How to Wire a Switch Outlet Combo with Power
Constantly Supplied to the Outlet
By Mark J. Donovan
Question: I have a switch
outlet combo circuit that I am trying to wire. More specifically, I am trying to
wire the switch outlet combo circuit so that the switch controls an overhead
light and the outlet is powered on at all times. The switch outlet has two black
screws, one silver screw, one brass screw, and one green screw attached to it.
The instructions in the switch outlet combo package are inadequate and I have
been trying for days to figure out how to wire this circuit. Can you offer any
help?
Answer: I agree with you, the
information provided with most switch/outlet combo circuits is brief at best.
Described below are the steps for wiring a switch outlet combo circuit, such
that an overhead light is controlled by the switch, and the outlet is always
powered.
Warning:Before wiring a
switch outlet combo circuit, make sure you first turn power off to the
electrical box at the main circuit breaker panel. In addition, make sure to test
and verify that the switch/outlet electrical box is indeed powered off before
wiring the switch outlet combo circuit. You can use a simple circuit tester to
do this.
First, to power the outlet at all
times you need to break the tab that connects the two black screws together.
Then feed power (black wire from the Line Romex cable) into the brass screw that
is next to the switch.
In addition, also feed power to the black screw that sits adjacent to the
outlet. You might want to create a pigtail from the original power feed to
connect to this black screw.
Next, the black screw that sits across from the brass screw, and near the
switch, is the line feed terminal to the light. Connect the black wire from the
Romex cable associated with the light circuit to this black screw.
Now, tie/twist all of the white wires together with the addition of a pig tail
that is approximately 5" in length. Use a wire nut to tie them all together. You
will probably need a large wire nut to do this.
Photos by Mark Donovan
Next, attach the white wire pigtail to the silver screw. This is basically tying
all of the returns together and connecting them to the silver screw, which is
the return screw.
Finally, twist all of the grounds (bare copper wires) together using a greeny
wire nut. Note that one of the wires should poke out the end of the greeny. Take
this one wire and attach it to the green screw on the switch/outlet combo.
Attach the wired switch outlet combo circuit to the electrical box, put the face
plate cover on, and turn power back on at the main circuit breaker panel.
That should do it. You’re switch outlet combo circuit should be able to control
the overhead light, and the outlet should always have power to it.
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