Adding an outlet question

[Rick B.]

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I have this switch box in my garage that turns on an outside light over the door. There is also another switch inside the house wire in to also turn on the same light.

My intent is to install an outside outlet on the directly behind the pictured switch in the garage and power it with the same switch. Which wires would I use to connect the outside box?

Yes, I plan to change the switch!

 

[Jkcolo22]

View media item 97344


I have this switch box in my garage that turns on an outside light over the door. There is also another switch inside the house wire in to also turn on the same light.



My intent is to install an outside outlet on the directly behind the pictured switch in the garage and power it with the same switch. Which wires would I use to connect the outside box?



Yes, I plan to change the switch!

You will have to test to find out which wire is still hot when the switch is off. Probably one of the black wires, but possible it’s the red. You also need to pigtail into the white neutral wires and the ground wire.


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[checkthisout]

View media item 97344
I have this switch box in my garage that turns on an outside light over the door. There is also another switch inside the house wire in to also turn on the same light.

My intent is to install an outside outlet on the directly behind the pictured switch in the garage and power it with the same switch. Which wires would I use to connect the outside box?

Yes, I plan to change the switch!

The wire with 2 cables coming out of it is either incoming power (always hot) or it feeds power out to the light.

Put a test light between white wires and black wire (#1 in your photo) and see if it's always hot or turns on and off with either switch.

Report back.

 

[dledinger]

Can’t tell what you have by looking at the picture, as it could be the switch on either end of the circuit.

One of your two 3 way switches will have a constant hot connected to the common terminal, the other will have a switched hot going to the light(s).

If the common terminal stays hot when you move the switch, you’re at the right end and have found the right wire.

 

[Rick B.]

I figured it out. #4 red wire is constant hot. #1 black wire goes hot when the garage switch is activated and #3 black wire goes hot when the house switch is turned on.

So since I don't need constant power to the outlet I'll just use the #1 black, the white and the ground to the outlet. Piece of cake. Thanks.