Socket Wiring of Wall Switch Controls

About Switches

• Single, three-way and four-way are the most common types of wall switches. Regardless of switch handle type, such as toggle or dimmer, switches may share control of a socket with two or more switches. Switches that have sole control over a socket are called single-pole switches. Switches that share control of a socket or light fixture with one separate switch are called three-way switches. To wire switches for operation from three locations, electricians use two three-way switches and one four-way switch. Single-pole, three-way and four-way switch units vary according to the design and arrangements of their terminals.

Switch and Socket Terminal Basics

• Switches and sockets generally have three types of terminal screws: gold screws, silver screws or green screws. Gold screws accommodate hot wires, which carry electricity from the power source, silver screws accommodate neutral wires, which complete the circuit by carrying electricity back to the source, and green screws serve as grounding points, which divert electricity from the switch or receptacle in the case of overload.

Wiring Single-Pole Switch-Controlled Sockets

• In a single-pole switch-controlled socket, both receptacles turn on or off with the flip of the switch's toggle. To install a single-pole switch-controlled socket, wires from the service panel must route through the switch and socket in the correct sequence. The service panel's hot wire connects directly to one of the switch's terminals and runs from the switch's remaining terminal to the socket's gold terminal. Single-pole switches have only three terminals: one ground terminal, one electrical-in terminal and one electrical-out terminal. The neutral from the panel bypasses the switch and connects to the socket's neutral terminal. The ground connects to both the switch and receptacle box's grounding screws.

Half-Switched Outlets

• The term half-switched describes outlets with one switch-controlled socket and one socket that is always on or always "hot." To wire half-switched outlets, you must remove the metal tab that connects the gold or "hot" terminals on the socket. After removing the tab, you can create a junction that routes one hot wire directly to one of the socket's receptacles and a second hot wire to the wall switch. The hot wire that runs to the wall switch then connects to the socket's remaining receptacle.