Bathroom fixture connecting spare room switch?
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Bathroom fixture connecting spare room switch?
We recently purchased a house built in 1963, and can't tell you how much fun we're having.
Anyway, we have a bathroom fixture with a single receptacle in it. We disconnect the receptacle and wired a GFI switch to the box. There is a three-wire cable running into the box: white, black and red - the black and red are both hot. This cable runs to the wall switch in the adjoining room and powers the receptacle in that room. Both are on the same fuse.
When I tried to rewire the new fixture in the bathroom, I somehow disconnected power to the wall switch in the adjoining room. What do I do with the red wire if the black is hot, and what do I do to reconnect power to the switch? Thanks for any help.
Anyway, we have a bathroom fixture with a single receptacle in it. We disconnect the receptacle and wired a GFI switch to the box. There is a three-wire cable running into the box: white, black and red - the black and red are both hot. This cable runs to the wall switch in the adjoining room and powers the receptacle in that room. Both are on the same fuse.
When I tried to rewire the new fixture in the bathroom, I somehow disconnected power to the wall switch in the adjoining room. What do I do with the red wire if the black is hot, and what do I do to reconnect power to the switch? Thanks for any help.
Last edited by SandFilUp; 02-20-05 at 11:23 AM. Reason: clarification
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You need to tell us the wiring in all the boxes, lightes and receptacles. We need to know how the wires are connected (to each other, to the switch or rceptacle or to each other).
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Bathroom fixture connecting spare room switch?
Sorry to take so long to reply. The switch in the adjoining room has the black, red and white running into the box. The red wire is connected to the upper screw on the switch and the black to the lower, then the black is pigtailed to the outgoing black, the incoming white is just pigtailed together with the outgoing white. The cable runs to the bathroom light junction box, with the red, white, black and ground. In the box there is also the incoming cable from the bathroom light switch (black, white and ground) and the outgoing two wire cable, as well as the GFI switch I installed (again black white and ground) and the bathroom light.
I hope this is enough info and someone can give me advice how to sort these out so that everything works.
Thanks.
I hope this is enough info and someone can give me advice how to sort these out so that everything works.
Thanks.
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I think you need to try again.
The following statement from your original post is incorrect.
"There is a three-wire cable running into the box: white, black and red - the black and red are both hot. This cable runs to the wall switch in the adjoining room and powers the receptacle in that room."
If the red and black wires are both hot then they do not power the receptacle in the adjoining room.
Try again to determine how power enters your bathroom receptacle.
Tell me every wire and device in all of the boxes. This means the bedroom receptacle, the bedroom switch, the bathroom receptacle, the bathroom switch and the bathroom light. You have not given me a complete picture yet.
The following statement from your original post is incorrect.
"There is a three-wire cable running into the box: white, black and red - the black and red are both hot. This cable runs to the wall switch in the adjoining room and powers the receptacle in that room."
If the red and black wires are both hot then they do not power the receptacle in the adjoining room.
Try again to determine how power enters your bathroom receptacle.
Tell me every wire and device in all of the boxes. This means the bedroom receptacle, the bedroom switch, the bathroom receptacle, the bathroom switch and the bathroom light. You have not given me a complete picture yet.
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Bathroom fixture connecting spare room switch?
You are correct, my original post was wrong. The black and red wires are not both hot, the black is hot, the red only shows hot when the switch in the bedroom is on. Before I took apart the bathroom light and disconnected this red wire, I am certain the switch in the bedroom controlled the wall receptacle in that room, that backs onto the bathroom wall. The receptacle is wired with only a black, white and ground. The black goes to the top screw, white to the bottom, and ground runs to the ground screw on the box, then to the screw on the left side of the receptacle opposite the white, then to the ground screw on the receptacle. Otherwise everything in post #3 is OK;
("The switch in the adjoining room has the black, red and white running into the box. The red wire is connected to the upper screw on the switch and the black to the lower, then the black is pigtailed to the outgoing black, the incoming white is just pigtailed together with the outgoing white. The cable runs to the bathroom light junction box, with the red, white, black and ground. In the box there is also the cable from the bathroom light switch (black, white and ground) and the outgoing two wire cable, as well as the GFI switch I installed (again black white and ground) and the bathroom light.")
The only power source for the bathroom is from the cable that comes from the bedroom switch.
Thanks again.
("The switch in the adjoining room has the black, red and white running into the box. The red wire is connected to the upper screw on the switch and the black to the lower, then the black is pigtailed to the outgoing black, the incoming white is just pigtailed together with the outgoing white. The cable runs to the bathroom light junction box, with the red, white, black and ground. In the box there is also the cable from the bathroom light switch (black, white and ground) and the outgoing two wire cable, as well as the GFI switch I installed (again black white and ground) and the bathroom light.")
The only power source for the bathroom is from the cable that comes from the bedroom switch.
Thanks again.
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Wow, you have a mess.
My immediate concern is the wiring for the receptacle that no longer works. If I read your post properly, you have a serious problem that needs to be corrected immediately. Please verify the wiring at the receptacle and repost. make sure to include information about the tabs between the screw terminals (whether they are broken or intact). Use the terms gold screws, silver screws, ground screw to describe the terminals on the receptacle. Use top and bottom to differentiate between the two screws on each side of the receptacle.
I also want information about ALL the wires in each box. How many cables? How many wires and how are they connected. I still don;t know how many cables in each box.
ASlso, what do you mean by GFCI switch? Do you mean a GFCI receptacle? Or do you mean a device that has a single GFCI receptacle and a switch? if a real switch, then what is the switch for?
My immediate concern is the wiring for the receptacle that no longer works. If I read your post properly, you have a serious problem that needs to be corrected immediately. Please verify the wiring at the receptacle and repost. make sure to include information about the tabs between the screw terminals (whether they are broken or intact). Use the terms gold screws, silver screws, ground screw to describe the terminals on the receptacle. Use top and bottom to differentiate between the two screws on each side of the receptacle.
I also want information about ALL the wires in each box. How many cables? How many wires and how are they connected. I still don;t know how many cables in each box.
ASlso, what do you mean by GFCI switch? Do you mean a GFCI receptacle? Or do you mean a device that has a single GFCI receptacle and a switch? if a real switch, then what is the switch for?
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"We have a bath-room fixture with a single receptacle in it"-----
Your statement implies that there is a liting-fixture on the bath-room wall that includes a receptacle-outlet on the fixture in addition to the fixture lamp-holders.
Your statement implies that there is a liting-fixture on the bath-room wall that includes a receptacle-outlet on the fixture in addition to the fixture lamp-holders.
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Bathroom fixture connecting spare room switch?
Here are the details you asked for:
Bathroom light box has four cables running into it. The upper left cable entering the box has three wires, red, white, black and ground, this goes to the bedroom light switch. Upper right cable has two wires, white and black plus ground, this goes to the bathroom light switch where it ends. Lower left cable entering the box has two wires, black, white and ground, this goes to the GFCI receptacle where it ends (sorry, I used the wrong term in my last post, no switch, just a receptacle). Lower right cable in the box also has two wires, black, white and ground and I'm pretty sure this one goes to the bedroom receptacle where it ends. The only wire that shows hot in this box when the power is turned on is the black wire on the three wire cable, the red wire in the same cable only shows hot when the bedroom light switch is turned on.
The bedroom receptacle has only the two wire cable entering the box, black, white and ground, the black is attached to the top gold screw and the white wire to the bottom gold screw, the tab between them has been broken. On the left side there are two silver screws and the ground wire is attached to the box, then to the bottom silver screw and then to the ground screw on the receptacle.
The bedroom switch box has two cables running into it. The cable coming in the top of the box is the three wire, red, white and black plus ground and the cable at the bottom of the box is two wire, black, white and ground. The red wire of the three wire cable is attached to the top screw on the switch and the black is attached to the bottom screw, then the black continues and is pigtailed to the black of the two wire cable. The white wires from both cables are just pigtailed together aand the ground wires are pigtailed together and attached to the ground screw on the box.
I hope you can make sense of this...its getting harder to shave in the dark.
Thanks.
Bathroom light box has four cables running into it. The upper left cable entering the box has three wires, red, white, black and ground, this goes to the bedroom light switch. Upper right cable has two wires, white and black plus ground, this goes to the bathroom light switch where it ends. Lower left cable entering the box has two wires, black, white and ground, this goes to the GFCI receptacle where it ends (sorry, I used the wrong term in my last post, no switch, just a receptacle). Lower right cable in the box also has two wires, black, white and ground and I'm pretty sure this one goes to the bedroom receptacle where it ends. The only wire that shows hot in this box when the power is turned on is the black wire on the three wire cable, the red wire in the same cable only shows hot when the bedroom light switch is turned on.
The bedroom receptacle has only the two wire cable entering the box, black, white and ground, the black is attached to the top gold screw and the white wire to the bottom gold screw, the tab between them has been broken. On the left side there are two silver screws and the ground wire is attached to the box, then to the bottom silver screw and then to the ground screw on the receptacle.
The bedroom switch box has two cables running into it. The cable coming in the top of the box is the three wire, red, white and black plus ground and the cable at the bottom of the box is two wire, black, white and ground. The red wire of the three wire cable is attached to the top screw on the switch and the black is attached to the bottom screw, then the black continues and is pigtailed to the black of the two wire cable. The white wires from both cables are just pigtailed together aand the ground wires are pigtailed together and attached to the ground screw on the box.
I hope you can make sense of this...its getting harder to shave in the dark.
Thanks.
Last edited by SandFilUp; 02-25-05 at 07:29 AM. Reason: more information
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I will sort this out later when I have more time. However, in the mean time I have a comment.
The receptacle in the bedroom is wired wrong. It represent a serious life hazard. Someone wanted to make the receptacle half switched and half always hot, and did so by using the ground wire as the return. This is extremely unsafe. This MUST be corrected. Plan on buying a new receptacle and replacing that one, as it will be easier to replace it than to wire pigtails to replace the broken off tab. We cannot make this receptacle half switched and half always on with the wiring as it is. If you wanted to replace a wire we could do something.
The receptacle in the bedroom is wired wrong. It represent a serious life hazard. Someone wanted to make the receptacle half switched and half always hot, and did so by using the ground wire as the return. This is extremely unsafe. This MUST be corrected. Plan on buying a new receptacle and replacing that one, as it will be easier to replace it than to wire pigtails to replace the broken off tab. We cannot make this receptacle half switched and half always on with the wiring as it is. If you wanted to replace a wire we could do something.
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At the bedroom receptacle, dis-connect the bare EGC and the White conductor from the receptacle terminals.
Connect the White wire to the receptacle terminal opposite the terminal to which the Black wire connects.
Connect the White wire of the 3-wire cable from the bedrom switch to the White wire of the 2-wire cable to the bedroom receptacle.
Connect the Red wire of the 3-wire cable from the bedroom switch to the Black wire of the 2-wire cable to the bedroom receptacle.
Plug a lamp into the bedroom receptacle and operate the bedroom switch--- the lamp should be On/Off with the switch-operation.
IF this connection tests correctly, then connect the Black wire of the 3-wire cable from the bedroom switch to the Black wire of the 2-wire cable to the GFI receptacle.
Connect the White wire of the 2-wire cable to the GFI receptacle to the two White wires already connected together-- there should be 120 volts across the terminals of the GFI receptacle.
IF this 2nd connection tests correctly, then connect the WHITE wire of the 2-wire cable from the bathroom switch to the two Black wires already connected.
Connect one lead of test-lamp socket to the three White wires already connected, and the other lead to the BLACK wire of the 2-wire cable to the bathroom switch-- the bathroom switch should switch the lamp On/Off
IF this step tests correctly, then you have a choice- leave the bedroom receptacle switch-controlled, or dis-connect the switch,and connect the Red wire to the two Black wires for constant voltage at the bedroom receptacle.
Re-connect the bare EGC to the Green Grounding terminal of the bedroom receptacle.
Good Luck & Enjoy the Experience!!!!!!!!!
Connect the White wire to the receptacle terminal opposite the terminal to which the Black wire connects.
Connect the White wire of the 3-wire cable from the bedrom switch to the White wire of the 2-wire cable to the bedroom receptacle.
Connect the Red wire of the 3-wire cable from the bedroom switch to the Black wire of the 2-wire cable to the bedroom receptacle.
Plug a lamp into the bedroom receptacle and operate the bedroom switch--- the lamp should be On/Off with the switch-operation.
IF this connection tests correctly, then connect the Black wire of the 3-wire cable from the bedroom switch to the Black wire of the 2-wire cable to the GFI receptacle.
Connect the White wire of the 2-wire cable to the GFI receptacle to the two White wires already connected together-- there should be 120 volts across the terminals of the GFI receptacle.
IF this 2nd connection tests correctly, then connect the WHITE wire of the 2-wire cable from the bathroom switch to the two Black wires already connected.
Connect one lead of test-lamp socket to the three White wires already connected, and the other lead to the BLACK wire of the 2-wire cable to the bathroom switch-- the bathroom switch should switch the lamp On/Off
IF this step tests correctly, then you have a choice- leave the bedroom receptacle switch-controlled, or dis-connect the switch,and connect the Red wire to the two Black wires for constant voltage at the bedroom receptacle.
Re-connect the bare EGC to the Green Grounding terminal of the bedroom receptacle.
Good Luck & Enjoy the Experience!!!!!!!!!
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Pat got to it before I could.
One point. With his directions and the existing bedroom receptacle, only half the reeptacle will work. The other half won't work. Use a new receptacle or use a wire nut and two pigtails so that both gold screws can be connected to the incoming black wire.
One point. With his directions and the existing bedroom receptacle, only half the reeptacle will work. The other half won't work. Use a new receptacle or use a wire nut and two pigtails so that both gold screws can be connected to the incoming black wire.
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Bathroom fixture connecting spare room switch?
You guys are great! So far so good, however, with your instructions I'm left with the one black wire of the 2 wire cable from the bathroom switch. Where do I connect it to?...to the other 2 black wires already connected?
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The black wire from/to the bathroom switch is the wire that gets connected to the bathroom light black wire. It should be hot when the bathroom switch is on, and not hot when the bathroom switch is off. The bathroom light white wire gets connected to the white wires from the bedroom switch, the bedroom receptacle and the bathroom receptacle (use a large wire nut).
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Bathroom fixture connecting spare room switch?
You are right again...sorry, I wasn't thinking. Everything works perfectly...you guys are literally a life saver!! Thanks soooo much for all your help. I know where to come for future help!
Sandfilup.
Sandfilup.
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Those of us that provide are glad to do so. It helps us too!
I do hope that you fixed the bedroom receptacle. How it was wired was extremely dangerous and did represent a real life safety hazard!
I do hope that you fixed the bedroom receptacle. How it was wired was extremely dangerous and did represent a real life safety hazard!
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Bathroom fixture connecting spare room switch?
I did replace the bedroom receptacle with a new one and left it controlled by the switch. It just makes me wonder how many other receptacles in the house are wired wrong, I'm going to check each one of them, they are all original with the house as far as I can see, which makes them all over 40 years old.
Next on the agenda..the range hood, but thats another story.
Thanks.
Next on the agenda..the range hood, but thats another story.
Thanks.