the power for an outlet from this ceiling light fixture?
If possible, please send a diagram.

Thanks------
Joan
P.S.---Forgot to mention, this is the end of the run on this wiring.

[Jimmer]

Joan,

Welcome to the forum. So you have a light fixture on the ceiling that is now controlled by a switch. Is the new switch on the wall by the door? Do you want the new outlet on the wall next to the switch or on the ceiling next to the fixture? Or somewhere else? Do you have access to the ceiling to run new wires?

Let us know the details and we can help.

Thanks,
Jim

'Just a handyman trying to help'

[Joan]

Jimmer;

The new switch is on the wall near the door. I want the new outlet on the wall about 6 ft. from the wall switch. I do have access to the ceiling, but wondered if I could run the outlet from the toggle switch?

THANKS

[Jimmer]

Joan,

You sent an email saying...we wired the light and toggle switch.
In the ceiling light box we have Black feed wire to white wire going to toggle switch-white feed wire to white ceiling light wire---black ceiling light wire to black wire leading to toggle switch. Above works fine, NOW, we want to add an outlet about 6 ft. away from the toggle switch on the wall. In the toggle switch box, we have 1 black wire and 1 white wire and 1 ground wire.

Assuming that you want the outlet to have constant power (not switched)... If I understand your email your power from the electrical panel goes to the light fixture box. Then a cable goes to the switch. If this is correct then you need to run another cable from the light fixture box down to the new outlet. You cannot come off the switch because the outlet will only have power when the switch is on.



Please let me know if this makes sense. If further info is needed I'm here to help.

Good luck, Jim

'Just a handyman trying to help'

[irregularjoe]

You cannot go from the switch to a new plug if the circuit is originating from the light. IE: open up the switch box. If you see only two wire (white and black) attached to the switch, this is only an interrupted circuit. The full circuit is at the light, not the switch. You cannot tap into the two wires from the switch to feed a plug. This is because you need a positive and a neutral to get 110 volts. The wires in the above mentioned switch box are not positive and neutral, even though they are black and white. One of them SHOULD be positive (from the source) but the other is nothing., It only comes into play when you throw the switch. At that time it also becomes positive (because you closed the switch). The neutral, however was never there. Hence you cannot expect a full circuit.
However, sometimes there IS a full circuit in the switch box. This is because the wiring might go from the switchbox TO the light, instead of visa versca. It all depends on the layout of the circuit. In this scenario you will see more than two wire in the switchbox.
If you see two or more white wires attached together and a two or more black wires terminating at the switch, it's a good chance that you have found a full circuit that you can tap off of to power another plug.

A caveat however. You might have stumbled upon a 3 way circiut. If the light is controlled from more than one location, it's a 3 way circuit. In this case one or possibly both of the switchboxes will not support a plug . But that's too complicated to get into here.
Joe



Did you ever see OHM'S mother in LAW?...... SHOCKING!

[Jimmer]

Joan,

You wrote...
Jim;
Thanks for the reply. Yes, you got it right as to how we have connected the light. We don't care if the outlet will only have power when the light is on, as this is in a dark work area that always needs to have the light on. Can we install an outlet from the switch and how will we do this?

Alright, if you are okay with the outlet being switched on and off with the light then you can remove the white wire from the switch and use a wire nut to join it to the white of the new cable going to the new outlet. Connect the black from the new cable to the now open spot on the switch. connect the bare copper wire from the new cable to one of the ground screws in the switch box. Hook up the black, white and ground to the new outlet as normal.

If you need help with this step see http://homerepairforum.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=362

Good luck, Jim

'Just a handyman trying to help'

[irregularjoe]

[:0]

Did you ever see OHM'S mother in LAW?...... SHOCKING!