my garbage disposer is plugged into a switched outlet. i have a hot water dispenser that needs constant power from same outlet, how do i make half the outlet constant power?
- posted
16 years ago
switched outlet
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- posted
16 years ago
two circuits.
The outlet has a little brass tab between the two screws on either side. Break off the tab and now each outlet is powered individually.
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- posted
16 years ago
Most likely the outlet is fed from a switch. If so, it cannot supply constant power without replacing the cable between the switch and the outlet with a 3 wire + ground cable.
If the outlet is powered and then controlled by a switch, you will have to do more than just break off the brass tab. If you don't know how, I suggest finding a good book that shows a number of wiring diagrams as it is just too complicated to describe in words alone.
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- posted
16 years ago
Hmmm, Poor advice. Breaking a tab does not bypass switch.
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- posted
16 years ago
What about that 2 circuit part?
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- posted
16 years ago
Odds are there is a white and black wire between the switch and the outlet. Since the black is switched, there is no way to power the heater all the time. You must either add a second cable, or replace the existing cable with a cable that has red, black, and white. Either way, you then split the outlet. Splitting it without adding the new cable will just stop it from working at all.
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- posted
16 years ago
What he said.
Turn the power off and open the receptacle and check. The most likely situation is only one black and one white wire at the receptacle.
If you have something else then maybe.
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- posted
16 years ago
One additional item to add to the already accurate information that you've received thus far. These units are usually at least 700 watts. You need to be sure the feed you want to connect it to has the capacity to power this device in addition to anything else already connected to it
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- posted
16 years ago
i personally pre wire for a insty heat with the sw off plug the disposal into the other opening if it turns on then thereis nothing to do but plug in the heater. other than that id just be repeating advice alredy given to you.. good luck