can I change single switch to combo switch

[Boothbay]

Ny combo switch, i am referring to one that has a switch on top of an outlet or vica versa, with the same wires ( 2 ) that are there now?

[RBM]

No you can't. You need a neutral for the outlet to work. If there is another two wires spliced together in that box, those would be your neutral, but if you only have two wires in the box, you only have a switch leg, and not a neutral

[jamesgangnc]

When you say two wires do you mean two wire cables, each with a black, white, and bare wire? Or do you mean that one cable comes in and it only has a black and white wire in it. If the first then you may be able to add an outlet, if the second then no, you can't.

[gfretwell]

They are going to fix that in the 2011 code. All switches will need to have a neutral brought to the box.

[dpb]

...

For what purpose, pray tell???? Wire vendors going broke?

--

[gfretwell]

To deal with the number of timers and such that are now using the ground for the return path for the electronics. There is currently a loophole in the listing standard that allows a half a MA of "leakage current" to the ground and manufacturers are exploiting that for the electronics. It also mitigates the problem for people like the OP and his question.

I have even seen people cheat and use the ground for a neutral, great way to kill someone in another room.

[RBM]

I can see it for single pole switches, but it wouldn't make sense for 3ways where you don't have a constant hot leg.

[N8N]

Does anyone make 4-wire Romex? I can see that being a necessity for some work if a neutral will now be required (e.g. retro'ing an older house with switch legs for installation of a ceiling fan, for one example... just did that myself a while back, but used 14/3, still no neutral in wall box) or does that mean that you'd now have to use Greenfield and THHN?

nate

[RBM]

Does anyone make 4-wire Romex? I can see that being a necessity for some work if a neutral will now be required (e.g. retro'ing an older house with switch legs for installation of a ceiling fan, for one example... just did that myself a while back, but used 14/3, still no neutral in wall box) or does that mean that you'd now have to use Greenfield and THHN?

nate

They do make 4 wire Romex

[Edward Reid]

Both connected to the switch? Or do you mean two black wires connected to the switch and a white wire transiting the box without being connected? You need to describe what you see much more clearly.

As others have said, the way you describe the problem indicates that you need to hire an electrician rather than trying to do it yourself. Connecting wires incorrectly is DANGEROUS. Not just a matter of "doesn't work, start over". Matter of "kills someone or burns down the house".

Edward

[hrhofmann]

licensed electricians, it was unbelieveably dangerous. I don't know if the= y did it out of ignorance or just wanted to do a fast and dirty job. The r= esults were the same in either case. Fortunately someone spotted the mista= kes when they were checking out some plumbing changes and asked me to verif= y that what had been done was not up to snuff.

[Edward Reid]

licensed electricians

There are incompetents in every trade. You still have a far better chance of getting competent work from a licensed electrician than from a homeowner who doesn't know what wires should be connected to a switch.

Edward

[jamesgangnc]

Then, no you can not add an outlet.

To add an outlet you would have to have two white and two black in the box. The whites would be connected together and the blacks would both go to the switch.

[Steve Barker]

that's ridiculous, it's much less crowded to bring the power to the light and then drop a switch leg. What could POSSIBLY be their reasoning behind this??

[RogerT]

I think maybe so devices like motion-sensor/occupancy-sensor switches will work even if the light fixutre uses compact fluorescent bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs.

[gfretwell]

Exactly. The informational note in the proposal says "The provision for a (future) grounded conductor is to provide power to electronic lighting control devices."

[RogerT]

Is there someplace where this proposed new code is posted online? I am curious as to what it all says, and whether it would apply to single pole switches or to all switches -- including 3-way switches, for example.

[N8N]

Wouldn't that violate the rule about the current in a cable summing to zero?

nate

[bud--]

As came up in a thread recently, you could use 2 2-wire romexes.

[bud--]

An interesting point. One end does.

If the purpose is for "electronic lighting control devices" a 3-way "device" should be able to tap power from a combination of the travelers.

Or, I believe, you could rewire the 3-way to a California 3-way and have power at both ends.