I'm a retard. Outlet wiring question

[iqchicken]

Hey guys.. I'm sorry to be so uneducated but I have a question about an outlet in my house. It used to be connected to the switch on the wall.. but we had to have the outlets replaced. Now when we flip the switch it doesn't affect the light that is plugged into the outlet...

Is there a wire crossed somewhere? (Besides in my brain..)

The outlet works just fine.. but it just won't switch on/off with the switch... yargh... Any help is greatly appreciated.

Oh yeah... The two brown wires are attached to silver.. and two black to brass.

Thanks for anything!

[Steve M]

Call an electrician and be safe.

[iqchicken]

You've got to be kidding me. Why did you even bother posting? :)

All I gotta do is shut off the power and switch some wires around.. I just don't know which wires to put where on the outlet... I suppose I could switch them around to every combination Sigma 4... but I was hoping that someone could help me out.

Thanks for actually replying though..

[timrock]

though this is an RC web forum,i happen to be pretty familiar with what you are talking about.it sounds to me that the two wires to the switch are making contact with one another or when they installed the reseptical,they didnt hookk up the switch wires to it.

[iqchicken]

I don't see any other wires except the four.. unless he intentionally stuffed them way up into the wall..

So what I thought I was dealing with was four wires going to the receptacle in the wrong order.

Right now it looks like this.

Brown = Black
Brown = Black

Another guy on another forum said to make it like this..

Brown = Black
Black = Brown

But I always thought that the black went to Brass and the White (Brown to Silver)... I'm just too confused to think straight..

Thanks.

[timrock]

i hooked up alot of outlets,switches and light fixtures. but the wires were white and black.the switch wires were red and black.so i couldnt tell you what color wires to hook up were but there is a way to find the switch wires.

1.you need an voltage meter
2.disconect all the wires.
3.turn the switch to the On position and test all the wires with the voltage meter.
4.touch 2 wires at a time in every combonation.
5.when the meter reads 0.00 the you have found the switch wires.

[timrock]

also.i am in the USA i am talking about 110.where are you?you could have 220 depending on were you are.

and if you cant figure it out and decide to call an electrician,make sure you diconnect all the wires an tape them up to be safe.

[timrock]

or you can turn circuit breaker off at the control panel

[mastmec]

Black should be 120v and brown should be common, if your in the USA. Black does go to brass or the small slot on front. Did both recepticals operate off the switch or only one? If only one then the shunt was not cut on the side of the receptical.

[iqchicken]

Thanks for your help guys. I tried a couple of combo's with the power turned off at the breaker.. but all to the same result.. the outlet works.. but not with the switch.. I'll get a voltmeter and do it that way.. sounds simple enough..

Thanks for all your help.

[timrock]

you can also test that switch with the meter.when in the On position it should read 0.00
Off position should not read that.it should not give a constant reading.if in the off position it reads 0.00 , than the switch is bad.