Installing 4 port USB receptacle


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Old 02-14-17, 03:22 AM
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Installing 4 port USB receptacle

Good day folks,

Hoping someone can help me out. I have a light switch that I'd like to replace with a 4 port usb receptacle. The light switch controlled a hanging celing light fixture no longer in use. The hanging light fixture junction box has been covered.

The light switch has a black, white and bare ground wire. Upon connecting these to the 4 port usb receptacle (I even a tried a regular receptacle), I'm not getting enough power.

I hooked up the white to the silver, the black to the brass and the ground to green screw terminals.

I pulled out my multi meter and it reads a voltage of 85-87 volts. Which is not constant. It climbs from 0 to 85-87 and sporadically increases/decreases.

The picture shows the dimmer switch pulled from said box.

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Please help.
 
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Old 02-14-17, 03:30 AM
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Welcome to the forums! What you have in the ceiling box is possibly two cables. One with power and the other is a switch loop to the switch box. You do not have a neutral in the switch box since power is just looped from the hot wire in the ceiling box through where the switch was located. With the power off, pull the cover off the ceiling box and pull the wiring out and post a picture of it. There may be a way to facilitate what you are wanting, but we need to see that wiring first.
 
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Old 02-14-17, 08:02 AM
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The covered junction box is a code violation if it is not accessible.

I agree it sounds like a switch loop. There is no neutral as it is currently wired. The code requires some rooms to have a switch controlled lighting outlet so you may have another issue.
 
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Old 02-14-17, 08:57 AM
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Does the single gang switch box go to the ceiling box in your last picture? If so show us the wiring in the ceiling box.

Is there wiring from the double gang switch box to the single gang switch box?

Is there wiring from the blank ceiling box to the fan.

Answer all three of the questions in your reply so we can help you.

Note your picture of the single gang switch box is useless because it doesn't show us the wires inside. We need to see the wires pulled out but still connected.
 
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Old 02-14-17, 03:24 PM
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Thx for all the replies.

Will pull out the wires from the ceiling junction box and post a pic tonight.
 
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Old 02-14-17, 03:47 PM
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Will pull out the wires from the ceiling junction box and post a pic tonight.
Good. Also from the single gang switch box and answer our questions too.
 
 

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