Could someone check this wiring diagram for outlets/switch?

Question

Renovating the garage and replacing the lights with ceiling outlets and eventually plug in LED lights. I’m going to install a single smart switch to control these lights from one end of the room and put a remote on the other end of the room. The source for the outlets is a sub panel that I installed (which passed inspection!). Because the source would most conveniently enter an outlet in the middle of the room, the wiring wasn’t as straight forward as I originally anticipated. I drew it out and it makes sense, but just wanted to verify here before I start doing things. Apologies for the crappy image, hope it makes sense. The gist of it is I’ll need 14-3 for the outlets leading to the switch, but 14-2 from the source to the outlet and the remaining outlets running away from the switch. Does this look right?

Edit: thanks for the answers / comments thus far, but no one has actually answered the question yet. I think this diagram will work, but just wanted confirmation from someone with more knowledge to confirm.

electrical switch wiring

Edit: thanks for the answers / comments thus far, but no one has actually answered the question yet. I think this diagram will work, but just wanted confirmation from someone with more knowledge to confirm.

mark f · Accepted Answer

Looks GOOD!

you've got the neutral stubbed off at the switch (for future upgrade to smart switch)
you've got switched hot to all the outlets and neutral connected to each
the red black color switch is a bit confusing but works
you will also need your ground to each of them
IF this is outdoors,  the first outlet in the chain should be a GFCI outlet in which case instead of pig-tailing the switched power you will feed the LINE and have the LOAD go out to the next one.
It looks like the first three outlets will be possible to convert in the future to
always on, as they have the hot, neutral and switched wire all available in the box.?

ThreePhaseEel · Answer

I'd just use 14/3 throughout
If I were in your shoes, I'd use 14/3 throughout this circuit (homerun aside of course) with black as the always hot, red as the switched-hot, and white as the neutral.  Why? Well, someone down the road, maybe even you, might want to change one or more of the receptacles to constant power from being switched, and without always-hot available at all locations, that's going to have a good chance of requiring the wiring to be rerun.  It also simplifies the color-coding of the wires, which helps you keep track of things so you don't have surprises with regards to the behavior of the switch.

Trout · Answer

Nobody likes switched outlets, uurgh.
Why not simply wire the new lights in?
You could However, working from what 3phaseE mentioned, pop the tab and make each outlet half hot half switched.  That wouldn't smell so bad....

Could someone check this wiring diagram for outlets/switch?

3 Answers

I'd just use 14/3 throughout

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