Have a outlet in a bedroom where one side is live all the time, the other side is switched from the wall. The original outlet went bad, when I removed it I wired it the same way it came off. 2 wires on the top the 1 white wire on the bottom(white). Problem now is that the both sides of the outlet are now live all the time, the switch on the wall has no effect. Did I do something wrong? or is there a special outlet I need to use for this type of installation?
outlet question
Dec 20, 2004
6 Replies
on the brass screw side(hot side, should be black wire) you need to break off the tab that connects the two screws together.
Take the outlet back out and "break-off" the brass tab on the side.
You will then have what you re looking for.
DonLanger posted for all of us....
Look at the old outlet. The tab between the two screws on the side with two wires should be removed; isolates the hots. This "SHOULD" be the side with the black wires/brass colored screws. Do not so this on the other tab.
Sites on the web *if you do the research* show this visually.
I just wired it up...works great...Dauuuu...seems so obvious now. Thanks for all the help.
Very simple wiring diagram images. One is a split receptacle.
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hth,
tom
Split receptacle wiring requires removal of the metal break-off tab located on the side of the housing in the middle. Twist it off using a pair of pliers. There are actually two tabs, one hot and the other neutral, so examine the original receptacle to see how to configure your new receptacle.
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