Any home electricians on board?

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Trying to run some electric items in my garage and home electrical isnt my strongest suit (cant grasp that the black wire is the power lead )

Anyhoo I bought one of those 15A double switches.   I want to control 2 separate outlets with the switches.

Heres the switch I bought....



Now I have 12-2 BX cable coming into the box (black, white & green wire)  I ran 14-3 BX out of the box to the 2 double outlets (black, white, red & green wires)

My question is....how the F do i hook it up so that 1 switch controls one double outlet using the wire I have without electrocuting myself?  

if anyone can MS paint me a quickie diagram so I can print it out & take it out to that garage Id appreciate that!

[PocketThunder]

1) using 14 guage wire (15 amps) on a 12 guage circuit (20 amps) is a bad idea.  The 14 guage wire is not protected.  It could overheat and start a fire.   

I'll work on the diagram..  stay tuned.

[PocketThunder]

Let me get this straight, you want to run one of the two outlets with the switch, and the other outlet is on all the time?

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Negative....I'd like to have.each outlets controlled by a switch.  I'll change out the 14-3 wire.......can I use the same 12-2 or will I need more wires in the BX? (12-3)??

can I use the 14-3 to controll 2 outside carriage lights?


Thanx 4 the help!

[RECHRGD]

Sorry, I'm computer diagram challenged.  I'll try to explain how to go about it.  Let's just talk about the hot wires, as the neutral and ground wires have nothing to do with controlling anything.  The existing black (hot) wire in the box hooks to the common side of that switch (where the two screws are close together and connected via the metal strip underneath them.  The black wire from the three wire cable will connect to one of the screws on the other side of the switch and the red wire will hook up to the other.  You now have two switched wires.  Run one (black) to one outlet and the other (red) to the other outlet.  Remember that the neutral (white) wire is common throughout the circuit and connects to the silver side of the outlets.  Also, the ground (green or bare) is common and hooks to the green screws on the outlets.  Use 12 gauge wire if the circuit is protected by a 20 amp fuse or breaker and 14 if it's protected by a 15 amp fuse or breaker.  The 15 amp switch is OK to use on either size circuit.  Oh, and TURN OFF THE POWER when doing the work.  Hope this helps.   Bob

[b5blue]

Each circuit from the breaker box is allowed 12 devices, be they outlets or lights/fans (whatever) the load is determined by the draw of the things wired/plugged in. If this is a new run with it's own breaker you have lots more you can add @ 15-20 amps. If your adding to a already wired in circuit just be sure you do not have allot of high draw items on that same circuit (space heaters, toaster ovens, wall A/C units) and you will be fine, 2 lights @ 75 watts each =150 watts a space heater= 1500 or so. 

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

So basically I do need to run the 12-3 wire to have 2 seperate circuits to the outlets?  The red wire will be the second hot lead?

Do I need to connect a jumper white wire at the switch on each terminal for the neutral wires?

On my switch (just like the one pictured)  the screws that are further apart are black & marked "common"
the other closer together screws are brass and are marked "B1" & "B2"

The hot leads (the black coming in & going out plus the red wire out get connected to the 2 "common" screw¢®?

[RECHRGD]

So basically I do need to run the 12-3 wire to have 2 seperate circuits to the outlets?  The red wire will be the second hot lead?

Do I need to connect a jumper white wire at the switch on each terminal for the neutral wires?

On my switch (just like the one pictured)  the screws that are further apart are black & marked "common"
the other closer together screws are brass and are marked "B1" & "B2"

The hot leads (the black coming in & going out plus the red wire out get connected to the 2 "common" screw¢®?

Do you want each outlet on a seperate circuit or just seperate switches?  Do not connect the neutral wires to the switch.  Bob

[b5blue]

  All right you will have 1 wire coming in and 2 wires going out to each switched outlet. All white wires are tied together. All green are tied together and you add a wire to attach to the metal frame of the switch (there will be a green screw on the side) likewise if the switchbox is steel. The "in" from the rest of the home will go to common. That leaves one wire from each separate outlets wire to hook to each of the screws on the switch.    "Normally" the size of the wire stays the same, if it starts out as a 12 it stays a 12. If your just feeding some lights, no worry about 14 for the last run just do not plug in a compressor, A/C or welder and you will be OK.  

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Well this is what I came up with....

talking to an electrician & he told me since I was using BX I didnt have to run the ground wire here since the metal cover was grounded to the box etc  (NYC code)

He said I can run the 12-2 & use the green wire as a hot lead to run to the other outlet.

I whipped this up in MS Paint real quick.....i also added another outlet.

Look right?

[Musicman]

You might want to take a closer look at that switch again. Usually the 2 screws that are right next to each other have a metal tab connecting them together (illustrated in blue in the image below). The tab is there so that the switches can be run on 2 individual circuits if necessary by simply removing the tab... but under normal circumstances one wire feeds both switches as illustrated below. Just double check it first before making any connections. They can and do sometimes differ from one manufacture to the next, so it is always a good idea to double check.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

YES!  You are correct there is a metal connector between the two......so that means all I have to do is hook the home run to one terminal on the common side correct?

How does the rest of the diagram look?

[A383Wing]

Waiting for the smoke to be let out... 

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Waiting for the smoke to be let out... 

Now why would you be doing that?  Is there something wrong with the diagram?  If you have nothing constructive to add to the topic please don't reply.
Thanks to those that helped with a somewhat serious topic.

[Dodgecharger74]

musicman has it right  add white wire to mix power feed white pigtails in switch box and continues to outlet silver screw Bare or green wire pigtails in each box and connectes to switch frame and outlet frame

[RECHRGD]

Electrically it will work.  BUT, using a green wire as anything other than a ground is a no no.  Anyone trained in this stuff will automatically think it is a ground wire.  Of course the same would be true that any wire coming off a switch to an outlet like that would not be a ground.  Just a safety (code) thing.  Bob

[Dodgecharger74]

ther is a grounding screw on switch for this purpose

[b5blue]

Sounds like you are modifying existing system. Be sure to put black tape on green insulation if used as a hot to identify it.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Sounds like you are modifying existing system. Be sure to put black tape on green insulation if used as a hot to identify it.

No modifications, its a new run & I'm just using the wire that I already have.  I had planned on wrapping the exposed sections of the green wire in tape to identify it.
I guess I probably should spend the extra coin & get the right wire though.

Thanks for the help all

[Musicman]

Don't mind Bryan... he's just having a bit of fun

If your running BX cable, it too (the sheath) acts as another ground source, but the green wire is intended to be the actual ground... and as RECHRGD said, do not use the green wire for anything other than a ground. Not only is this a NO-NO, but in many cases the Green wire will also be of a smaller gauge.
Here is an image which assumes the 2 closer screws are tabbed (Common).

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

yeah yeah but "letting smoke out" & wiring up my garage with my baby in it is no laughing matter.....

thanks for that awesome diagram.  printing it out & gonna refer to it in the garage.  Also going to get the 12-3 wire & do it the right way

[Musicman]

Hey, I went back and re-posted the first image with a color coded image, and labeled everything a little better so it would be easier to understand.
I am posting a second image here, because as I said earlier, switches vary from one manufacture to the next. In either case, many times the screws will be labeled "Common" where the power comes in (where the tab is connecting the 2 screws), and something like "L1 & L2" or "B1 & B2" etc. where the load is connected. Just be sure to look at your switch to identify what you have.
Of course a Multi-Meter is always the best way to determine the internal configuration of various switches etc, but the tab is a dead giveaway here.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Thank you kind sir.  i used your first image, got the 12-3 wire & wired it up last night.   I am just waiting to connect the home run either today or tomorrow (too dark outside)
Thanks again

[skip68]

Never ever use the green for anything other than ground.   

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Just an update...hooked everything up (outlets, switches, outside lights & garage door opener) and no smoke was let out!

Thanks to all that helped