Adding an outlet from a switch

[garagelogician]

I'm an electrical noob, but willing to learn. My garage is fully insulated and sheetrocked, and it only has two electrical outlets (one of which is on the ceiling for the garage door opener). There is also a light switch high up on the wall (near the garage doors) which controls an exterior light.

My ultimate plan is to install a 100 amp subpanel out in the garage and build out the circuits I need with EMT. I would like to avoid cutting into the drywall, and I like the industrial look of EMT. In the meantime though, I need to install two outlets on the wall where the drive-in garage doors are located so that I can install jackshaft openers. These are not high load, so I'm assuming the existing 15 amp circuit will be sufficient.

Now to my main question. Can I install an extension box (not sure if that is the right term) to the existing light switch location, and wire in two outlets off that switch? Is it possible to wire it in such a way that the outlets would have constant power, or would it have to be switched?

 

[BigGarage]

Now to my main question. Can I install an extension box (not sure if that is the right term) to the existing light switch location, and wire in two outlets off that switch? Is it possible to wire it in such a way that the outlets would have constant power, or would it have to be switched?

I don't see any reason why you cannot wire the 2 outlets to the wires that go to the switch (before the switch) and then wire the switch after the outlets (wirewise). The outlets would always have power this way and the switch would still control your light.

Experts may tell you something else. I am not an expert.

Dennis

 

[Sunosauno]

I don't see any reason why you cannot wire the 2 outlets to the wires that go to the switch (before the switch) and then wire the switch after the outlets (wirewise). The outlets would always have power this way and the switch would still control your light.

Experts may tell you something else. I am not an expert.

Dennis

+1

 

[exranger06]

It depends on how the switch is wired. If there is a neutral wire present in the switch box, then yes, you can do this. Some switch boxes don't have a neutral though. Sometimes the power feed for the light goes to the light fixture first, and then a "switch loop" is run to the switch. That's where you run a 2-conductor cable (black and white wire, plus a bare ground) from the fixture to the switch. You use the white wire (which is usually used as a neutral) as the constant hot wire, and the black wire as the switched hot wire back to the light fixture.

If the power feed is ran to the switch first, you'd have a neutral in the switch box. The feed's hot wire would connect to the switch, you'd still have a 2-conductor cable going to the light fixture, but this time the white wire would actually be a neutral, wire-nutted to the feed's neutral. The black wire would be the switched hot connected to the other side of the switch. In that case, you'd just run another 2-conductor cable from the switch box to the outlet(s), wire-nut the neutral to the other neutrals, disconnect the constant hot wire from the switch, make a pigtail and connect it to the switch, and wire-nut all three of those wires together. The outlets would alwaysbe hot, not switched.

If you have a switch loop, you'd have to run wire to the light fixture instead.

 

[BD1]

you can replace switch with a outlet/switch and use as is. If you need more outlets get a short threeway.

 

[redidbull]

you can replace switch with a outlet/switch and use as is. If you need more outlets get a short threeway.

Not unless the neutral is in the box as stated above. Jim

 

[BigGarage]

It depends on how the switch is wired. If there is a neutral wire present in the switch box, then yes, you can do this. Some switch boxes don't have a neutral though. Sometimes the power feed for the light goes to the light fixture first, and then a "switch loop" is run to the switch.

If you have a switch loop, you'd have to run wire to the light fixture instead.

Doh, I didn't even think of this.

Dennis

 

[tonyciambrone]

I think you could use one of these- https://www.platt.com/platt-electri...ions/Hubbell-Raco/187/product.aspx?zpid=52108

Where you already have a single gang outlet flush to the drywall. You make pigtails coming off the hot and neutral that feed the outlet, and install the new outlet(s) with an exposed work cover, and shoot 1/2" conduit out the side, surface mount a new 4" box where you need the jackshaft openers to plug in. And it won't even look out of place considering you will be running EMT exposed in the future.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than I will review if that's acceptable...

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Need to remove the switch from the j box and see what wires you have in it already.

Theres another thread on this same topic on here.

 

[exranger06]

Also, I forgot to ask, is this switch the only switch that controls this light fixture? Or do you have 2 or more switches controlling the same fixture?

 

[exranger06]

I think you could use one of these- https://www.platt.com/platt-electri...ions/Hubbell-Raco/187/product.aspx?zpid=52108

Where you already have a single gang outlet flush to the drywall. You make pigtails coming off the hot and neutral that feed the outlet, and install the new outlet(s) with an exposed work cover, and shoot 1/2" conduit out the side, surface mount a new 4" box where you need the jackshaft openers to plug in. And it won't even look out of place considering you will be running EMT exposed in the future.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than I will review if that's acceptable...

He's trying to feed the new outlets off of an existing SWITCH, not an existing outlet. Using that extension ring and installing as you described would work very well IF and ONLY IF there's a neutral wire present in the switch box. As I said in my first post, there might not be a neutral there.

 

[ptgarcia]

Why not extend the existing circuit setup for the existing garage door opener?

 

[rburke65]

You will need to hav3 a hot and a neutral in the existing box.

 

[BD1]

He's trying to feed the new outlets off of an existing SWITCH, not an existing outlet. Using that extension ring and installing as you described would work very well IF and ONLY IF there's a neutral wire present in the switch box. As I said in my first post, there might not be a neutral there.

If that switch is controlling a light , I would think the neutral would follow the switch wires to that light.

 

[exranger06]

If that switch is controlling a light , I would think the neutral would follow the switch wires to that light.

Read my first post again. It's POSSIBLE that the feed for the light goes to the light fixture first. The feed consists of a neutral and a constant hot wire. The neutral doesn't connect to any switch, so it would simply connect directly to the light fixture. You would only need to run the (constant) hot leg down to the switch, and a switched hot leg from the switch back up to the light fixture. This can be accomplished by running a 2-conductor Romex cable from the light fixture to the switch:
At the light fixture, you take the feed's (constant hot) black wire and wire-nut it to the WHITE wire on the switch's cable. You take the black wire on that cable and connect it to the light fixture. At the switch box, you simply connect the white wire to one side of the switch, and the black wire to the other side. The white wire, in this case, is not being used as a neutral, but rather the constant hot wire. Then the black wire is the switched leg that connects to the other side of the switch and goes back and connects to the fixture. In that situation, there is NO neutral wire present in the switch box. This is called a "switch loop." IF the OP's light is wired this way, then he cannot feed any outlets from the switch box. The outlets would have to be fed from the fixture's box instead, since that's the only place where there is a constant hot AND a neutral present in the same box.

Now, IF the feed for the light goes into the switch box first, THEN he can feed outlets from here. In that case, the feed's black wire would connect directly to the switch. You would once again run a 2-conductor Romex cable from the switch to the fixture. Except this time the white wire is actually being used for a neutral, and the black wire is the switched hot leg. In the switch box, the feed's neutral just gets wire-nutted to the white wire going to the fixture. The black wire going to the fixture connects to the other side of the switch. At the fixture, you simply connect the neutral and switched hot to the fixture.

This is all assuming that the fixture is only controlled by this one switch. If it's controlled by 2 or more switches, then that adds some more complication and the outlets MIGHT need to be fed from the other switch, wherever that may be. OP needs to open up the switch box and see how many wires are in there and what they're connected to, to see if it's possible to feed outlets from there.

 

[exranger06]

Do you see a neutral wire anywhere in this switch box?

 

[BD1]

I see your picture. I never saw it done that way. I always found power is at the switch and neutral runs with it.
All he needs to do is expose wires. I'm sure he's confused by this.


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[CJ7VFR]

I see your picture. I never saw it done that way. I always found power is at the switch and neutral runs with it.
All he needs to do is expose wires. I'm sure he's confused by this.


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The switch loops were done everywhere years ago. It helped save on the amount of wire you had to run, or if you had the power coming into the fixture first.

I do not believe they are allowed anymore unless there is an easy way to add an actual neutral wire to the switch box, which is now required by code.

Adding a switch to a light fixture via a switch loop was a great way to be able to put the switch pretty much where ever you wanted it.

Jim

 

[garagelogician]

Looks like neutral hot and ground all come into the box and then go out of the box. House was built in 1999 if that makes any difference to you.

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[tonyciambrone]

He's trying to feed the new outlets off of an existing SWITCH, not an existing outlet. Using that extension ring and installing as you described would work very well IF and ONLY IF there's a neutral wire present in the switch box. As I said in my first post, there might not be a neutral there.

I understand that... My point was more of if there isn't a neutral in the switch box, He could just do the same thing from the previously mentioned existing outlet in the ceiling, and run conduit from there, since it's all going to be exposed work anyways.

Looks like from the picture there is a neutral in the switch box, so he can have his pick where he puts the extension ring and conduit for the new receptacle.

 

[BigGarage]

Looks like neutral hot and ground all come into the box and then go out of the box. House was built in 1999 if that makes any difference to you.

It does not make any difference to me in any way at all but if you cannot figure it out with the replies in this thread then you should call an electrician.

Dennis