So, I decided to spend Christmas Eve replacing a wall outlet that no
longer held electrical plugs very well.

Swapped out the single white wire, the single red wire, the single
black wire and connected the green ground wire.

Now, said outlet works fine....but...

Originally, I had a wall switch across the room that turned off the
power to the outlet I just replaced, as well as to a second outlet in
the same room.

Now, the wall switch no longer controls the power to the outlets.

The wall toggle switch can be on or off, doesn't matter, power still
flows to both outlets.

What did I screw up. In other words, how can I get it back to where
when I put the toggle switch to off, both table lamps turn off....

tim birr wrote:
So, I decided to spend Christmas Eve replacing a wall outlet that no
longer held electrical plugs very well.

Swapped out the single white wire, the single red wire, the single
black wire and connected the green ground wire.

Now, said outlet works fine....but...

Originally, I had a wall switch across the room that turned off the
power to the outlet I just replaced, as well as to a second outlet in
the same room.

Now, the wall switch no longer controls the power to the outlets.

The wall toggle switch can be on or off, doesn't matter, power still
flows to both outlets.

What did I screw up. In other words, how can I get it back to where
when I put the toggle switch to off, both table lamps turn off....


Typically you only need black, white, and ground for a receptacle. The
presence of a red wire leads me to believe that only half the recep was
controlled by the switch and that the other half was always hot. Do you
still have the recep that you removed? Fish it out of the trash, I bet
you will find that between the two screws on the neutral side there is a
tab bridging the two connections, but on the hot side that tab will have
been broke noff. So if that is the case pull the new recep out and
break that tab off (do I need to say turn off the power?) and whichever
side of the recep is connected to the switch, probably the red wire not
the black, will now be controlled by the switch again.

good luck

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

Nate Nagel wrote:
tim birr wrote:
So, I decided to spend Christmas Eve replacing a wall outlet that no
longer held electrical plugs very well.

Swapped out the single white wire, the single red wire, the single
black wire and connected the green ground wire.

Now, said outlet works fine....but...

Originally, I had a wall switch across the room that turned off the
power to the outlet I just replaced, as well as to a second outlet
in the same room.

Now, the wall switch no longer controls the power to the outlets.

The wall toggle switch can be on or off, doesn't matter, power still
flows to both outlets.

What did I screw up. In other words, how can I get it back to where
when I put the toggle switch to off, both table lamps turn off....


Typically you only need black, white, and ground for a receptacle. The
presence of a red wire leads me to believe that only half the
recep was controlled by the switch and that the other half was always
hot. Do you still have the recep that you removed? Fish it out of
the trash, I bet you will find that between the two screws on the
neutral side there is a tab bridging the two connections, but on the
hot side that tab will have been broke noff. So if that is the case
pull the new recep out and break that tab off (do I need to say turn
off the power?) and whichever side of the recep is connected to the
switch, probably the red wire not the black, will now be controlled
by the switch again.
good luck

nate

That is the solution for a common problem with outlets that are replaced by
people who are not familiar with this method of wiring switched outlets.

you posted your answer 11 years ago...wow...and, it helped me. you answered my problem

--
For full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...lp-414591-.htm

On Thu, 24 Dec 2009 15:46:36 -0800 (PST), tim birr
wrote:

So, I decided to spend Christmas Eve replacing a wall outlet that no
longer held electrical plugs very well.

Swapped out the single white wire, the single red wire, the single
black wire and connected the green ground wire.

Now, said outlet works fine....but...

Originally, I had a wall switch across the room that turned off the
power to the outlet I just replaced, as well as to a second outlet in
the same room.

Now, the wall switch no longer controls the power to the outlets.

The wall toggle switch can be on or off, doesn't matter, power still
flows to both outlets.

What did I screw up. In other words, how can I get it back to where
when I put the toggle switch to off, both table lamps turn off....

There are "break off" tabs between the screw terminals on each side of
the receptacle. Normally you don't break them off and then you can
hook the wires to either of the two screws on a side. But when you
have one of the outlets on a switch you need to break off the tab on
the side that had two wires going to it. I can't be certain of the
colors that were used on yours but I would expect that one side of the
switch has one white wire going to it and you would not break off the
tab on that side. The other side probably has a black and red wire
going to it's two screws. You would break off the tab that goes
between the two screws. That's assuming it has a tab, it's possible
that cheap ones don't have the tab.
There's a picture here
http://www.handymanclub.com/uploaded...rass-tab-1.jpg

The black and red should be connected to the brass colored screws and
the white (neutral) wire to the silver colored ones.

tim birr wrote:
So, I decided to spend Christmas Eve replacing a wall outlet that no
longer held electrical plugs very well.

Swapped out the single white wire, the single red wire, the single
black wire and connected the green ground wire.

Now, said outlet works fine....but...

Originally, I had a wall switch across the room that turned off the
power to the outlet I just replaced, as well as to a second outlet in
the same room.

Now, the wall switch no longer controls the power to the outlets.

The wall toggle switch can be on or off, doesn't matter, power still
flows to both outlets.

What did I screw up. In other words, how can I get it back to where
when I put the toggle switch to off, both table lamps turn off....

Disconnect the black wire, put a wire-nut on it and call it good.

If you do this, both outlets will be energized by the switch. If you want
only ONE of the two outlets switched and the other live all the time,
there's more to it.

Original poster here again:

Well, Miracle on 34th Street, or maybe "Circle Place."

Cutting the tab did the trick and all works fine now. Thank you all.

All the "original outlets" here are "stick the wire in the hole" types
where the red, black and white wires are held by some sort of spring
"thing" in the outlet. The theory is that you stick a screwdriver in a
slot and the wires pop free -- but they don't

I can never get them out, so I always end up breaking the old wall
outlet apart to get the wires free.

I always replace with Seymour Pass 20 amp outlets that have a very
easy way to fasten the wires down. It involves a screw, but the wire
is crushed between plates, no wrapping around screws.

I'm curious about "Hey Bub's" solution. I did not see it until I had
already "broke the tab."

The reason I am curious is because breaking the tab was not all that
easy. The top half broke right off, but it took a lot of digging with
a galvanized nail, screwdriver etc. to break the other half of the
tab. It took me about 20 minutes. There has to be a better
way...maybe if I had needlenose "nippers," but I don't.

Anyway, thanks again all. Solution worked perfectly.

Tim

tim birr wrote:

The reason I am curious is because breaking the tab was not all that
easy. The top half broke right off, but it took a lot of digging with
a galvanized nail, screwdriver etc. to break the other half of the
tab. It took me about 20 minutes. There has to be a better
way...maybe if I had needlenose "nippers," but I don't.

You can spend thousands of dollars on tools, and fill a whole shop with
them. More importantly, however, is acquiring a couple dozen types and
sizes of "pliers": needle-nose, slip-ring, locking, nippers, dikes,
tweezers, forceps, and the like.

Same with screwdrivers.

Basic hand tools are the backbone of any well-equipped shop.

Jon

"Jon Danniken" wrote in message
...
tim birr wrote:

The reason I am curious is because breaking the tab was not all that
easy. The top half broke right off, but it took a lot of digging with
a galvanized nail, screwdriver etc. to break the other half of the
tab. It took me about 20 minutes. There has to be a better
way...maybe if I had needlenose "nippers," but I don't.

You can spend thousands of dollars on tools, and fill a whole shop with
them. More importantly, however, is acquiring a couple dozen types and
sizes of "pliers": needle-nose, slip-ring, locking, nippers, dikes,
tweezers, forceps, and the like.

Same with screwdrivers.

Basic hand tools are the backbone of any well-equipped shop.

Jon

And then there's those kind of things you use once a year, but when you need
them, they will save you either hours of work, or destroying what you are
trying to fix. Sometimes you even have to build a tool that you may only
use once, or just a few times after that.

Steve

Jon Danniken wrote:
tim birr wrote:

The reason I am curious is because breaking the tab was not all that
easy. The top half broke right off, but it took a lot of digging with
a galvanized nail, screwdriver etc. to break the other half of the
tab. It took me about 20 minutes. There has to be a better
way...maybe if I had needlenose "nippers," but I don't.

You can spend thousands of dollars on tools, and fill a whole shop with
them. More importantly, however, is acquiring a couple dozen types and
sizes of "pliers": needle-nose, slip-ring, locking, nippers, dikes,
tweezers, forceps, and the like.

Same with screwdrivers.

Basic hand tools are the backbone of any well-equipped shop.

Jon


Hmm,
I'd say basic hand tools are for every home owner.

On Thu, 24 Dec 2009 20:01:07 -0800, "Jon Danniken"
wrote:

tim birr wrote:

The reason I am curious is because breaking the tab was not all that
easy. The top half broke right off, but it took a lot of digging with
a galvanized nail, screwdriver etc. to break the other half of the
tab. It took me about 20 minutes. There has to be a better
way...maybe if I had needlenose "nippers," but I don't.

Did you try to cut it or just bend it back and forth until it breaks?
I think you're supposed to do the latter.

And I think they're designed so you can put in a moderately wide
screwdriver under the "horizontal" part and bend it one direction with
that. What they often call an electrician's screwdriver, iirc, pretty
long an dnarrow enough for the screws that hold the wall plates on.
Anyhow, that's what Santa uses.

You can spend thousands of dollars on tools, and fill a whole shop with
them. More importantly, however, is acquiring a couple dozen types and
sizes of "pliers": needle-nose, slip-ring, locking, nippers, dikes,
tweezers, forceps, and the like.
Same with screwdrivers.
Basic hand tools are the backbone of any well-equipped shop.
Jon

I've found that no matter many tools I have, at home or with me at the
time, I need every one of them.

And no matter how few tools I have with me, I can still get it done.

It's amazing.

tim birr wrote:
nk you all.



Anyway, thanks again all. Solution worked perfectly.

Tim



Hi,
I wonder if you wear glasses(vision problem)?

"tim birr" wrote in message
...
Original poster here again:

Well, Miracle on 34th Street, or maybe "Circle Place."

Cutting the tab did the trick and all works fine now. Thank you all.

All the "original outlets" here are "stick the wire in the hole" types
where the red, black and white wires are held by some sort of spring
"thing" in the outlet. The theory is that you stick a screwdriver in a
slot and the wires pop free -- but they don't

I can never get them out, so I always end up breaking the old wall
outlet apart to get the wires free.

I always replace with Seymour Pass 20 amp outlets that have a very
easy way to fasten the wires down. It involves a screw, but the wire
is crushed between plates, no wrapping around screws.

I'm curious about "Hey Bub's" solution. I did not see it until I had
already "broke the tab."

The reason I am curious is because breaking the tab was not all that
easy. The top half broke right off, but it took a lot of digging with
a galvanized nail, screwdriver etc. to break the other half of the
tab. It took me about 20 minutes. There has to be a better
way...maybe if I had needlenose "nippers," but I don't.

Anyway, thanks again all. Solution worked perfectly.

Tim

There are a variety of grades of receptacles. What you should be using is
a better than residential grade receptacle, not a higher amperage rated
one. In the US, it is incorrect to install 20 amp receptacles on 15 amp
circuits, which may or may not be what you've done, as you didn't mention
the ampacity of the circuit.

On Dec 25, 5:06*am, "RBM" wrote:

There are a variety of grades of receptacles. What you should be using is
a better than residential grade receptacle, not a higher amperage rated
one. In the US, it is incorrect to install 20 amp receptacles on 15 amp
circuits, which may or may not be what you've done, as you didn't mention
the ampacity of the circuit.- Hide quoted text -



Have no idea about the amps stuff for the electric outlets , just
using what an electrician told me to use after I had him here several
years ago to swap out my "split buss" electrical main panel. I think
that was the term. It had no main shut-off and was always hot.

Made me nervous when I had to replace a faulty water heater circuit
breaker before I had the panel upgraded. I wore rubber boots. Two
pairs of thick rubber gloves, stood on a board and said my prayers
when I did that circuit breaker swap out.

The new outlets he told me to use seem pretty quality -- and of course
cost $4.50 a pop. They seem to be more "rubberized" sort of material
instead of the brittle plastic of the contractor-installed original
outlets.

I originally asked the electrician how to remove the wires from the
"spring catches" without breaking apart the old outlet. He just
ignored my question and gave me an empty outlet package and told to
replace them with "this kind."

tim birr wrote:
On Dec 25, 5:06 am, "RBM" wrote:

There are a variety of grades of receptacles. What you should be using is
a better than residential grade receptacle, not a higher amperage rated
one. In the US, it is incorrect to install 20 amp receptacles on 15 amp
circuits, which may or may not be what you've done, as you didn't mention
the ampacity of the circuit.- Hide quoted text -


Have no idea about the amps stuff for the electric outlets , just
using what an electrician told me to use after I had him here several
years ago to swap out my "split buss" electrical main panel. I think
that was the term. It had no main shut-off and was always hot.


I would recommend using 15A "spec grade" receptacles, and also use "spec
grade" for any replacement switches as well. I too have done the
"replace the receps because they won't hold a plug anymore" dance.
Yeah, the "residential grade" stuff will probably last 10 years or so,
but why not use the best stuff when most of the "cost" of the job is
your labor?

if your new recep looks like this:

http://www.dale-electric.com/detail?itemnumber=CR15-I

then you're good.

if it looks like this:

http://www.dale-electric.com/detail?itemnumber=CR20-I

that's a 20A recep (note the added sideways slot on the neutral side;
it'll accept a NEMA 5-15 (standard household 120V) plug or a 5-20 (120V
20A) plug. Those should only be used on a circuit with a 20A breaker.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

Nate Nagel wrote:
tim birr wrote:
On Dec 25, 5:06 am, "RBM" wrote:

There are a variety of grades of receptacles. What you should be
using is
a better than residential grade receptacle, not a higher amperage rated
one. In the US, it is incorrect to install 20 amp receptacles on 15 amp
circuits, which may or may not be what you've done, as you didn't
mention
the ampacity of the circuit.- Hide quoted text -


Have no idea about the amps stuff for the electric outlets , just
using what an electrician told me to use after I had him here several
years ago to swap out my "split buss" electrical main panel. I think
that was the term. It had no main shut-off and was always hot.


I would recommend using 15A "spec grade" receptacles, and also use "spec
grade" for any replacement switches as well. I too have done the
"replace the receps because they won't hold a plug anymore" dance. Yeah,
the "residential grade" stuff will probably last 10 years or so, but why
not use the best stuff when most of the "cost" of the job is your labor?

if your new recep looks like this:

http://www.dale-electric.com/detail?itemnumber=CR15-I

then you're good.

if it looks like this:

http://www.dale-electric.com/detail?itemnumber=CR20-I

that's a 20A recep (note the added sideways slot on the neutral side;
it'll accept a NEMA 5-15 (standard household 120V) plug or a 5-20 (120V
20A) plug. Those should only be used on a circuit with a 20A breaker.

nate


Which reminds me of something I was curious about - I've seen in older
houses (predating grounded wiring) some duplex receps that have two
vertical slots, like a modern NEMA 5-15R without the ground pin, but
also a horizontal slot for *both* the hot and neutral side. Not knowing
the proper name/designation of these I can't find a pic, but hopefully
someone knows what I'm talking about. What was the purpose of the two
horizontal slots?

thanks

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

"tim birr" wrote in message
...
On Dec 25, 5:06 am, "RBM" wrote:

There are a variety of grades of receptacles. What you should be using
is
a better than residential grade receptacle, not a higher amperage rated
one. In the US, it is incorrect to install 20 amp receptacles on 15 amp
circuits, which may or may not be what you've done, as you didn't
mention
the ampacity of the circuit.- Hide quoted text -



Have no idea about the amps stuff for the electric outlets , just
using what an electrician told me to use after I had him here several
years ago to swap out my "split buss" electrical main panel. I think
that was the term. It had no main shut-off and was always hot.

Made me nervous when I had to replace a faulty water heater circuit
breaker before I had the panel upgraded. I wore rubber boots. Two
pairs of thick rubber gloves, stood on a board and said my prayers
when I did that circuit breaker swap out.

The new outlets he told me to use seem pretty quality -- and of course
cost $4.50 a pop. They seem to be more "rubberized" sort of material
instead of the brittle plastic of the contractor-installed original
outlets.

I originally asked the electrician how to remove the wires from the
"spring catches" without breaking apart the old outlet. He just
ignored my question and gave me an empty outlet package and told to
replace them with "this kind."



FYI, your old split buss panel didn't have "a" main breaker, it had several
main breakers including the one you changed. The main wires in your new
panel are still live regardless if the breaker being on or off.

In ,
RBM typed:
"tim birr" wrote in message
...
On Dec 25, 5:06 am, "RBM" wrote:

There are a variety of grades of receptacles. What you should be
using is
a better than residential grade receptacle, not a higher amperage
rated one. In the US, it is incorrect to install 20 amp receptacles
on 15 amp circuits, which may or may not be what you've done, as
you didn't mention
the ampacity of the circuit.- Hide quoted text -



Have no idea about the amps stuff for the electric outlets , just
using what an electrician told me to use after I had him here several
years ago to swap out my "split buss" electrical main panel. I think
that was the term. It had no main shut-off and was always hot.

Made me nervous when I had to replace a faulty water heater circuit
breaker before I had the panel upgraded. I wore rubber boots. Two
pairs of thick rubber gloves, stood on a board and said my prayers
when I did that circuit breaker swap out.

The new outlets he told me to use seem pretty quality -- and of course
cost $4.50 a pop. They seem to be more "rubberized" sort of material
instead of the brittle plastic of the contractor-installed original
outlets.

I originally asked the electrician how to remove the wires from the
"spring catches" without breaking apart the old outlet. He just
ignored my question and gave me an empty outlet package and told to
replace them with "this kind."



FYI, your old split buss panel didn't have "a" main breaker, it had
several main breakers including the one you changed. The main wires
in your new panel are still live regardless if the breaker being on
or off.

What? Did I miss something? Kill the two Main breakers in my panel, and the
only power left in the box is going TO those breakers. Nothing, nada, on
the power bars or anywhere else. I know for sure; I always check for power
presence either with a meter or the ol' screwdriver test (but not inside the
entrance box!).
Or was that just a bad attempt at sarcasm? g

Twayne
--
--
We've already reached
tomorrow's yesterday
but we're still far away from
yesterday's tomorrow.

tim birr wrote:
....
All the "original outlets" here are "stick the wire in the hole" types
where the red, black and white wires are held by some sort of spring
"thing" in the outlet. The theory is that you stick a screwdriver in a
slot and the wires pop free -- but they don't

I can never get them out, so I always end up breaking the old wall
outlet apart to get the wires free.
....

Never had one yet that wouldn't assuming you have a small-enough blade
to actually insert into the opening and push it sufficiently far enough
to actually release the spring.

Even w/o, a pair of pliers and pulling while rotating back and forth and
the wire will "walk" back out. Certainly no need to destroy the
receptacle (or switch/whatever).

--

dpb wrote:
tim birr wrote:
...
All the "original outlets" here are "stick the wire in the hole" types
where the red, black and white wires are held by some sort of spring
"thing" in the outlet. The theory is that you stick a screwdriver in a
slot and the wires pop free -- but they don't

I can never get them out, so I always end up breaking the old wall
outlet apart to get the wires free.
...

Never had one yet that wouldn't assuming you have a small-enough blade
to actually insert into the opening and push it sufficiently far enough
to actually release the spring.

Even w/o, a pair of pliers and pulling while rotating back and forth and
the wire will "walk" back out. Certainly no need to destroy the
receptacle (or switch/whatever).

--

I"ve had some pretty cheap ones where I would release the tab but the
tab would break off the contact. I replaced 'em all with new spec grade
ones with wires under the screw terminals.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

dpb wrote:

Even w/o, a pair of pliers and pulling while rotating back and forth
and the wire will "walk" back out. Certainly no need to destroy the
receptacle (or switch/whatever).

Why not destroy it?

On Thu, 24 Dec 2009 15:46:36 -0800 (PST), tim birr
wrote:

So, I decided to spend Christmas Eve replacing a wall outlet that no
longer held electrical plugs very well.

Swapped out the single white wire, the single red wire, the single
black wire and connected the green ground wire.

Now, said outlet works fine....but...

Originally, I had a wall switch across the room that turned off the
power to the outlet I just replaced, as well as to a second outlet in
the same room.

Now, the wall switch no longer controls the power to the outlets.

The wall toggle switch can be on or off, doesn't matter, power still
flows to both outlets.

What did I screw up. In other words, how can I get it back to where
when I put the toggle switch to off, both table lamps turn off....

Go to sleep. Santa will fix it.

"tim birr" wrote in message
...
So, I decided to spend Christmas Eve replacing a wall outlet that no
longer held electrical plugs very well.

Swapped out the single white wire, the single red wire, the single
black wire and connected the green ground wire.

Now, said outlet works fine....but...

Originally, I had a wall switch across the room that turned off the
power to the outlet I just replaced, as well as to a second outlet in
the same room.

Now, the wall switch no longer controls the power to the outlets.

The wall toggle switch can be on or off, doesn't matter, power still
flows to both outlets.

What did I screw up. In other words, how can I get it back to where
when I put the toggle switch to off, both table lamps turn off....


Did you even THINK to draw a diagram of how the OLD outlet was wired? Seems
obvious that you haven't a clue how it was wired. Was the white on the side
of the outlet with the silver screws and the black and red on the side with
the brass screws. each on it's own screw?

On Sat, 26 Dec 2009 21:37:58 -0500, "Mark" wrote:


"tim birr" wrote in message
...
So, I decided to spend Christmas Eve replacing a wall outlet that no
longer held electrical plugs very well.

Swapped out the single white wire, the single red wire, the single
black wire and connected the green ground wire.

Now, said outlet works fine....but...

Originally, I had a wall switch across the room that turned off the
power to the outlet I just replaced, as well as to a second outlet in
the same room.

Now, the wall switch no longer controls the power to the outlets.

The wall toggle switch can be on or off, doesn't matter, power still
flows to both outlets.

What did I screw up. In other words, how can I get it back to where
when I put the toggle switch to off, both table lamps turn off....


Did you even THINK to draw a diagram of how the OLD outlet was wired? Seems
obvious that you haven't a clue how it was wired. Was the white on the side
of the outlet with the silver screws and the black and red on the side with
the brass screws. each on it's own screw?

The new outlet has a piece of metal that ties the two sockets
together. If you have separate wires (black and red) going to each
individual outlet, you need to break that tab off on the black/red
side of the outlet.

Mark wrote:
"tim birr" wrote in message
...
So, I decided to spend Christmas Eve replacing a wall outlet that no
longer held electrical plugs very well.

Swapped out the single white wire, the single red wire, the single
black wire and connected the green ground wire.

Now, said outlet works fine....but...

Originally, I had a wall switch across the room that turned off the
power to the outlet I just replaced, as well as to a second outlet in
the same room.

Now, the wall switch no longer controls the power to the outlets.

The wall toggle switch can be on or off, doesn't matter, power still
flows to both outlets.

What did I screw up. In other words, how can I get it back to where
when I put the toggle switch to off, both table lamps turn off....


Did you even THINK to draw a diagram of how the OLD outlet was wired?
Seems obvious that you haven't a clue how it was wired. Was the
white on the side of the outlet with the silver screws and the black
and red on the side with the brass screws. each on it's own screw?

He wired it exactly like the original. The problem isn't in his wiring.

In ,
HeyBub typed:
Mark wrote:
"tim birr" wrote in message
...
So, I decided to spend Christmas Eve replacing a wall outlet that no
longer held electrical plugs very well.

Swapped out the single white wire, the single red wire, the single
black wire and connected the green ground wire.

Now, said outlet works fine....but...

Originally, I had a wall switch across the room that turned off the
power to the outlet I just replaced, as well as to a second outlet
in the same room.

Now, the wall switch no longer controls the power to the outlets.

The wall toggle switch can be on or off, doesn't matter, power still
flows to both outlets.

What did I screw up. In other words, how can I get it back to where
when I put the toggle switch to off, both table lamps turn off....


Did you even THINK to draw a diagram of how the OLD outlet was wired?
Seems obvious that you haven't a clue how it was wired. Was the
white on the side of the outlet with the silver screws and the black
and red on the side with the brass screws. each on it's own screw?

He wired it exactly like the original. The problem isn't in his
wiring.

Well; worked before the rewire, doesn't work after the rewire. Whatever was
done was botched somehow. Could have been simply a wire-stressed switch that
quit working and once the stress was relieved by taking the wires off and
putting them back, the switch could work. But the wires don't seem to have
been put back properly. I've seen cheap switches that wouldn't work if the
wires stressed them just right, as in twisting the outlet, which ends up
straight because of the screws holding it in.

Because of the "red" wire and the outlet controls, I'm wondering if this
isn't actually a 3-way switch? In which case not putting the wires back
properly would cause the same problem described. Right?

Pretty hard to see it very clearly from hereG.

Twayne




--
--
Cats land on their feet.
but Toast lands PB side down;
A cat glued to some jelly toast will
hover in quantum indecision forever.

On Dec 26, 8:37*pm, "Mark" wrote:
"tim birr" wrote in message

...





So, I decided to spend Christmas Eve replacing a wall outlet that no
longer held electrical plugs very well.

Swapped out the single white wire, the single red wire, the single
black wire and connected the green ground *wire.

Now, said outlet works fine....but...

Originally, I had a wall switch across the room that turned off the
power to the outlet I just replaced, as well as to a second outlet in
the same room.

Now, the wall switch no longer controls the power to the outlets.

The wall toggle switch can be on or off, doesn't matter, power still
flows to both outlets.

What did I screw up. In other words, how can I get it back to where
when I put the toggle switch to off, both table lamps turn off....

Did you even THINK to draw a diagram of how the OLD outlet was wired? *Seems
obvious that you haven't a clue how it was wired. *Was the white on the side
of the outlet with the silver screws and the black and red on the side with
the brass screws. each on it's own screw?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Suppose the OP was among the 10% of males who are color-blind, he
couldn't tell the difference between the gold and silver screws. He
could probably tell the difference between red, black and white wires.

I can't remember the stats, but it's something like 8% have
red green color blind problems, some percent are "shades of
grey" color blind, maybe 1%.

I'm in the third category. I've got three what I call "color
groups". Often I can't tell blue or purple. And often I
can't tell yellow or orange. And often I have trouble with
red, green, and brown. I've learned to carry red acetate on
heating jobs, to help tell colors. And to have someone else
check the colors before I power up equipment.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"hr(bob) " wrote in
message news:33ae3903-5e8e-498d-a884-

Suppose the OP was among the 10% of males who are
color-blind, he
couldn't tell the difference between the gold and silver
screws. He
could probably tell the difference between red, black and
white wires.

On Dec 26, 6:53*pm, "hr(bob) "
wrote:
On Dec 26, 8:37*pm, "Mark" wrote:



"tim birr" wrote in message

....

So, I decided to spend Christmas Eve replacing a wall outlet that no
longer held electrical plugs very well.

Swapped out the single white wire, the single red wire, the single
black wire and connected the green ground *wire.

Now, said outlet works fine....but...

Originally, I had a wall switch across the room that turned off the
power to the outlet I just replaced, as well as to a second outlet in
the same room.

Now, the wall switch no longer controls the power to the outlets.

The wall toggle switch can be on or off, doesn't matter, power still
flows to both outlets.

What did I screw up. In other words, how can I get it back to where
when I put the toggle switch to off, both table lamps turn off....

Did you even THINK to draw a diagram of how the OLD outlet was wired? *Seems
obvious that you haven't a clue how it was wired. *Was the white on the side
of the outlet with the silver screws and the black and red on the side with
the brass screws. each on it's own screw?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Suppose the OP was among the 10% of males who are color-blind, he
couldn't tell the difference between the gold and silver screws. *He
could probably tell the difference between red, black and white wires.

OP again...As I thought I mentioned in my original post, all wires
were put in exactly as on the original outlet. Didn't need to draw a
diagram to remember where to put the three (well four with the ground)
wires in relation to the new outlet. Actually, I usually just snap a
digital pix when I do need to replace complicated car wiring, etc.

It was just that crazy copper tab that needed "fixin" LOL