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This one has me baffled.

There is an outdoor receptacle I'm replacing. The top outlet has never worked, but the bottom outlet does work. I took everything out, marked all the cables, replaced the outlet, placed the cables exactly where they were before, and now both top/bottom plugs function; BUT, now there is a nearby light switch that is stuck on the ON position. Flipping the switch inside the house does nothing, the lights stay on.

I put the old receptacle back, and everything is back to normal. I put the new outlet once again back in, with the cables exactly where they were before, and the switch won't turn off, stuck in the ON position for some reason.

I've tested every single outlet in the circuit (that I could find) and they are all 'wired correctly'.

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BMitch
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Outdated Computer Tech
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1 Answers1

31

Outlet receptacles are manufactured with friable removable tabs connecting the upper and lower screws on each side.

When these tabs are left intact, the upper and lower plug points are connected together and only one screw on each side needs to be attached. When these tabs are removed, the upper and lower plug points can be powered separately, so the outlet can be half switched and half constant.

The most likely cause for the phenomenon you describe is that the original receptacle had the tab on the hot side removed and the replacement still has the tab in place.

Now, to restore the original functionality with half the outlet controlled by the switch, just break the corresponding tab off the new receptacle. Grab it with pliers and bend it back and forth until it snaps at the scored line.

If you want both outlets to be always on, you should leave the tabs in place, and disconnect the switched hot from the outlet and cap it off with a wire nut.

A. I. Breveleri
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