Half Switched Outlet Diagram. This leaves the other half. Install a switch to control the top outlet of an existing duplex receptacle or electric outlet.
Outlets are split wired so that the top half of the receptacle is live all of the time and the bottom of the receptacle is controlled by the wall switch. The source neutral is connected to one of the neutral terminals on the receptacle. The tab between the neutral silver terminals should remain intact.
The wiring and connections will depend on where the power enters the circuit.
Half switched outlet wiring diagram depicting the electrical power feeding into an electrical receptacle box and then going to a switch and to another receptacle. The receptacle is split by breaking the connecting tab between the two brass colored terminals. While the entire duplex outlet could be turned on via a wall switch only one of the two plug ins is usually switched. This is an alternative to waving your arms while wandering about in a dark room searching for a pull chain or reaching under a lamp shade to find the switch.
