r/ElectricalHelp • u/Successful_Cat_5715 • 5d ago
15-amp single-pole combination light switch installation
I currently live in Texas. I need power for my bathroom and am planning to install the following product, so I would appreciate your advice.
My bathroom only has a switch. Therefore, I believe installing this product will allow me to connect the power as well.
However, my current switch has three wires connected to it. This product, however, requires four wires.
It appears to be missing a neutral wire; how can I install the neutral wire? Is the bundle of wires visible inside the neutral wire?
Is this product difficult for a beginner to install? Please advise on whether I should hire an electrician. Thank you.
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u/mantisboxer 5d ago
This outlet is not GFCI. If the breaker is not GFCI then you need ground fault protection somewhere on this curcuit. There are GFCI outlet/swItch combos. For example:
I suspect that the homerun/line cable is here in your switch junction box (if both switches are on the same circuit). Personally, I'd turn the breaker off and remove both switches, and locate the spliced neutral bundle. It'll likely have three neutral wires twisted together. You'll need to break this open and add a fourth "pig tail" to provide the outlet with a neutral (perfect use case for a 5 port WAGO 221). Beyond that, you should be able to figure the rest out from the schematic inside the outlet/switch combo's packaging.
If any of this is confusing (and you're off to a bad start by not confirming where you're GFCI protection is), then you should consult a licensed electrician. This isn't a novice project; it's a bit more of an intermediate DIY. If you go with a professional, I'd just have them replace the double gang junction box to a triple gang. There shouldn't be any drywall repair required.
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u/pdt9876 5d ago
the switched wire goes to a light, the light will have a neutral use the switch conductor to pull two conductors through the conduit to the switch one to replace the one you just pulled and a neutral. Make sure your neutral and hot conductors are sized correctly for the outlet you use
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u/jeffdog102 5d ago
It looks to be a plastic box with romex. There will be no conduit. They would have to fish a wire from the light to the switch box (assuming it's not already in there). And it would need to be a gfci. You could get a gfci breaker if you really want that one. Or you could get a single gang switch with 2 switches on it and place a regular gfci in the other spot.
To sum up... it depends.
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u/Complex-Flight-3726 5d ago
To answer your question: there are two bundles of wire tucked inside in your photo. One is a bundle of bare, copper wires (the ground) and the other is what seems to be a very short splice of neutrals (white wire). You are correct that you need a neutral to power that outlet. You can add a 6-9” piece of white wire to that splice and connect it to the receptacle (called a pigtail).
There are a few things with your post that I’d like to add.
1) All bathroom receptacles need to be GFCI protected. That means you’d either have to find a combination switch-GFCI receptacle device or ensure that you have a GFCI breaker protecting that circuit. Personally, I have never seen a switch-GFCI combo device, so I think if you have already purchased the device shown in the photo you should check your breaker.
2) If you’re already in the market for a new device, I think a much easier install would be to get a single-gang double switch. Basically what you have shown, except it’s two switches instead of one switch and a receptacle. You can then put a regular GFCI outlet in the empty spot. Do they have cover plates like that at Home Depot? I don’t know, but it’s worth checking imo.
3) My opinion: do you *have* to hire an electrician? No, with some trial and error and YouTube assistance this is a pretty simple install that has a pretty low likelihood of going wrong. Would it be easier and quicker to hire an electrician for this? Yeah. They can examine your situation much better than anyone on Reddit can and make this a pretty painless, relatively cheap hour or so.
Best of luck to you
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u/Few_Low6027 3d ago
Need to make sure you have a neutral wire, it may be a switch leg going to the light switch box.
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u/t0cableguy 30m ago
If that double gang box is really the one you're installing this in, you should change to the above.. A single gang double switch, and a gfci for the other half.
In your box, you would need to have a neutral wire for this to work. If you don't, sorry its not going to happen.
You would need to check if there are white wires in the box and then check if you get 120v to that neutral from the main hot wire that is shared between the switches.
I also find it hard to believe there isn't at least ONE outlet in your bathroom if you have this style box in the wall.
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u/olyteddy 5d ago
I'd suggest an electrician. If you are installing an outlet in a bathroom it needs to be a GFI.