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Wiring switched outlets off of GFCI-Wiring help requested

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Model A Fan

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I would like to wire in a set of outlets that are operated off of a switch which is fed by a GFCI.

Here's what I have so far:

GFCI is fed by breaker directly.
Switch for overhead light is fed by breaker directly.
I would like to run this downstream of the GFCI that is already there, put the switch for these outlets in the same box the overhead light switch is on.

What do I do with the neutral that will run from the GFCI to the outlets above? The hot goes to the switch and then departs the switch up the conduit to the outlets; is this correct?
What/where do I ground the switch and outlets?

Please see drawn diagram.
Black (hot)/blue (neutral but white wire)/green feeding GFCI
Red (really is black) and purple (also black) are operating the switch and giving it power. Currently (no pun intended) all grounds are bound together in a green wire nut.

Any advice would be very appreciated. Thank you!

Overview
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dave*99

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The GFCI bottom screws (you show them without wires in your diagram) are the load terminals that will power the 2 receptacles via the switch.
You will see the word load printed on the back of the GFCI.
Run white from GFCI load terminal to receptacles neutral side.
Run black from GFCI load terminal to switch. And another black from switch to receptacles line (hot) side.
Connect all grounds together.
 
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wyliesdiesels

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keep the light switches separate from the GFCI. power for light switch and neutral for fixture need to come from line side of GFCI.

power for receptacles (being fed from 20a switch) should be off load side of GFCI. Hot and neutral should come from load terminals on GFCI.
 
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dave*99

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wyliesdiesels said:
keep the light switches separate from the GFCI. power for light switch and neutral for fixture need to come from line side of GFCI.

power receptacles off load side of GFCI. Hot and neutral should come from load terminals on GFCI.
Click to expand...
I believe he already has the 15A labeled switch running the lights and powered from a non GFCI circuit. He is adding a switch labeled 20A to power receptacles from the existing GFCI.
 
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wyliesdiesels

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dave*99 said:
I believe he already has the 15A labeled switch running the lights and powered from a non GFCI circuit. He is adding a switch labeled 20A to power receptacles from the existing GFCI.
Click to expand...
considering he has a red and purple line coming from the panel going to the 15a switch i dont know if he understands what he has....
 
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Shiftless

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Is this in a garage?
Is the light hardwired or is it a shop light kind of thing that is plugged into a receptacle? (That would change things)
 
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dave*99

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wyliesdiesels said:
cant have 2 power feeds to a light switch but he says both are giving it power. so that makes no sense
Click to expand...
You're correct - but I read the diagram as having both a 20A and 15A lighting circuit in that junction box. The light switch (15A) is fed from a 15A breaker, the load side of that switch goes back in to the service panel and connects to the cable feeding the overhead light. Neutral and ground for that overhead light cable are also landed inside the service panel.

There is a second breaker (20A) that only feeds the GFCI receptacle. He wants to tap that receptacle to feed a pair of switched receptacles.
 
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Model A Fan

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wyliesdiesels said:
considering he has a red and purple line coming from the panel going to the 15a switch i dont know if he understands what he has....
Click to expand...
Both red and purple are actually black wires. It gets confusing in a drawing when everything is drawn in black. I find it easier to get help when its different colors, as in "the purple wire blah blah blah" and then I know which wire to work on.
dave*99 said:
I will admit it took me a few minutes to unpack the color legend. Hope I got it right.
Click to expand...
You are correct. The 15A switch is fed independently from my 20A switch. The 20A switch will be fed downstream from the GFCI.
Shiftless said:
Is this in a garage?
Is the light hardwired or is it a shop light kind of thing that is plugged into a receptacle? (That would change things)
Click to expand...
This is in a garage. I'm installing the switch between the GFCI and a set of outlets in my rafters to run lighting (shop lights that plug in).

If I'm understanding it correctly, the switch will connect to the hot wire coming from the GFCI and continue up to the outlets above. The neutral will bypass the switch (not used on a switch anyway) and continue up to the outlets above. The switch ground will attach to the outlet ground which is then bonded to the box.
 
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Model A Fan

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dave*99 said:
There is a second breaker (20A) that only feeds the GFCI receptacle. He wants to tap that receptacle to feed a pair of switched receptacles.
Click to expand...
Correct, each switch will be on its own independent circuit, just sharing a box. The 20A switch will be fed by the GFCI which is separate from anything else and is on its own circuit. So, two circuits, adding a switch, and continuing a run to two (now protected by the GFCI) outlets in my rafters.
 
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dave*99

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Model A Fan said:
If I'm understanding it correctly, the switch will connect to the hot wire coming from the GFCI and continue up to the outlets above. The neutral will bypass the switch (not used on a switch anyway) and continue up to the outlets above. The switch ground will attach to the outlet ground which is then bonded to the box.
Click to expand...
Yes - the starting point for this new switch and pair of receptacles is the 2 load terminals on the GFCI. Both line an neutral start there.
 
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Model A Fan

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dave*99 said:
Yes - the starting point for this new switch and pair of receptacles is the 2 load terminals on the GFCI. Both line an neutral start there.
Click to expand...
And basically the switch is a "gate" on the black wire to allow it to continue "downstream" on the circuit. This has been very helpful, I appreciate everyone's help in this.
 
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PCustoms

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Too late but:

Why a 20A circuit for lights?

Why not run the switch to the 1st outlet, make that GFCI ( can be done low, and/or a dead front) and come off the load side for the rest?

And the NEC thought experiment:

Is NM-B right next to an outlet considered subject to damage? If not, is the outlet really in an accessible location that needs a GFCI?
 
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dave*99

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PCustoms said:
Too late but:

Why a 20A circuit for lights?

Why not run the switch to the 1st outlet, make that GFCI ( can be done low, and/or a dead front) and come off the load side for the rest?

And the NEC thought experiment:

Is NM-B right next to an outlet considered subject to damage? If not, is the outlet really in an accessible location that needs a GFCI?
Click to expand...
Model A Fan said:
This is in a garage. I'm installing the switch between the GFCI and a set of outlets in my rafters to run lighting (shop lights that plug in).
Click to expand...
 
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Cruzan80

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I read it as the GFCI is low, and then run to the switch, and on to the outlets pictured. You are just saying to swap the order of GFCI and switch (which wouldnt matter).

For the 20A outlets, I think he got them on super-sale (hence the orange that I remember being a "freak out" for some on an earlier thread).

I know all of my circuits in the garage are 20A, simply because I could buy one very LARGE roll of 12/2 and it was the same/cheaper than a smaller roll of 12/2 and 14/2. And I have overhead cord reels that also plug in up there.

Never had someone question NM-B next to a surface mounted outlet as "subject to damage", without other reasons. Especially up high. All garage circuits now need GFCI, as of the last few code cycles (forget exact year added), including all 240V and lights.
 
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Model A Fan

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Cruzan80 said:
I read it as the GFCI is low, and then run to the switch, and on to the outlets pictured. You are just saying to swap the order of GFCI and switch (which wouldnt matter).

For the 20A outlets, I think he got them on super-sale (hence the orange that I remember being a "freak out" for some on an earlier thread).

I know all of my circuits in the garage are 20A, simply because I could buy one very LARGE roll of 12/2 and it was the same/cheaper than a smaller roll of 12/2 and 14/2. And I have overhead cord reels that also plug in up there.

Never had someone question NM-B next to a surface mounted outlet as "subject to damage", without other reasons. Especially up high. All garage circuits now need GFCI, as of the last few code cycles (forget exact year added), including all 240V and lights.
Click to expand...
I did get the orange outlets on super special (black ones too), for the price I paid, I would have only been able to buy 12 outlets (I bought 40 outlets for $53). I'll use them in my garage and barn where the colors don't matter. I like the black and orange actually. They have a neat "industrial" look and were $1.32 each...too cheap to pass up for the amount of wiring I eventually plan on doing.

I opted for the 20A rated outlets and wire as I have plenty of 12-2 and was only doing 18' total between the two sets of outlets I ran. Costco has 12-2 for $0.50/foot on the 500' spools they started offering.
 
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rogerb6

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I have a similar situation as Model A Fan. I am using the downstream power from a GFCI through a switch to outlets for shop lights to plug into. The neutral on the shop light outlets is common to the neutral of the downstream GFCI. All outlets test OK. As soon as I plug in the shop lights into the outlets the GFCI trips. I can plug the lights into other GFCI protected outlets in the shop and they work. It is the outlets on the switch that are failing. All outlets have a green wire ground back to the breaker panel. If nothing is plugged into the outlets everything is fine, circuit tester shows correct polarity and when test button is pressed the GFCI will trip. Only when the lights are plugged in does the GCFI trip when you flip the switch on. Something is making the GFCI angry, and I do not know what.
 
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dscheidt

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rogerb6 said:
I have a similar situation as Model A Fan. I am using the downstream power from a GFCI through a switch to outlets for shop lights to plug into. The neutral on the shop light outlets is common to the neutral of the downstream GFCI. All outlets test OK. As soon as I plug in the shop lights into the outlets the GFCI trips. I can plug the lights into other GFCI protected outlets in the shop and they work. It is the outlets on the switch that are failing. All outlets have a green wire ground back to the breaker panel. If nothing is plugged into the outlets everything is fine, circuit tester shows correct polarity and when test button is pressed the GFCI will trip. Only when the lights are plugged in does the GCFI trip when you flip the switch on. Something is making the GFCI angry, and I do not know what.
Click to expand...
You have something wired wrong. Do other loads work on the gfci?
 
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rogerb6

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Please be patient with me. We took out the GFCI temporally to get the lights working. This is at my son's garage, it will take a little time to get back to opening the outlets and checking the neutrals. I agree with dave*99. With the GFCI installed, all the downstream outlets worked and tested. I need to make sure the load side neutral on the GFCI goes to the switched outlets.
 
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mike93lx

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GFCI's exist for a good reason and are a great safety device.

I would not have my lights on one. Same goes for refrigerators. If you are committed to keeping it wired with one, we can definitely help sort it out.
 
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BurtEggley

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I used to do all my own wiring. Never failed a code or electrical inspection, but sometimes in life it is just easier to make friends with a good electrician, and let them handle things like this.
 
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Norcal

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mike93lx said:
GFCI's exist for a good reason and are a great safety device.

I would not have my lights on one. Same goes for refrigerators. If you are committed to keeping it wired with one, we can definitely help sort it out.
Click to expand...
If the lights are cord & plug connected in a shop/garage/outbuilding GFCI's are required.
 
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mm08822

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dscheidt said:
the last couple code cycles require them on all garage outlets less than 51A, whether receptacle or something else, 120 or 240 volts.
Click to expand...
No, an outlet is not always a receptacle. I could hard-wire an a/c in the garage and not need gfci protection. My lights could be hard-wired into a ceiling outlet w/o plug/recept usage.

Receptacles (a specific type of outlet) 50A or less require protection.
 
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dave*99

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