Home Automation - Re-wiring an old electrical outlet
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03-11-00, 01:29 PM
Greetings. I'm in an older home, circa 1920 and recently we tried to put in a ceramic outlet cover plate in the bathroom, which has ceramic tile on the walls about 2/5 of the way up.
When installing the outlet cover plate, we cracked or broke the actual electric outlet (one switch and one plug). My boyfriend then tried to install a new electric outlet. The outlet contains a plug and a light switch for the bathroom. If we turned on the bathroom light after installation, other lights would flicker and/or go out.
Any suggestions? He tried wiring it several ways and a friend came over with a piece of electrical test equipment, and he couldn't figure it out either.
Ideas and advice are welcome.
Thanks,
tecruiter
When installing the outlet cover plate, we cracked or broke the actual electric outlet (one switch and one plug). My boyfriend then tried to install a new electric outlet. The outlet contains a plug and a light switch for the bathroom. If we turned on the bathroom light after installation, other lights would flicker and/or go out.
Any suggestions? He tried wiring it several ways and a friend came over with a piece of electrical test equipment, and he couldn't figure it out either.
Ideas and advice are welcome.
Thanks,
tecruiter
03-11-00, 09:26 PM
hello tecruiter,
whin u r not familure on wireing and trying to replace a device u shuld only remove 1 wire at a time and place it on new device in proper location.
whin u have a switch and outlet combo u will have at least 3 wires to deal with. im assuming that the outlet and switch r both on same circuit, and im also assuming that u r dealing with knob and tube wireing from the age of your house. if u have no idea how the wires were on the orgional device then u will have to do some testing to determin what wire goes where. the first thing u need to determin is which is the hot wire, easest way to do this is to go get a induction tester, this will eather light or make a noise on the hot wire, power needs 2 be on to do this, whin u locate the hot mark it in some way. next u need to determin switch leg and nutural this will be trial and error have some fuses on hand as if u get the nutural u will blow the fuse. with power off wirenut 1 of the other wires 2 the hot, turn power back on if light lights this is switch leg, if its the nutural it will blow fuse, b eather way mark it accordinly. now as 2 wireing the device; on the package that your device cam in it will have a diagram showing proper locations for wires. if u r dealing with more than 3 wires u might have 2 hot wires 1 for switch and 1 for outlet. test accordinly. good luck
whin u r not familure on wireing and trying to replace a device u shuld only remove 1 wire at a time and place it on new device in proper location.
whin u have a switch and outlet combo u will have at least 3 wires to deal with. im assuming that the outlet and switch r both on same circuit, and im also assuming that u r dealing with knob and tube wireing from the age of your house. if u have no idea how the wires were on the orgional device then u will have to do some testing to determin what wire goes where. the first thing u need to determin is which is the hot wire, easest way to do this is to go get a induction tester, this will eather light or make a noise on the hot wire, power needs 2 be on to do this, whin u locate the hot mark it in some way. next u need to determin switch leg and nutural this will be trial and error have some fuses on hand as if u get the nutural u will blow the fuse. with power off wirenut 1 of the other wires 2 the hot, turn power back on if light lights this is switch leg, if its the nutural it will blow fuse, b eather way mark it accordinly. now as 2 wireing the device; on the package that your device cam in it will have a diagram showing proper locations for wires. if u r dealing with more than 3 wires u might have 2 hot wires 1 for switch and 1 for outlet. test accordinly. good luck