Electrical – How to install GFCI combo switch and outlet with only 2 wires

electricalgfciswitch

I had a combo GFCI outlet and switch that went bad in my bathroom. The outlet worked even if the light wasn’t on. I bought a new GFCI combo switch and outlet. I had several electricians come to install. No one has been able to get both to work, only the light worked, not the outlet. I had another electrician come out yesterday and he did some moving of wires and now the light does not turn off at all.

This has been an ongoing problem for the past 3 years. I was looking while he was working on it and he said there should be more wires, not only a black and white. I don’t know what else to do. I have an old house that has old wiring. Looking for some suggestions and help.

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Here is a picture of the original on the right and the new combo outlet and switch, no one knows what the wires on the back are for

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Best Answer

Please post a photo of wires coming from the wall. In my opinion your former switch was RCD outlet + unprotected switch, newer is RCD outlet + RCD protected switch. The difference is that the neutral coming from the light should be connected to the 'load' side of your GFCI when with older setup this wasn't needed.

To have it work you should:
1> pigtail one of the black wire with the black coming from the light fixture
2> connect together the black feed from the panel to the black wire TOGETHER with the other black wire coming from the switch (2 wires in one screw)
3> connect the two whites (one coming from the panel and one from the light fixture) to the other terminal of the outlet (2 wires in one screw)

If you have more than 4 wires coming to the switch, the third pair serves the other outlets in the room and should be connected to the LOAD side of the outlet (to the screws protected by the tape).