Switched Outlets not Working Correctly

handnhammer · Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 60 Location: Ann Arbor, MI

I friend of mine is redoing his finished basement because of a mold problem. He did stellar wok with the mold mitigation, but is having problems with the re-wiring the electrical.

The electrical is wired exactly the same as the original but is all new. He was very meticulous with diagraming the wires because he isn't electrically savvy. The wiring is all on one circuit breaker and contains 2 wall sconces and 6 outlets. The top of each outlet and the sconces are controlled by a single switch.

This is the problem: when he turned on the breaker everything is hot, regardless of wall switch position...both halves of the outlets and both sconces.

What's the problem?

webmaster · Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 2:20 pm Post subject: Break the hot tabs on the outlets

Check to make sure the hot tabs are broken on the side of the new outlets.

When you have switchable outlets you are essentially wiring two separate circuits...one that's hot all the time and one that's controlled by the switch. If you leave the tab in place you join the circuits and constant power is live to everything on the both...regardless of switch position.

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