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Currently, the switch turns the entire outlet off or on for a garbage disposal. I'd like the top outlet to always be on and the bottom to be switched for the disposal.

The outlet has a white wire and black wire, on different sides (see image below). Do I just break the tab off the silver screws side? Do I need to wire it differently?

** EDIT - what I ended up doing was just using a smart outlet, Wemo Smart Plug, on that outlet below the sink and plugged the disposal into that, rather than running another wire down there to make it an actual half-hot outlet. **

outlet

switch

box

box 2

v15
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  • thanks! I added more pictures to the post. – v15 Jul 02 '23 at 20:26
  • OK in those wire-nutted bundles in the back... is there *one* white with 1 or more blacks? – Harper - Reinstate Monica Jul 02 '23 at 20:43
  • I added a clearer picture of the box. It appears there are 2 bundles of white. Perhaps because they are different circuits? – v15 Jul 02 '23 at 20:52
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    Always make sure there is no power on either circuit, turn off both breakers before your fingers find the power is on one circuit. It will hurt. – crip659 Jul 02 '23 at 21:36
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    Oh snap. 2 bundles, 2 different circuits. That's necessary. They can't be combined. Down in the receptacle box, 2 wires currently going to the outlet (disregarding ground) - are they both from the same cable? Is there just the one cable in the under-the-sink box? – Harper - Reinstate Monica Jul 02 '23 at 21:47
  • Yeah, just the single black and white. Looks like I’m going to have to run more romex to the outlet down below. Thanks so much for the help! – v15 Jul 03 '23 at 03:30

1 Answers1

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Turn off the breaker and check for no power before touching. You do not want to find you turned off the wrong breaker, been there, done that. Not fun.

You need to replace that /2(black and white) cable with a /3 cable(black, red and white.

At the switch connect the power(cable coming from the panel) black and the black to the outlet together with a short black to the switch.

The red will go from one screw of the switch to the top or bottom brass screw of the outlet, your choice.

Remove the little metal tab between the two brass screws of the outlet.

The white(neutral) wire is on the silver screw of the outlet with the tab in place(do not remove).

The screws are much better electrical connection than the push ins.

You now should have half switch outlet.

crip659
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