Switch to outlet and switch

[Ramper]

I have a switch that controls just one light. I would like to switch it to a switch and an outlet. I have the unit, but I do not think it will work. The current switch just has two black wires and a grond coming from it. The new unit wants a black (hot?0 and a White (neutral?) to operate. There are white wires in the box wire nutted together.

I assume that this particular switch is just switching the hot leg (making a closed circuit), but I have way too little knowledge past that point.

Is this conversion possible?

 

[birdman1]

The 2 black wires on the switch means it is wired as a switch leg, only. You must supply a white, black and green(or bare) wire to the outlet for it to work properly.
Mike

 

[GreyOwl]

The current switch just has two black wires and a grond coming from it. The new unit wants a black (hot?0 and a White (neutral?) to operate. There are white wires in the box wire nutted together.

Are there 2 romex lines entering the box or just 1? If there are 2 you should have everything you need. If only 1 it is just a switch leg.
Charles

 

[Falcon67]

Assuming from the "white nutted" comment that there are two feeds in the box, and that you want an always hot outlet next to the switch - you'll have to figure out which black is power coming into the box. Once you get that spotted, move that black wire to one of the gold outlet screws and run another black wire from the second gold outlet screw to the switch. Leave the other black on the switch. Run a white from the silver outlet screw and nut it in with the other whites. Run a bare copper jumper from the switch and one from the outlet, then nut those together with the other bare copper in the box. Better - use pliers to twist the coppers together, then nut. Re-assemble and test.

Note - With the switch off, you can use meter probes - CAREFULLY - to measure between the switch black wires and the copper to find the incoming hot line. Then power down the circuit before doing anything else.

 

[ishiboo]

I have a switch that controls just one light. I would like to switch it to a switch and an outlet. I have the unit, but I do not think it will work. The current switch just has two black wires and a grond coming from it. The new unit wants a black (hot?0 and a White (neutral?) to operate. There are white wires in the box wire nutted together.

I assume that this particular switch is just switching the hot leg (making a closed circuit), but I have way too little knowledge past that point.

Is this conversion possible?

Your assumption is correct. You can't add an outlet there unless you get a neutral into the box as well.

 

[The Motts]

I have a switch that controls just one light. I would like to switch it to a switch and an outlet. I have the unit, but I do not think it will work. The current switch just has two black wires and a grond coming from it. The new unit wants a black (hot?0 and a White (neutral?) to operate. There are white wires in the box wire nutted together.

I assume that this particular switch is just switching the hot leg (making a closed circuit), but I have way too little knowledge past that point.

Is this conversion possible?

I'm assuming from your description that you are trying to install one of these:

Based on the fact that you say there are white wires spliced together in the box this is possible. You need to figure out which black wire is the constant hot. Falcon67 has described how to do that. Once you have determined that, turn the circuit off. The constant hot will go to one of the black screws on the above device. The other black wire will go to the brass colored screw. You'll need to splice a pigtail to the whites that are in the box. That wire will go to the silver colored screw. The ground will go to the green screw.

 

[smilezrcool]

I agree. If there are two sets of romex coming into the box and the whites are pigtailed together then yes you have the proper amount of wires. I would add a short white wire as a pigtail to the grounded side of the receptacle and connect it with the existing white wires and then you need to figure out which one of the black wires are the line and which one is the load. Since the type of switch you are wanting to use requires you to connect the line side black wire to the right side of the device. The configuration would be, line side black on right side of receptacle, load side black wire to light upper left side and short white pigtail lower left. That is if you use and position the receptacle as the picture in the above post.