How to wire a socket from a switch: instructions and connection diagram

Hello, dear readers of the site. Very often in comments to articles about a switch, chandelier or socket, the question is raised about the possibility of connecting an socket from a light switch .

As a rule, the situation is everyday: a repair was made, but they forgot about the socket, or a switch is not needed, but an socket is needed. And there are a sufficient number of such situations.

If we proceed from the rules and regulations, then this cannot be done, since the lighting scheme will be used for other purposes and such use may cause negative consequences. But if there is nowhere to go and you are aware of the possible consequences, then such an alteration has the right to life.

I want to warn you right away that such a rework has its own pitfalls.

. For example. If a socket is installed in place of a single-key switch, then we only get a socket and lose lighting.

However, here you may be in luck if it suddenly turns out that the installation of the lighting circuit was carried out with a three-core cable and all three wires reach the ceiling. In this case, the lighting also remains.

Therefore, without any problems, it is preferable to remake the circuit with a two-key switch, since it already includes three wires, which all that remains is to call and connect correctly.

Necessarily

! All installation connections are made with the voltage turned off.

How to connect a lamp through a switch from an outlet

They use conductors with three or four cores that perform different functions, and when separated, they are stripped of several centimeters of insulation.
Of course, the apartment must first be de-energized. Wires and individual cores are connected according to a pre-designed circuit, making sure that they are drawn in smooth, straight lines and do not form knots or interweaves. If the installation is carried out in a room whose walls are made of wood, it is necessary to lay out the paths in advance using plastic insulating plates. To lay electrical wiring routes hidden, you need grooves. Special channels are allocated for this option in reinforced concrete buildings. Source

How to wire a socket from a switch: instructions and connection diagram

Most options for connecting one device to another will not require complex skills from the master, such as independently laying additional wires or installing grounding in an apartment where there is none. However, in this case, some restrictions are imposed on the operation of the connected sockets: certain types of electrical appliances cannot be connected to the network. To connect the outlet yourself, you need to understand the structure of the apartment's electrical wiring and be able to identify the functions of the wires located in the niche.

Principle of operation

Unlike a standard two-gang switch, the pass-through switch does not have an “on” and “off” position. Due to the different principle of operation of the mechanism, each key in it controls a changeover contact, that is, voltage is supplied to one outgoing contact and the power is simultaneously turned off from the other outgoing terminal. Two two-key devices control two different lamps/groups of luminaires from two different locations in the room.

The main feature of installing a pass-through switch with two keys is that one four-wire cable or two two-wire cables are laid between such switches. At the same time, it is enough to lay a two-core cable between single-key pass-through switches.

Connecting blocks with two-key and three-key switches

The procedure for connecting blocks with a double switch is slightly different from that already discussed. The difference is that not one wire is taken from it, going to the phase terminal of the lamp light bulb, but two. Each of them is intended for switching “its own” lighting device (the connection diagram for a two-key switch with grounding is shown in the photo on the right).

Before connecting a three-key switch with a socket, you should first familiarize yourself with the corresponding switching diagram for 3 loads. Connecting a triple switch with a socket to the power line and light bulbs is similar to the previous option, with the only difference being that in this case there will be three wires going to the lamp. Each of them is laid to its “own” lighting load.

Instead of a switch

This option involves installing an outlet instead of an existing switch. This is done in case of emergency. Please note that this will completely cut off the lighting in the room. This option can be used as a temporary one. For example, you are doing repairs in a non-residential building and you need to periodically connect a power tool. If work is carried out exclusively during the day, when natural light is sufficient, then you can connect an outlet instead of the existing switch.

To do this, you will need to perform the following switching actions:

1. De-energize the room (turn off the circuit breaker) in which you will be working and check that there is no voltage.
2. Remove the switch from the socket box and disconnect the wires that go to it.
3. Install a socket in the socket box and now you need to connect the wires from the switch to its terminals.
4. The next stage of work will be in the distribution box, where all the switching of the electrical wiring of this room is carried out. Connect one wire coming from the newly installed socket to the phase conductor of the power supply network, the second must be connected to the neutral conductor of the supply network. The two wires that went from the junction box to the lamp must be disconnected and insulated.
5. After carrying out all the above work, apply voltage to the room from the power source (turn on the machine) and check that the outlet is properly powered. To do this, plug some household appliance into it, it should function normally.

Electrical wiring project

To begin with, they draw up an electrical wiring project; it is best if the project is drawn up for you by professionals. But if you have experience and the necessary knowledge, then you can draw it up yourself.

You need to know that Russian standards are very different from foreign standards, which means that foreign wiring diagrams cannot be used in our country. All electrical installations in the house are planned at the initial stage; for this purpose, draw a house plan and indicate on it the places where there will be switches, sockets, chandeliers, etc.

At this stage, it is very important to create a diagram where the locations of the devices will be indicated.

The next step will be to indicate where the wires will be laid in the house.

After all the above manipulations, carry out the wiring.

There are three types of wiring and connections:

To make their work easier, they distribute the load. For example:

This option is a simple ungrouping of electricity consumers and the fewer groups, the more economically the material will be used. In order to simplify the installation of wiring, its installation is carried out in floor slabs. In the diagram, such wiring is marked with dotted lines.

When conducting wiring, it is necessary to take into account the current strength that will have to flow through the network, that is, this is the ratio of the total power of all consumers to the voltage. In houses and apartments, the maximum current consumption does not reach twenty-five Amperes.

All materials must be selected according to this parameter. The cross-section of the wires depends on the current strength.

If you calculate that your current consumption is 16 Amps, then you cannot install fuses with the same operating current value.

It is necessary to take a larger standard value than the calculated one.

Do-it-yourself electrical wiring in the house

To install the wiring yourself, you need to know which cable you need and use it. After all, it is produced with different cross-sections; it is selected based on current parameters.

At this stage, you will need to calculate the amount of materials that may be needed for installing the electrical wiring. Work such as drafting, wiring, and installation can be done quickly, but there is some difficulty in calculating the amount of wire required for wiring. But measurements can be made by taking a tape measure.

Expert opinion

Viktor Pavlovich Strebizh, lighting and electrical expert

Any questions ask me, I will help!

You will need tools: a Phillips and flat-head screwdriver with an indicator, an electrician's knife to remove the insulation, as well as side cutters and a level. If there is something you don’t understand, write to me!

Connecting a combined socket and switch: basic options

Today, you can consider several options for how to connect a combined socket and switch. At the same time, quite recently it was difficult to find several electrical appliances with different functionality in one housing in an apartment.

Therefore, the connection diagram for the socket and switch was carried out by connecting the wires in the distribution box without combining these devices. Now this option is applicable if for some reason it is not possible to install such consumers next to each other. Although connecting the socket and switch separately has its positive sides.

1. Thanks to the availability of such devices, you can purchase the cheapest socket and switch and connect them, combining them in one circuit.
2. The ease of connecting such electrical devices allows you to do all the work yourself.
3. Thanks to the separate connection of the socket and switch, the safety of using such devices increases, since the wiring to them is laid separately, which reduces the chance of a short circuit.

But recently, in apartments, special units have increasingly begun to be used, in which manufacturers have combined an electrical outlet and a switch. At the same time, the connection diagram for such a device has been significantly simplified. First of all, this is due to the fact that there is no longer a need to lay two separate wires to each consumer. In addition, there are other advantages of such a block:

• if necessary, you can easily move the unit to another location, without the need to lay two separate wiring;
• there is no need to separately measure the installation height of the socket and switch, since both devices are combined in one housing;
• due to the high quality of such devices, they are used both indoors and outdoors;
• The combined block can be conveniently installed on any surface, such as stone or wood, concrete or plasterboard.

The only significant drawback of such a combined unit is the impossibility of replacing one element that has failed - a socket or switch. In most cases, you will need to completely replace the device. At the same time, modern units are produced with one-key, two-key or three-key switches, combined in one housing with a socket.

Advantages and disadvantages

A socket with a switch connected in one housing is attractive and has no gaps or joints.
The demand for combined devices is driven not only by the desire to increase the number of sockets. Combined modifications have several advantages:

• reducing the number of conductors - you will need two cables from the panel and wires in an amount equal to the switch keys;
• reduction of time for organizing wiring - all conductors are in a common groove;
• no need for additional gating;
• ease of installation;
• ease of lighting control and use of household appliances.

The disadvantages of the designs include:

• high cost compared to single elements;
• replacement of the entire unit if one unit breaks down;
• increased load on power wires;
• limited location.

Heavy equipment plugs and cords make it difficult to use the switch.

If the switch is being added to an existing outlet

Minimizing the consequences - replacing the socket with a block. The procedure itself is simple; we drill a hole nearby for the box and carefully install the new module.

There is no need to install a power incoming cable; it is already in the socket. But the output wiring, to the lighting device, will have to be extended. This is an individual decision, there is no universal way. The connection diagram is very simple: both the neutral and phase wires are laid not from the box, but from the socket box.

Naturally, you will have to install contact blocks. Although many connect the output wire directly to the socket contacts: some models allow such a connection.

If there are several sockets in a group, you can replace any of them with a common block (socket - switch). You simply choose a convenient location (from which you can run the wire to the lamp) and connect the switch to the outlet.

If you need to organize an additional light point in the hallway, you can use wall sconces. They are placed in close proximity to the outlet-switch block, and you do not have to destroy a large piece of the wall for wiring.

General safety rules

Of course, before starting such work (especially on a completed power supply system), you should de-energize the line and check that there is no voltage. Selecting a power cable will not cause any difficulties: a cross-section of 1.5 mm² is sufficient for organizing lighting. Since we are connecting the switch to the socket, and not vice versa, the primary (socket) cable will be more powerful: 2.5 mm².

Is it possible to connect an outlet to the switch?

Imagine the situation: you have renovated your premises, all the electrical wiring is walled up in the walls, and there are no backup boxes or socket boxes. An outlet needs to be installed in one of the rooms. Placing it next to the distribution box is irrational, the location is too high. But I don’t want to lay open wiring (especially, ditch the wall).

There is a switch in a convenient location that clearly has voltage. How to make a socket from a switch if it is possible to aesthetically place them next to each other?

To answer this question, let’s remember: what types of lighting schemes with switches are there?

Classic connection: tap from the distribution box.

The neutral conductor is inserted into the lamp from the box. In the box itself, a break in the phase cable is organized (it is opened using a switch), then the phase enters the lamp along the same path as the zero.

With this scheme, only the phase conductor is present in the body (installation box) of the switch. It will not be possible to organize a closed electrical circuit to connect an additional electrical appliance (via an outlet). You can use the phase from the switch, but you still have to lead the zero from the distribution box, which makes the idea pointless.

Conclusion: With this type of lighting arrangement, it is impossible to connect the socket to the switch.

The switch is located between the power source and the lighting fixture.

This scheme is less common, but in some rooms it is used. If at the design stage it was decided not to use distribution boxes in the lighting network, you are in luck. The switch wiring box contains both neutral and phase wires.

The sequence of work is as follows:

• We dismantle the existing switch without touching the installation box.
• We determine the routes for laying the input and output cables. If you have a diagram and plan for the electrical supply of the room, this is not difficult to do.
• Carefully drill a hole for the socket box.
• We install terminal blocks in the switch box and connect the socket according to the following diagram:

Safety regulations:

Since the current wiring is intended for lighting, most likely the cable cross-section is no more than 1.5 mm². The maximum possible load for such a cable (provided that it is copper): 3.3 kW. That is, not very powerful electrical appliances can be plugged into this outlet. The maximum is a vacuum cleaner. Well, phone chargers, a power supply for a router or an antenna amplifier - no problem.

Wiring a socket from a double switch

If in the first case we received a fully functional socket, but at the same time, in fact, we lost the lighting in the room, then in the case of a paired switch everything happens differently. After all, this way we can equip an extra outlet while maintaining lighting in the room.

The main task in this operation is to redistribute the purpose of one of the three wires that is connected to the switch. We will do this, as in the upper case, using a junction box. The task is to assign this third wire the role of the neutral conductor. In total, the task is divided into several stages:

• De-energizing the network, dismantling the double switch, preparing a place for the socket and installing it;
• We go to the distribution box and reconnect one of the wires coming from the switch side to the common neutral conductor. The corresponding wire going directly to the lighting device is disconnected and isolated from the general network;
• When working with the socket, we connect one core to the created core wire, and the second to the phase wire, which is laid to the switch;
• After installing the double switch, the conductors are connected to the terminals. The device continues to perform its function, but in this case it turns into a single switch.

How to choose the right switch?

• how to run a cable along the walls (in grooves or cable ducts);
• how many lamps will be installed and what is their total power;
• where the new line will be drawn from (from the distribution panel, distribution box in the next room, or from the nearest outlet);

Useful tips Connection diagrams Principles of operation of devices Main concepts Meters from Energomer Precautions Incandescent lamps Video instructions for the master Testing with a multimeter

Option #2. Connecting a socket from a double switch

In a situation where a paired (double, triple) switch is used in the room, it is quite possible to install an outlet from the switch without removing it. The only limitation that will be in this case is the operation of the switch in the mode of a regular single-key element.

The essence of the method comes down to the fact that of the three conductors that are connected to the switch, two remain to work as intended, and the third begins to act as a neutral conductor for the outlet (after appropriate transformations in the distribution box).

Speaking in more detail, all work is carried out according to the following algorithm:

1. The electrical network is cut off.
2. The double switch is removed.
3. A groove is made and a recess is prepared for installing the socket in a given location.
4. An electrical cable is laid from the installation location of the switch to the installation location of the socket.
5. The socket is installed, and the cable cores are connected to its terminals.
6. The following reconnections are made in the distribution box: one of the conductors extending from the switch is connected to the common neutral wire, and the corresponding wire that goes to the lighting device is simply disconnected and isolated.
7. To connect a newly installed socket in the installation box of the switch, the following connections are made: one core of the socket cable is connected to the neutral (newly created) conductor, and the second to the phase wire (before the switch).
8. The switch is installed in place and two conductors are connected to its terminals, that is, in fact, the double switch turns into a regular (single-key) switch.

After all work is completed, voltage is applied and the correct operation of the circuit is checked.

It should be noted that performing all of the above work requires the performer to have certain experience and requires knowledge of electrical engineering. In addition, connecting the socket to the switch is a temporary measure that is aimed at achieving the desired result without significant changes. However, subsequently the electrical wiring must be brought to a standard form. We recommend that you read about how to do this in the following material.

How to install a socket in a wall

We purchase the appropriate materials: a socket (do not skimp on quality; a ceramic base is preferable), a cable, a box for the socket and alabaster. The latter, as you guessed, is necessary for securely fixing the box itself in the wall. We'll talk about this below. The process itself consists of the following tasks:

• A place on the wall is marked according to the instructions stated above. In this case, the work of chipping concrete is usually done with a chisel or hammer drill. The same applies to creating a channel from the outlet to the junction box. Before this, it is necessary to use an indicator screwdriver, which will help us make sure that there is no longer any wiring in the place of work;

Important! When working with power tools, which happens almost all the time, you will need to take care of power issues. Most often, in this case, the electricity is turned off in only one room, and an extension cord is pulled from the second. If it is not possible to do this, you will have to use the help of neighbors.

• Preparing to install the outlet box. At this stage, we need to pre-drill or pull out a piece of plastic from the box through which the cable will pass in the future. At the same time, we are diluting the alabaster, diluting it according to the instructions. Since this method of plaster sets very quickly, it is not recommended to dilute a large amount at once;
• Installation of the box. Place the alabaster in the hole in the wall, then recess the box into it, ensuring that it is level and that its ends are flush with the plane of the wall;
• Cabling. Before this, the apartment is completely de-energized. The prepared cable is placed at one end into the box, and at the other end into the place where the wires are switched, while being partially fixed with alabaster mortar in the grooved channel. Try to take in excess, so as not to discover the fact of insufficient length in the case of overuse of cable. After this, the wall can be finished completely;
• Switching. It is necessary to remove approximately 7 centimeters of insulation, after which the neutral, phase and grounding are mounted to the power supply points of the conductors. Switching can be done either using special terminals or by twisting followed by insulation;
• Installation of the socket. We remove the decorative part from the previously prepared socket and place it in the box, connecting all three wires to the corresponding parts, placed with the letters PE, N, L. Using adjustable tabs or screws, the socket is secured in the box, after which you can install the decorative part, apply voltage and check the quality of work.

Option #1. Breaker failure

This method comes down to the fact that the socket is installed (or installed) instead of the existing switch. It is clear that such actions can only be prompted by extreme necessity, since in this case the lighting function is completely eliminated. In view of the listed restrictions, this option can be used as a temporary measure and only in technical rooms (pantry, utility room, etc.).

The implementation of the method itself is as follows:

1. The tension is relieved from the work site. Be sure to check the disconnection using a voltage indicator.
2. The switch is removed from the installation box and disconnected from the electrical conductors.
3. An electrical outlet is installed in place of the switch and the existing conductors are connected to its terminals.
4. The distribution box is opened (in which the electrical wiring of the room is connected) and the conductors are reconnected so that two potentials are supplied to the newly created outlet: phase (L) and zero (N). Whereas the wires going to the light bulb should be disconnected and insulated.

After applying voltage, you can use the new socket.

Installation of a socket in the case of a single switch

• It is necessary to remove the keyboard and cover plate from the switch, exposing the metal frame and switching mechanism;
• After this, unscrew the bolts that hold the switch and pull it out;
• We outline a place for installing the future outlet, making it no lower than half a meter from the floor, and also no less than one and a half meters from radiators and other devices for heating the room. You should also stay away from water and gas communications. The length of the wire that we will draw between two points is determined accordingly;
• The socket box is installed, after which, in accordance with the instructions, the socket is installed and the wires are connected to it. We will provide instructions for installing the socket at the end of the material;
• Next, we need to visit the distribution box, which is available in any apartment, and in which all wiring is switched. In the box, we carry out the switching in such a way that zero (N) and two phases (L) are supplied to the new socket. We will insulate the same wires that previously went to the light bulb.

Connecting the switch through the distribution box.

Connecting the power source to the electrical consumer via a single-key switch is quite easy. There are 2 wires coming from the electrical panel - zero and phase. Zero is marked in blue, phase in red. Picture 3 shows a circuit diagram of a switch with wires of different colors.

The phase must pass through the switch, during the operation of which a break/connection must be made, namely the phase, and not the zero. It is easy to determine in which wire the phase is located, when the network is turned on, you need to touch both wires with an indicator screwdriver, one by one, where the red light indicator lights up there will be a phase.

If zero goes to the switch, then the wiring will be energized after turning off the electricity, and when replacing lighting elements you can get an electric shock. Ideally, current should flow to the light bulb in the following sequence - phase goes to the central contact of the light bulb, zero goes to the base. The circuit breaker diagram presented by the manufacturer of electrical appliances always involves disconnecting the phase.

To connect the phase wire to the switch itself, you must:

• Using a screwdriver, remove the switch key and unscrew the screws securing the housing;
• strip the phase wire from both ends, and using fixing screws and press washers, clamp it between the contacts of the switch.

The wire coming from the electrical panel should be attached to the bottom of the switch, and the wire coming from the lamp should be connected to the top.

The switch circuit consists of two wires coming from a network with a voltage of 220 V; to install a new connection, you can purchase wires of different colors, for example: red and blue. Which will pass through the distribution box, and the zero will go to the lighting element (electric lamp, or several lamps connected in parallel), and the phase will pass through the switch.

Using a knife, you need to evenly remove (strip) the insulation from each end of the wire, by 3 - 4 cm. Using pliers/pliers, twist the wires together. The neutral wire coming from the network with the neutral wire going to the light bulb, and connect the phase wire to the wire coming from the switch.

The principle of operation of the switch circuit is that when the switch key is pressed, the phase wire is connected, and electricity is supplied to the light source. The neutral wire goes, without a break, to the source.

The final stage of work will be insulating the electrical wiring. To do this, it is necessary to apply a solution of soldering acid or rosin to the contacts connected to each other, then carry out the tinning procedure using a soldering iron, covering the connections with solder.

After the service, it is necessary to insulate the contacts by wrapping them with special PVC tape. The box body must be closed with a plastic plug.

General provisions

Next, we will consider the most common schemes for powering the lighting elements of a room.

The features of creating such branches largely depend on the number of lamps connected to them, as well as their control using a switch.

But in any case, the created branch includes:

• Switch (one-, two-, three-key);
• Lamps with sockets;
• Junction box;
• Wires (two- and three-core).

A little about the features of the breaker.

Any switch has two outputs - input and output (there may be several of the latter).

Moreover, both of them belong to the same line, that is, if a phase is connected to the input terminal, then it will also be at the output.

By moving the key to a certain position, the contacts of these terminals are connected or disconnected, thereby closing or opening the circuit.

Before describing connection methods, let us immediately remind you of safety precautions when carrying out work.

To avoid electric shock, turn off the power supply and take steps to prevent accidental restoration of power before work is completed.

Its supply should be restored only after complete installation and connection of all components of the branch, as well as ensuring reliable insulation of the wire connection points.

Scheme for connecting a circuit breaker device through a socket

In order to connect a switch using a socket, a standard connection diagram is used

Important! There is always a break in the phase conductor in the breaker, and the zero goes directly to the light source:

1. A distribution box is installed into which wires are fed from the existing outlet (the room must first be de-energized), wires going to the switch, and a wire from the lamp.
2. We connect one core from the source of electricity consumption to zero, the phase must be connected to the switch; if it goes through the junction box, then it is connected to the core from the switch.

In the presented diagram, the phase wire goes from the light bulb directly to the breaker; when it is in the “on” position, electricity is consumed; when in the “off” position, the load does not receive electricity.

How to choose the wire cross-section?

Often the electrical connection of a source of energy consumption, for example, a sconce from an outlet, occurs to install additional lighting, in our case it can be one or more sconces, for this reason the current is low and it is possible to select wires of the desired cross-section, but there are nuances:

• according to safety requirements and PUE, for these purposes it is impossible to use a wire with a copper conductor cross-section of less than one square millimeter;
• and a wire with an aluminum core of at least two and a half square millimeters.

When choosing a wire, you need to take into account how it is laid, so there are certain conditions for open laying:

• for a copper wire, the minimum cross-section is 1.5 square millimeters;
• The minimum value of an aluminum core is 4.0 square millimeters.

To lay a wire along the outer wall of a house or building, there are the following requirements:

• for wires with copper conductors - 2.5 square millimeters;
• for aluminum wire cores - 4.0 square millimeters.

How to independently connect a light source from a switch?

One of the simple ways, according to experts, is to connect the sconce to the circuit through a switch powered by an outlet using neutral and phase wires; this is especially beneficial when the lamp is located close to the switch.

To complete this work you need to do the following:

1. Carry out installation work to install the lighting source and switch, then carry out the steps to connect them.
2. From the socket from which we will connect our voltage breaker, we remove the voltage using a machine in the panel (usually the wiring is carried out according to consumption groups), and check with a “probe” for the absence of a phase.

1. Open the socket; if the work on its connection is carried out with a copper wire with a color difference, then:

• zero – blue wire;
• grounding – second wire with double color (yellow-green);
• phase is the third wire, it may be brown.

If there is no color difference and the connection is made with an aluminum wire, you need to briefly apply voltage to the socket and use a “probe” to determine the phase of the electrically conductive wire.

1. We connect the wire from the switch (to its input), which is already connected to the breaker, to the socket phase, and connect the wire from the lamp to the output from the switch.
2. When you don't know how to connect a double switch, the solution is the same, but from the output of the electrical circuit interrupter, each phase wire goes to its own light source, or for a chandelier to its own power consumption bulbs.
3. To the neutral wire of the socket we connect the neutral wire of the switch to the light bulb; if the socket has a grounding wire, we connect it to the grounding wire from the lighting source.
4. After this, the wiring is laid and all connections are insulated, as well as the assembled circuit is tested.

How to connect a socket-switch, which is assembled in a single housing?

When there is an outlet in the bedroom or in another area of ​​the room, and you want to install a sconce or floor lamp, you can use a socket-switch device, which is assembled in a single housing, this is done as follows:

• the socket has a standard connection, phase and zero; in new buildings, euro sockets are connected with a grounding wire;
• the phase is supplied to the input of the breaker (switch), and from its output the wire goes to the lamp;
• The other two wires (the neutral wire and the ground wire) are connected directly to the lamp.

It is necessary to understand that you cannot make the reverse connection, in other words, connect the socket from the switch; it can only receive electricity from the circuit breaker in the switchboard of the house or apartment.

When is it better to use fused blocks?

Basically, combined electric points are used in conditions where:

• the socket is rarely used;
• there is a lack of space on the wall;
• There are no requirements for the design of the room.

In a house or apartment, the first two criteria correspond to the entrance hall and corridor. Here, power is used infrequently - to recharge the phone before going out, turning on the vacuum cleaner, etc. The shortage of space is due to the presence of cabinets, hangers, cabinets, mirrors, etc.

In a garage or workshop, aesthetics fade into the background, so they strive to make installation as simple and cheap as possible. This means that choosing a switch with a socket in the form of a single unit will be justified.

In a living room, on the contrary, there is no place for such a device. You cannot hang it below 90 cm - it will be inconvenient to use the switch. In such conditions, a wire sticking out of the socket will create discomfort and spoil the appearance of the interior. It is customary to place constantly used electrical points no higher than 30 cm from the floor.

Fused blocks are used if the outlet is rarely used.

You need to be guided only by common sense; no regulatory documents limit the scope of application of combined switches.

Therefore, if desired, you can install a combined unit in any room, incl. nursery or living room.

Technical features of devices

Before answering the question, it is advisable to describe the technical features of electrical appliances such as sockets and switches.

So, the function of an electrical outlet is to ensure the supply of electrical resources to connected consumers. Therefore, a prerequisite is the presence of two potentials at the terminals of this electrical appliance: phase (L) and zero (N). And in some cases (when connecting household appliances with a conductive housing) also protective grounding (PE).

If we talk about the light switch, then the task of this device is to close/open a ready-made circuit. In other words, the switch terminals are connected to an open circuit (usually a phase conductor is switched) and the terminals are connected to one potential: phase (L).

Based on the above, it becomes clear that it is not possible to connect a socket from the switch without changing the electrical installation, since for the full operation of any household appliance, two potentials are needed: phase (L) and zero (N), and a standard switch has only one of them.

If you connect a socket in parallel to the existing switch, then each time the consumer is connected to the network, the current will pass through the lamp (the lamp will glow). It is highly undesirable to use such a connection scheme due to its following limitations:

• Connecting high-power devices (more than 0.5 kW) to such an outlet will be accompanied by the passage of increased current through the filament, and the lamp will often fail;
• When connecting consumers, the supply voltage will drop (due to series-connected consumers) and some devices (for example, a refrigerator) will not be able to start at all;
• The simultaneous operation of two consumers can cause overheating of the conductors and cause emergency situations.

So how can you solve the problem?

Installation of an apartment or house electrical network

Before considering the issues of making changes to the existing network, let's understand how it works. After all, your ability to make changes to it directly depends on your understanding of this issue.

Main diagram of the apartment electrical network

First of all, let's determine how the wiring diagram for an apartment or house is made. This circuit begins in the input panel.

The photo shows a possible diagram of an apartment electrical network

• So, let's start with the introductory panel. It can be located in the entrance or directly in the apartment. In it you will find an input circuit breaker, which receives a power cable from the general house electrical network. Sometimes instead of a machine there are batch switches or even circuit breakers, but this is mainly in old houses.
• From the input circuit breaker the wires go to the meter, and from it to the group circuit breakers. Usually there are two or more of these groups. This amount directly depends on the possible loads in your apartment.
• Group circuit breakers divide the electrical network of your apartment or house into several groups that are not connected to each other. Groups can be formed according to the nature of the loads or the ease of installation. This is not a fundamental question. The only thing that the instructions prescribe is the division into different groups of electrical appliances in the bathroom and kitchen with electrical appliances in the living rooms.
• From group circuit breakers, wires go to one, two or more distribution boxes. They are directly connected to a group network of sockets and switches. This concentration of connections in one place makes it possible to simplify maintenance as much as possible and hide utility networks.

Connecting switches and sockets

In order to determine whether it is possible to connect an outlet from a switch, let's look at the features of their connection to the group supply wire. After all, starting from this, we can clearly imagine our future scheme.

Connecting the socket

• To connect the socket in accordance with clause 7.1.13 of the PUE, three wires are required. One of them is phase, the second is neutral and the third is protective grounding. These wires, in accordance with clause 1.1.30 of the PUE, must be marked with blue as the neutral wire, yellow-green as the protective grounding wire and any other color as the phase wire.
• The phase and neutral wires from the supply group wire in the distribution box are connected to the power contacts of the socket. Protective grounding to grounding contacts.

Switch connection

• Connecting the switch is even easier to do yourself. After all, this requires only two wires. Moreover, both of them will be phase. The first wire is connected to the phase conductor of the group line and to the switch input.
• The second wire from the switch output goes to the distribution box, where it is connected to the phase wire of the lamp. The zero of the lamp is connected bypassing the switch, directly in the distribution box to the supply wire.

Changing the purpose of an electrical point and connecting one to another

Knowing the features of connecting socket devices and lighting control boxes, you can replace one element with another or make a connection between them. When performing any connection work, it is first necessary to de-energize this line, as well as the cables of adjacent lines that may be unintentionally touched.

Replacing a socket with a switch

Replacing a socket with a switch is done without grounding.
Of all the operations reviewed, this procedure is the most simple. After removing the old socket, a trinity of cables remains - phase, neutral and ground. It is necessary to identify each of the elements by the color of the protective winding. For reliability, you need to use a multimeter (it will be able to show the phase - the cable through which the current flows when connected to the probes of the device), since during installation work the regulation of wiring colors is sometimes ignored. In apartments with an old layout, where the electrical network has not been modernized, instead of three conductors, there will most likely be two (phase and zero), since grounding was almost never used before.

Having determined which wire performs which function, you need to connect the phase component to the input of the switch, and the zero to the output. Then work is carried out in the distribution box: the zero, which was previously drawn to the socket housing, is turned off and then connected to the lamp phase. Grounding is not involved in the operation, regardless of whether it was used in the previous outlet or not. After this, the neutral cable of the chandelier or sconce is connected to the network.

Replacing a switch with a socket

Replacing a switch with a socket requires additional cables

For proper operation, additional cables must be installed. To connect the socket, three wires are required, and after removing the switch housing, there are only a couple of them left. But it is quite acceptable to connect an outlet box to this place, and the socket will work, but during its operation you will have to come to terms with some restrictions.

First, switches are made at the site of the future location of the outlet box. Two wires remaining from the switch need to be connected to its power contacts. One of them will have to be transformed from phase to zero: in the distribution box, turn off the cable that was going to the phase wire of the lamp before dismantling the lighting control device. It must be connected to the zero terminal of the group's power cable.

We change the purpose of the electrical point or connect one from the other

No matter how much you want to do everything as quietly as possible, you still have to run wires. Of course, this is not a stretch across the entire room from the junction box, but still. There are only two options for laying the wire - open and hidden. In the first case, you can use a PVC cable duct, but in the second, you will have to groove the wall to hide the wire.

Replacing a socket with a switch and vice versa

Prices for adjustable switches

Dimmer

We’ll start with what we think is the simplest thing – changing the purpose of the electrical point. This measure can be useful when an old switch is installed that is no longer used, or there are enough sockets in the room, but there is very little light.

The principle of connecting a switch and socket

In the description of the work, we will, first of all, focus our attention on the changes that need to be made. We will describe dismantling and installation only once, so as not to repeat it all the time. We hope that you can cope with this without prompting, otherwise we do not advise you to get into the electrical network.

Attention! All work with electrical wiring is carried out only if the power supply is first turned off. Otherwise, you risk receiving a serious electric shock, which can even lead to death. All work must be carried out by trained specialists, so be aware of what you are dealing with.

We replace the socket with a switch.

Table 1. Step-by-step instructions for installing the switch.

We connect the switch to the wires in the box, secure it and use it. Replacing a switch with a socket is carried out in reverse order, following the same steps, so we will not describe the process again.

We connect the switch from the outlet

Let's move on. On the way we have a serial connection of one device from another. Let’s say right away that the PUE standards do not provide for such alterations, but sometimes the situation dictates its conditions, and not vice versa. Therefore, we will act in the following order:

Removing the socket

• Unscrew the socket and remove it from the box. There is no need to disconnect the wires.
• Further actions will depend on the location of the lamp. If it is located in close proximity to the switch and is not yet connected to the network, we will need to connect a wire with the required number of cores to it using any of the methods listed above.

Wires can be neatly hidden in the cable channel

• This method of connecting a switch from an outlet is the safest and most correct.
• So, we connected, for example, a lamp and a switch with a two-wire wire. In this case, the zero wire remains intact, while the phase is cut, and the resulting ends are connected to the switch. We pull the wire further and insert the sockets into the box. Then the phase is connected to the phase , and the zero to the zero .

Three wires are connected to a grounded outlet

• If the wires from the lamp go into the junction box, then to connect the switch the socket must be grounded; three wires must be connected to it.
• We throw a two-wire cable from the switch into the socket box, having previously connected it to the device. We connect one terminal to the phase, and the second one to the ground wire, which must first be pulled out of the socket. The contact must be reliably insulated with PVC electrical tape . As you understand, in this way we consciously refuse to ground the outlet. This is only permissible if it powers a device whose body is made not of metal, but of plastic. That is, he will not be electrocuted.

Wires in grooves are a more reliable solution

Prices for popular models of wall chasers

Wall chaser

• Next, in the junction box we find the terminal of the same ground wire to which we connected. You already know how to do this. We connect this wire to the phase wire, which goes to the lamp.

As a result, we have a regular circuit, only the power to the switch will come not from the group wire, but from the socket.

Connecting an outlet switched via a switch

Connecting the socket from the switch

Prices for sockets with grounding

Grounded socket

And for last we left you with something “delicious”. This scheme of all those listed is the most difficult to implement, and for its implementation there is one prerequisite - the switch must be a two-key switch. That is, there are three wires going to it from the box, one of which we will also use for our needs, and the switch will become a single-key switch. Not the most elegant solution, but in some situations it can be useful as a temporary measure, e.g.

Electrical outlet layout option

So, we proceed in the following sequence:

• We remove the switch from the box and see three wires going to it. One of them will be the phase from the group wire - we will calculate it using the same indicator screwdriver.

Checking with an indicator screwdriver

• We connect to the terminal into which it enters with the end of the wire. This will be the phase for the socket. Is it worth reminding that the socket must be installed and a wire must already be connected from it to the switch box.
• Next, unscrew any of the remaining wires and connect it to the second wire from the outlet, insulating the connection.

It is not worth soldering the wires in the junction box, as it will be difficult to disconnect them later

• We go to the junction box and find this previously disconnected wire. It will need to be connected to neutral, but before you unwind it, mark the wire to which it is connected. He will go to the lamp. We don't want them to stop burning, do we? No! So, let's connect it to the third wire, which we left untouched in the switch, also in the junction box. As a result, both lamps will be turned on from one key.

Find out how to connect wires in a junction box, and also familiarize yourself with popular methods in a special article on our portal.

Installing a socket with a single-key switch

Selecting a cable (determining the required number of cores)

Before connecting an outlet with a switch, you must determine the number of cores in the electrical cable connected to it. In apartments where it contains a separate wire for grounding, you will have to stock up on a four-wire product, which contains phase, neutral and grounding buses. The fourth core is needed to connect the wire routed towards the switched lighting device. In old residential buildings, a two-core cable is supplied to the apartment, with phase and neutral conductors included in it. In this situation, the connecting cable must have three wires.

Installation of socket-switch unit

Before starting installation work, first of all, the power supply is turned off from the home network, after which markings are made on the selected section of the wall for the combined unit. All further actions are described by the sequence of operations presented below:

1. First, holes are drilled in the marked places using a drill with a “crown” type attachment, after which a niche of the required size is selected (for the block to be installed).
2. Following this, a piece of connecting cable is pulled from a nearby mounting box along a pre-prepared groove.
3. Its other end is connected to a block fixed in a niche and connected to a power outlet through a switch.
4. Upon completion of these operations, the wires in the groove are secured with alabaster, and after it dries, they are sealed with plaster mortar.

Before connecting the switch through an outlet, you need to prepare a simple set of tools. In addition, you will need consumables and the installation products themselves with a socket and switches. Let's consider installation using the example of the simplest version of a single-key unit, in which only one contact is switched.

Before installation, you will need to remove the decorative cover from the device being mounted, and then remove the key with a screwdriver with a thin blade.

Then the socket and switch are removed from the block body and the wires are connected according to the diagram shown in the photo below.

Tools and materials

The required tool kit required to connect one switch and socket includes:

• three different screwdrivers;
• ordinary pliers and side cutters;
• sharpened mounting knife;
• electric drill with a crown-type attachment.

The handles of all electrical tools must have a reliable insulating coating.

The materials you will need to prepare are a four-core cable, an installation (distribution) box and insulating tape.

Connecting phase, neutral and grounding bus

A correctly connected phase is a prerequisite that affects not only the performance of the unit, but also determines the safety of using the “switch and socket” system. Typically, the wires in a cable are color coded and designated as follows:

• phase conductor – white, red or brown insulation color;
• neutral conductor - core in a blue insulating coating;
• grounding bus – yellow-green insulated wire.

Color coding of wires in the cable

With such markings, it is not difficult to identify the supply conductors. If the old wiring with two wires does not have it, you will need an indicator screwdriver, the procedure for working with which is discussed separately.

When you touch the phase wire with a voltage indicator held in your hand, the built-in light should light up. This vein will be the phase. The remaining conductor will naturally be the neutral conductor.

Wire for lamp or lamp

Another conductor in the cable connected to the block is intended for connection to a lighting device switched by a switch. It is usually not marked in any way, but even a novice in electrics can find it. If you remove the decorative cover from the block, under it you will find the switch terminals to which different wires are connected. On one side, they are interconnected (electrically connected) and connected to the phase wire, and on the other, they are separated separately. This separate outlet is intended for connection to a lamp or light bulb.

What is more rational: a joint block or separate products?

Until recently, the average consumer did not have the opportunity to take full advantage of devices that combine a socket with switches in one housing . But with their advent, the functionality of the circuits used increased noticeably, which could not but affect the ease of use of the combined devices. The increased range of products of this class further increased the demand for them , which was considered a completely natural phenomenon.

However, over time, the inherent disadvantages of the blocks increasingly raised questions about the advisability of their use. On the one hand, the ease of installation and the minimum cost of wired products attracted the attention of a user who was not experienced in electrical engineering. But with a different approach, it turned out that the use of integrated devices is not always justified.

In what rooms is it advisable to install blocks?

The solution to this issue is usually linked to the problem of free space in the rooms where the unit with the socket connected to the switch is supposed to be placed. In this case, special attention is paid to the corridor (hallway) of small apartments, the area of ​​which is most often limited. In this situation, installing and connecting switches through a socket may be considered appropriate.

A combined socket block with three switches is installed in the hallway

Important! In addition, household appliances are practically not used in these rooms, so, as a rule, there is no urgent need for an extensive network of sockets.

The use of the latter is limited to situations where there is a need to connect a charger, for example, or a vacuum cleaner. The base part of a portable radiotelephone can be located in the same place, which makes the use of a combined unit completely justified.

The correctness of this decision is confirmed by the well-known fact that there is often not enough free space on the walls of hallways. It is occupied by such furnishings as cabinets and mirrors of various sizes. In most modern apartments, a distribution panel and an electric meter are located on the same wall. From all this it follows that it is advisable to install a combined unit in the hallway. The question of the need to install it in other rooms should be considered individually in each case.

Wiring a socket from a double switch

If in the first case we received a fully functional socket, but at the same time, in fact, we lost the lighting in the room, then in the case of a paired switch everything happens differently. After all, this way we can equip an extra outlet while maintaining lighting in the room.

The main task in this operation is to redistribute the purpose of one of the three wires that is connected to the switch. We will do this, as in the upper case, using a junction box. The task is to assign this third wire the role of the neutral conductor. In total, the task is divided into several stages:

• De-energizing the network, dismantling the double switch, preparing a place for the socket and installing it;
• We go to the distribution box and reconnect one of the wires coming from the switch side to the common neutral conductor. The corresponding wire going directly to the lighting device is disconnected and isolated from the general network;
• When working with the socket, we connect one core to the created core wire, and the second to the phase wire, which is laid to the switch;
• After installing the double switch, the conductors are connected to the terminals. The device continues to perform its function, but in this case it turns into a single switch.

Some tips

Since these units are still considered new, it is necessary to provide several recommendations regarding how to connect an outlet with a switch.

1. If installation is planned in a wooden house, then the socket box should be metal.
2. When the unit is mounted near a doorway, the part that is the switch is located closer to the door.
3. If you don’t have enough knowledge in electrical engineering, no work experience and no confidence in the correctness of your actions, it is better to entrust the work to professionals.
4. Often home craftsmen make various mistakes when connecting. The most “popular” mistake leads to the fact that the socket is in working condition, but the switch refuses to function. In this “severe” case, the incorrect distribution of wires is to blame - confusion with the phase and neutral on the socket. The solution is to connect the phase conductor to the jumper and return the neutral conductor to the socket.

Sometimes such designs become the only possible solution, and in this case the owners no longer have to think about the pros and cons of the blocks. Understanding how to connect an outlet with a switch will make it possible to cope with similar work in the future.

Installation of a double switch block with socket –

All wires in the room must be laid only according to the diagram and in straight lines vertically or horizontally.

Expert opinion

Viktor Pavlovich Strebizh, lighting and electrical expert

Any questions ask me, I will help!

Often the electrical connection of a source of energy consumption, for example, a sconce from an outlet, occurs to install additional lighting, in our case it can be one or more sconces, for this reason the current is low and it is possible to select wires of the desired cross-section, but there are nuances. If there is something you don’t understand, write to me!

What is needed to switch the circuit?

Electrical wiring can be open or hidden. In this article we will consider the connection of sockets and switches made according to the second option, when all electrical switching is hidden under a layer of plaster. Hidden design is the most common type of electrical wiring; open wiring is usually used as a temporary option.

Preparing the walls

Before connecting a socket and switch in the room, you need to prepare holes in the wall for their installation and grooves in which the wires will be laid. There should be three holes in total - for the junction box and for the connected switching devices.

It’s better to draw an approximate drawing on a piece of paper in advance, where exactly you plan to connect the switch and socket, and what route the wires will take to these places.

The hole for the distribution box is made, as a rule, under the ceiling, 10-15 cm lower. Holes for switching devices are made at the site of their planned installation. It is better to install the socket at a distance of 30 cm from the clean floor, where household appliances will be connected to it. It is advisable to install the switch at the entrance to the room at the level of an adult’s lowered hand - about 90 cm from the clean floor. These works are performed with an electric drill with a special bit for brick or concrete, a hammer drill with a Pobedit drill, an impact drill or an angle grinder.

When installing gates, consider several important rules:

1. They can only be horizontal or vertical; no tilting is allowed.
2. The entire path of the groove from the distribution box to the installation sites of the socket and switch must pass with a minimum number of turns.
3. Vertical grooves cannot be brought closer to window and door openings less than 10 cm, and to gas pipes - less than 40 cm.

To install the grooves, you can use a hammer and chisel, a hammer drill, a grinder or a special tool - a wall cutter.

When all the holes and grooves are ready, thoroughly clean them of dust using a vacuum cleaner.

Installation elements and tools

To perform the electrical part of the work you will need the following materials and tools:

• distribution (socket) box, in which all wires are connected;
• two plastic or polypropylene mounting boxes (socket boxes), they are needed in order to securely fasten the switching devices in the wall openings;
• indoor socket;
• indoor switch with one key;
• lighting fixture;
• set of screwdrivers (flat and Phillips);
• knife or stripper for removing insulation from conductors;
• pliers with insulated handles;
• clamps or insulating tape;
• indicator screwdriver.

To switch the entire electrical circuit, you will also need a two-core wire. Nowadays, electrical goods stores offer a huge assortment of wires and cables, so immediately buy one so that each core has its own colored insulation, for example, red and blue. This will make it easier to switch the circuit; you won’t have to look for phase and zero with instruments, you’ll just need to connect wires of the same color.

In order to fix the wires laid in the grooves, you will also need alabaster and a spatula.

Installation features

When carrying out repair work indoors to install additional lighting in order to save labor load (no need to groove the walls), you need to know that for laying wires there are diagrams for switching on the lighting device, which answer the question of how to connect a switch from an outlet, but also in In this case, all work has its own subtleties.

All wires in the room must be laid only according to the diagram and in straight lines vertically or horizontally.
What kind of lighting do you prefer?

Built-in Chandelier

During the repair process, two-core or three-core electrical wires are used, in which one conductor carries a phase, the other a zero, and if there are three conductors, then the third also carries grounding.

What material and tools are needed to carry out the work?

To carry out work on installing additional lighting in the room, you must have the following tools and consumables:

• a device with which you can de-energize an electrical circuit;
• electrical wiring of the same cross-section and design (aluminum or copper conductor), which is installed throughout the entire room, house or apartment;
• distribution boxes in which we make connections;
• a screwdriver with an indicator that shows the presence or absence of a phase;
• pliers and side cutters with which the connection will be made;
• electrical tape to cover the surface of the twists;
• fasteners and material for performing work on a wooden surface (corrugation or metal strip);
• for installation of switches - socket boxes;
• If you need to make a groove, you will need a hammer drill.

In addition to preparing the tools and material needed for the work, you must first draw a diagram of the electrical connection of the switch and decide on the place where it will stand, as well as calculate the cross-section of the cores for the additional load.

How to choose electrical wires?

Experts recommend choosing the right cross-section of conductors to which the switch will be connected; this can significantly reduce the likelihood of a fire in the electrical wiring; for this, several conditions must be met:

1. You need to know how powerful the lamp connected via the switch will be. Using the formula: power = current × voltage, you can find the value of the rated current; in a single-phase network, the voltage is usually considered to be 220 volts.
2. Knowing the value of the rated current, using the table you can select the wire of the desired cross-section.

Table for selecting the wire of the required cross-section

How to choose the right switch?

In order to choose the right switch, you need to understand that its design includes a pantograph and an electrical circuit breaker. The industry offers the following types of such devices:

Expert opinion

Viktor Pavlovich Strebizh, lighting and electrical expert

Any questions ask me, I will help!

In the presented diagram, the phase wire goes from the light bulb directly to the breaker; when it is in the on position, electricity is consumed, when in the off position the load does not receive electricity. If there is something you don’t understand, write to me!

Preparing to connect

Before you connect a new device, you need to prepare it for installation. The procedure for this is as follows:

• Using a flathead screwdriver, remove the key.
• Unscrew the screws to gain access to the mechanism. The design of these devices varies, but they are connected according to the same principle and are fixed to the socket box using spacer tabs. The movement of the latter is ensured by screws.

A pair of screw clamps and a pressure plate are provided to secure the wires. With their help, you can loosen the fastening, or, on the contrary, press the wires harder. From one to two wires can be connected to each contact.