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I have a switched outlet in new home right behind the only logical loca for my tv/ entertainment center. It’s connected to a single light switch by front door that controls the living room recessed lighting. With this config, I can only watch TV when the (bright) ceiling lights are on. Is there a way to wire this outlet always hot but keep the lights switched w/out running more wire? Can’t find a hot lead to try a pigtail, as both black wires go dead when switch is off. The switch has a single loop (ground & neutral) & looks to be downstream. Check pics & please advise! Thanks!

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  • Do you know where that red wire goes that's unused in the outlet box?
    – JACK
    Commented May 26, 2020 at 22:20
  • The blue wire and the black wire in the switch box.... do they both go into the outlet box? If so, does the black wire go straight through the box or is there a wire nut connection to it?
    – JACK
    Commented May 26, 2020 at 22:33
  • Not sure about red wire. I tried to pull it w pliers for some slack but it’s tight. Popped out a can light & nothing red up there. The switch is just the black & blue that just passes through outlet box (I pulled it out for pic).
    – D D
    Commented May 26, 2020 at 22:50
  • The black passing through is probably your hot lead since it makes the switch hot to switch the blue. Test it.
    – JACK
    Commented May 26, 2020 at 23:20
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    The blacks at the outlet are connected, so they could be removed and wire nutted together. If the blue is your always hot it could go to the outlet.
    – JACK
    Commented May 27, 2020 at 0:51

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OK let's put this to rest. We know the outlet and lights are switch, so a black wire is your switched hot and goes to the toggle switch. That means the blue wire is your always hot. Take the two black wires off of the outlet and wire them together. Now the switch will only control the lights. Take the blue, which is your always hot and connect it to a brass screw on the outlet. Tighten up the other brass screw. You now have an always hot outlet.

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a switched outlet means the connector between the top and bottom outlets has been cut. the outlet will need to be replaced with a new one. The outlet that is always on is your power line in, use that white and black and the ground. just tighten the other 2 screws empty. (it doesn't matter whether you use the top or the bottom.) Then use wire nuts to cap off each of the other 2 wires separately, and tape them so they are isolated. Don't connect them to anything. they are not an interagral part of the light circuit. The little Gray wire nuts in the automotive section are good for single wires.

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    While true, this doesn't solve the OPs question of which wires are the always hot and which are switched.
    – FreeMan
    Commented Oct 7, 2022 at 11:02
  • Are the little Gray wire nuts approved for this voltage?
    – Gil
    Commented Oct 7, 2022 at 15:21
  • "a switched outlet means the connector between the top and bottom outlets has been cut". Not necessarily. That just means that the top and bottom of a duplex have been decoupled. Either could be switched or hot. It's very common to see outlets where one half is always hot and the other switched, but the missing bridge doesn't always mean that.
    – Chris O
    Commented Oct 7, 2022 at 16:42

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