MikeJ-2009

Alright, so I'm adding more recessed lights in the house and I came accross a couple things I need to clear up.


1) I'm using IC housings and I know they can come into contact with insulation, but one of mine is in contact with a flexable heating duct. The duct is insulated but the outer layer is like a .4 mil black plastic type material. I felt my other recessed IC housings that have been on for about 2 hours now and the outer housing is cold, but it's against an outside wall and it's 24 degrees out. I'm 95% sure that there isn't an issue, but I need to double check.

2) I'm running the romex from the 3 cans down the wall to an outlet that has one of the outlets controlled by a switch on the other side of the room. The top outlet is the one controlled by the switch. On the back there is one black and one white going to the regular outlet. The top outlet (switch controlled) has one black, and two whites. How do I make both of the outlets hot all the time and how should I connect the ?? wires so the cans are controlled by the switch?

hatchbox90

topic 1, your fine, just try to move the the duct over as much as you can, so its just not sitting on top of the can

topic 2, the plus is controlled by the switch.....but it only has 1 blakc in it? there is no red or anything? usually half hots (switched plugs) should have a red wire.

i got it now,

run your new romex down to your switched plug. go to home depot or lowes or somthing a nd get a new plug(have to to have your plug hot constantly)
now, the new romex that is for the cans, shove it in the same box as the plug, and wire nut the black2black, and the whites to the white that came from the switched part of the plug, shove them in the back of the box.

now your cans will work with that switch.

as for the plug being hot constaly, just plug in the wires that were not ran off the switch. now the plug will be hot constantly, and your cans will be off the switch. just consider the box where the plug is, a junction box for your cans.

the reason for getting a new plug: on the side of the plug there is a little metal clip, its broken, thats why the top is powered off the switch, and the bottom is constant. if the clip was there it would be sending power to the top portion of the plug

hope i didnt confuse you

MikeJ-2009

I bought a single pole dimmer and I just took the switch apart to find way more wires than it should. The switch is a
3way and there's another switch that controls that outlet in the kitchen.

So I have to buy a 3way switch, but what I'm trying to do is tag the lights into the wiring of the switches and leave both of the outlets hot all the time.

hatchbox90

you dont need to buy a new 3way switch, just buy a regualr 15 amp plug.

the top is switched off the 3way correct? sooo all you have to do is take out the single black, and the 2 whites and wire nut them together with the wires from the new romex you are pulling for your cans

the left over wires(the ones that are plugged intot he bottom of the plug) are constantly hot, so (this is where your new plug comes into play) just stab the white and black in and ground it and now the plug is constantly hot, and your cans are working off of the switch that used to control that top of the plug

get it?

do i need to ms paint it?

MikeJ-2009

Ok, I can dig on the plug, but the dimmer I bought has a black, white, green and the switch where I want to install the dimmer has (I forgot and just re-installed it) like 2 blacks a white or something like that.

The switch in the kitchen that I didn't even know also controlled that switch I'm ok with leaving that as an on/off. I just want the dimmer to replace the switch at the front door, but the switch that's there now has 3? 4? wires, and the one I bought has three. Do I just combine some of them or what?

hatchbox90

a switch shouldnt have a nuetral hooked to it unless its a dead end 3way, ora reversed switched leg.

are the nuetral wire nutted together? or was one of them plugged into the swicth?

also? the switch you are replacing with the dimmer, was it a 3way? if so you need to return the dimmer you have and get a 3way dimmer.

3 or 4 wires?

green is ground, white neutral, black is power/switchleg or traveler, depending on what kinda switch it is

TAKE SOME DAMN PICTURES, IT WILL MAKE IT EASIER

how old is your house?

hatchbox90

ehh for the hell of it





enjoy

MikeJ-2009

The house is 1 year old.

Here's the outlet:




Here's the switch:




I didnt' take a pic of the switch in the kitchen, only the one I want to replace with the dimmer. On another note, one of the black wires on the top outlet is noticably from a differnt romex than the rest of the plug which is all bundled up.

MikeJ-2009

Ok, I've got the idea of what I have to do to the outlet, it's just the switch that I'm dinking with now. I'm pretty sure I've got to get a 3 way dimmer and then I should see whats going on.

hatchbox90

ok, that pic of the switch, that is a 3way switch, youll need to go buy a 3way dimmer.

notice on the switch, the screws by the black wires, there are 2 gold and one black. This means that the 2 gold screws are your travelers for your 3way, and the black is either your switchleg for the lights, or the power for the lights. remember this when you replace it with a dimmer.

as for the plug, all those wires bundled up...ignore that, its just taking all those whires and making it one.

also see on the black side of the plug, how there should be a little metal clip between the 2 wires that are stabbed into the back. thats why you need a new plug if you want it on constantly