Wire a GFI switch receptacle combo

July 30, 2012 1:49 PM

WiringFilter: How do I safely wire up this switch/receptacle GFI combo?

Halp! I'm a fairly competent guy when it comes to home handiwork, but I'm not in the mood to burn my house down today.

Changing a switch/receptacle combo over to a GFI protected switch/receptacle combo. Not sure what to do with the pigtails on the back of the GFI, nor am I sure how to ID the switch leads. Any advice (aside from calling electricians--they're all busy) would be welcome!

Wires Labeled
Neater Diagram
GFI Back
GFI Front

posted by denriguez to Home & Garden (4 answers total)

I've never seen pigtails out the back of the GFI. I think we need a more readable version of the GFI, maybe from a few more angles, and possibly the instructions?
posted by straw at 2:08 PM on July 30, 2012

I can't tell from the pics, can you tell us who made the GFI?
posted by Marky at 2:34 PM on July 30, 2012

The pigtails are the switch legs. You connect the wires going to the switch to pigtails using a wire-nut. Be sure to make a good tap.

A GFI receptacle is different than a regular receptacle, in that there is line and load. You want to connect to power coming into the receptacle to the line side - and the power going out to the load side.
posted by Flood at 5:42 PM on July 30, 2012

Best answer: That looks like a Cooper switch/GFCI combo. If it is the black leads are used for the switch, the exposed terminals are the line for the GFCI and the terminals covered by the tape are the LOAD terminals that provide downstream GFCI protection. There are a few ways to wire them up here is a link with diagrams for two ways.
posted by Mitheral at 5:53 PM on July 30, 2012