I'm not electrically literate so I'm looking for some help here.
The switch that controls the light in our bathroom also controls the only power outlet in the bathroom. I want to make it so the outlet is always on.
The switch has two wires coming off it and the outlet has two wires and a copper ground wire.
where do I go from here?
thanks for any advice.
Go to the attic (or basement)and find out where the wires are connected. If you're lucky, there will be a junction box there. You can't do anything at that switch box. Check the wiring at the light fixture, your main junction will either be there or at the receptacle (if not in the attic or basement).
Call an electrician. He'll charge you a service call, but there are almost no excuses to charge you any more than standard charge. No materials, no inspections, etc. Shouldn't take a pro an hour.
Tom in KY, Spend a few bucks, get a pro. Live to see another day.
"There must be at least one outlet in each bathroom, adjacent to the sink, in addition to any outlet that may be incorporated in the light fixture. All such outlets *must* be GFCI-protected. "The NEC says that switches may not be installed inside bathtubs or showers. The CEC says that switches may not be installed "within reach" of bathtubs or showers (consult an inspector if you can't make it at least four feet)." so it says at :
like in our yellow bathroom, if the switch and the outlet are in the same small single sized box, get some plastic wiremold parts including a deep surface mounted double box and adapter to your single and put a gfi side by side with the light switch. choose the lighted handle modern rocker switch easily found in the dark.
this project may also involve an electrician or maybe a nice new lighted medicine cabinet. it requires a gfi which is better than what you presently are describing, and gfi's hook right up to those two outlet wires just fine even if there was a bad ground. so at least put a gfi in to replace the outlet.
at a different house we installed new flourescent lights with the gfi and now there are 2 lights for shaving and a switched outlet and an unswitched one. when you get done plugging in all the rechargable shavers and trimmers and hair dryers you'll want a power strip in the bathroom.
There are a lot a variables that could be going on here. Trying to explain all of them is not something easily done in a newsgroup. From your question I have to guess that you don't have the knowledge to safely do this job. I suggest the pro.
BTW it sounds like the bath is not not up to current code and may have other issues that would make working on it more difficult and dangerous for someone without knowledge and experience. Hopefully the pro can bring it up to code with minimal cost to you.
I agree to hire a pro if you are not literate with wiring, or at least find someone that has electrical knowkledge.
However, it's often easier to just add another outlet and leave the old one alone. Especially if the bath is on the ground floor, it's usually easier to just fish a new line up there.
I do understand your frustration. Years ago I lived in a rental once that had that switched outlet and the landlord was like totally paranoid about anything electrical, so he would not let me change it or add another outlet, even though I was working for a construction company at that time, and doing wiring on the job. That switched outlet really irritated me. I finally made up a heavy 12-3 cord with an outlet box on the end and ran it down to the basement next to the pipes under the sink and plugged it into a basement outlet.He couldnt say anything about this because it was an extension cord. When I moved, I took it with me.
I had a similar situation. I bypassed the switch (making the outlet always live), then installed an X10 switch for the light (wall-mounted RF control over the old switch box.
[snip]
If the switch only has two wires coming off it, then the light and the outlet cannot easily be separated. It would require running a new line to the outlet; either from the switch or from somewhere else.
Depending on circumstances that might take an electrician an hour or it might take 4 hours; no way to tell from here. The person who suggested an X10 at the the light was probably recommending the cheapest solution, but putting a new line in will be better in the long run.
Install a NEW outlet GFCI it, and ignore or remobve the old outlet.
As ar as the hire electrician, buy a GOOD BOOK, get a knowledgable friend to help and learn something! Take a class on wiring!
If we never tried something new we would all still be in diapers:( and our moms would be breast feeding us.
Learning to drive a car is hazardous, but has rewards. so is wiring.
Probably. X10 devices can be unreliable, and need a lot of attention.
Leave the switch always on.
Replace the bulb with a bulb plus chain-pull switch.
Call an electrician. The bathroom isn't one of the safer places to start 'learning' about eletrical wiring. If you screw up a wall outlet in the living room that's one thing. But if you screw it up in a place where people are likely to be wet you risk killing someone.
That said, if you can find where the wiring goes to/from the outlet and the switch you might be able to easily re-route it. If this is a bathroom that's got attic space above it you'd most likely find it up there.
From that description is sounds like there's a junction box somewhere else that's got the 'rest of' the wires needed to complete this circuit. Find that junction box and instead of pulling the hot lead for the outlet through the switch you'd feed it directly. Might be a simple change. But without a lot more information it's just guesswork.
Do yourself a favor, ask your neighbors to recommend a decent electrician and get an estimate. You might find it's cheap enough to let a professional do it and avoid any unnecessary risks.
If you do decide to tackle this yourself be sure to replace that regular outlet with a GFCI.
Ooh those NEC folks are always thinking!
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