adding an outlet next to two switches

[Jim]

Yes the header is confusing, but here's what I'm trying to do. I want to add a ground fault outlet next to or connected to the box with two switches. I'm trying to figure out how to get some always on power from the switch set up. Ok I'll try to be more clear. When I pull the switch out to look at the connections there are 3 wires connected to the left side 1. orange, 2. orange and 3. yellow which doesn't stop but travels on. There are 2 connectors on the right side, the top one is empty and the second has a blue wire attached. One of these does outside lights and the other does inside garage lights.I want to add the outlet at this location. At the front of the garage there is a single switch with an orange wire at the top left and on the right side an orange wire top then a yellow wire below. This switch does inside garage lights also. The wires are in metal conduit. From the reading I've done, black or blue wires are the hot/feed lines and switched legs are orange and yellow. All thoughts appreciated. So how do I tie in to that switch wiring to add an outlet? Thanks.

[toller]

Presumably you will use a voltage detector to determine which wires to use, but I am curious where you are located that uses such colorful wires.

[Rick]

Thanks.

I'm not sure what you mean by "yellow which doesn't stop but travels on". Sounds like you have a 2 pole/3 way combination switch with a common hot lead.

If there are no white (neutral) wires in the box, you're out of luck

[RBM]

It shouldn't have any significance if this is a residential dwelling but the colors orange and yellow are used to signify 277 volts. Most likely just what the installer had handy when doing the installation. You need to determine if you have a "feed" in the box and not be confused by load and traveler wires

[Jim]

Yes, I've determined that the blue wire has continual power no matter what position the switches are in so this must be my feed wire. Also there are 3 white neutral wires in the box wire nutted together. So here's my thought: come off of the the hot right side with a blue wire and then pigtail on a white neutral. My questions now are: does it matter which neutral wire I choose and what is the best way to connect an outlet box to an already existing switch box? This is a metal box and the lines run in conduit.Thanks again.

[Rick]

connect

Just use a red wirenut and put your neutral pigtail in with the other three. You're going to have to change the box to get a GFCI and the switch in unless it's a type that can be ganged by removing a screw.

[Rick]

other

You may also be able to piece together something using box extenders and plates, but that's pretty crude, and will project from the wall surface...

[Jeff Wisnia]

Easy, assuming the present two switches are separate ones, just replace them with one duplex switch and you'll then have room to put the gfci outlet in the existing box.

Try this:

Leviton makes 'em, so you should be able to get them lots of places.

I did one just like this in our home last year so I could add a gfci outlet to the pair of light switches alongside our front door, to let me run an extension cord out the front door the couple of times a year I need to trim the shrubs in front of the house. Even though I use an orange extension cord, the damn thing has a death wish and likes to throw itself into the teeth of the hedge trimmer every once in a while. Since my 35 year old B&D hedge trimmer has an all metal housing, I figgered putting in that gfci was worth the effort.

I had trouble finding a cover plate with the right shaped holes in it to fit the duplex switch and the gfci, so I took a plastic two gang duplex outlet cover, filed out the rectangular gfci opening and drilled the requisite two countersunk holes in the right places. Can't tell it from "tailor made".

HTH,

Jeff

[RBM]

[Jim]

Thanks guys, now I can get that afternoon project done and checked off the to do list. Jeff, treat yourself to one of those 18v battery powered hedge trimmers!

[Joseph Meehan]

I hate to bring up the subject, but I don't see where anyone as checked to see if the space in the box is enough to meet code with the additional wires, and how about the new total load on the circuit? What else is on it and will the additional load overload the circuit?

I may have missed it, but is this a US application or some non-US code application.

[Jeff Wisnia]

Thas awrite, I missed the part about the second switch at the front of the garage, which meant I should have pointed him to a double throw "three way" duplex switch, which Leviton also makes, instead of the single throw type.

Jeff

[Rick]

replace

Well, that just shows how people read things differently-from his original post, I had assumed it already was a duplex switch :)

Never would have guessed he would have asked about the box if it wasn't!