WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.714 It is still November, so it is still without effort. 00:00:03.714 --> 00:00:04.686 That sound? 00:00:04.686 --> 00:00:05.610 The heat’s running. 00:00:05.610 --> 00:00:07.436 I didn’t shut it off! 00:00:07.436 --> 00:00:09.417 It’ll turn off eventually, but for now? 00:00:09.417 --> 00:00:10.657 White noise! 00:00:10.657 --> 00:00:16.810 Before the video starts, fair warning:  snark levels are pretty high in this one. 00:00:16.810 --> 00:00:20.102 Uh, even I think I may have gone a little far here but, um, 00:00:20.102 --> 00:00:23.961 y’know I’m just trying to make the world a better place in my… 00:00:23.961 --> 00:00:26.158 admittedly over-the-top frustrated way. 00:00:26.158 --> 00:00:27.745 Anyway, c’mon let’s go. 00:00:27.929 --> 00:00:30.935 So there’s this thing we do here in the US with outlets: 00:00:30.935 --> 00:00:33.504 we sometimes put ‘em on a light switch. 00:00:33.504 --> 00:00:36.193 And this annoys the crap out of some folks. 00:00:36.193 --> 00:00:42.413 I have a simple goal today: to explain what this is for (because a good number of people seemingly haven’t figured it out) 00:00:42.413 --> 00:00:48.840 and to encourage you to take advantage of it which will, if done properly, also alleviate your frustration and confusion. 00:00:49.380 --> 00:00:54.393 Speaking of confusion, I don’t mean that some  of our outlets have switches on them 00:00:54.393 --> 00:00:58.761 like you might find in the UK or Australia or probably some other places. 00:00:58.761 --> 00:01:04.382 That’s essentially never a thing here, and when it is it’s definitely a weird special case.   00:01:04.980 --> 00:01:07.925 I was gonna go on a rant here for like the  third time 00:01:07.925 --> 00:01:13.250 about how this isn’t an issue at all and I don’t get why those of you think an outlet needs a switch, 00:01:13.250 --> 00:01:18.207 especially when you think it adds a layer of safety because the  switch is right next to the plug 00:01:18.207 --> 00:01:23.280 which you can also just take out if there’s an emergency  but I decided against it. 00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:24.299 Except for that bit. 00:01:24.299 --> 00:01:28.159 *clears throat* No, what I mean is that in many homes (and even hotel rooms) 00:01:28.159 --> 00:01:31.407 you will sometimes find an outlet which is dead. 00:01:31.407 --> 00:01:37.734 But it’s not permanently dead, instead it’s been wired to a light switch somewhere else in the room. 00:01:37.974 --> 00:01:39.492 Why is that? 00:01:39.492 --> 00:01:42.382 Because lamps are a thing! 00:01:42.382 --> 00:01:47.019 And if you plug a lamp into that outlet  which is controlled with the light switch, 00:01:47.019 --> 00:01:50.932 suddenly the light switch… becomes a light switch. 00:01:50.932 --> 00:01:53.804 As in a switch which turns on a light. 00:01:54.240 --> 00:02:00.858 See, unlike some places, we don’t do the whole “lighting circuit” and “receptacle circuit” business. 00:02:01.960 --> 00:02:08.735 Well OK we usually separate them these days so a breaker trip due to an overloaded outlet won’t kill the lights in the room but 00:02:08.735 --> 00:02:16.020 what I mean is that a light switch is rated to interrupt the whole 15A of a typical circuit, and 20A switches are plenty common, too.   00:02:16.620 --> 00:02:23.092 That means that we can use them as a switch for literally anything powered by a 120V circuit. 00:02:23.092 --> 00:02:29.156 So we sometimes use them to interrupt power to a specific receptacle or receptacles in a room 00:02:29.156 --> 00:02:33.677 in order to provide a remote control for a lamp or lamps. 00:02:33.677 --> 00:02:34.977 That’s the point of it! 00:02:34.977 --> 00:02:40.186 It’s not just to be confusing,  it’s to provide a remote control for a lamp. 00:02:40.680 --> 00:02:43.899 Trouble is, this isn’t always done in the best way. 00:02:43.899 --> 00:02:46.272 But before we get there, some context. 00:02:46.272 --> 00:02:48.855 When electrification was just getting started, 00:02:48.855 --> 00:02:52.140 its killer app was the light bulb. 00:02:52.140 --> 00:02:58.560 Snap-on electric lights meant no more kerosene, no more gas, and people were excited to have them. 00:02:59.160 --> 00:03:03.644 Low-effort lighting was *the point* of getting electrical service, 00:03:03.644 --> 00:03:08.940 and in fact in some places you’ll still hear people refer to their  “light bill” and not their power bill.   00:03:09.540 --> 00:03:16.144 The earliest adopters of these newfangled electric  lights were getting wires run to each room for a light socket, 00:03:16.144 --> 00:03:19.860 often hanging from the ceiling,  with a switch by the door for controlling it. 00:03:20.580 --> 00:03:21.903 And that was it. 00:03:21.903 --> 00:03:27.309 The idea of a receptacle for powering other things just… didn’t exist yet. 00:03:27.309 --> 00:03:31.080 The Edison screw socket predates  the receptacle by a couple of decades. 00:03:31.620 --> 00:03:35.611 But we would swiftly find other uses for this electricity business. 00:03:35.611 --> 00:03:40.968 Perhaps the first ever dongle was an adapter for converting an  Edison screw socket 00:03:40.968 --> 00:03:47.940 into a two-pronged, flat-blade receptacle which received a matching plug - the brainchild of Harvey Hubbell in 1903.   00:03:48.450 --> 00:03:51.207 Hubbell’s plug design would eventually be standardized 00:03:51.207 --> 00:03:57.960 and now we had an opportunity to put these so-called outlets in wherever places in whatever rooms for whatever stuff. 00:03:58.701 --> 00:04:01.891 And one of those stuffs... was lamp! 00:04:01.891 --> 00:04:06.481 Yearning for the calm glow and versatility of moveable lamps once again, 00:04:06.481 --> 00:04:13.857 well the trends shifted away from drab overhead lighting and towards floor and table lamps which you could place wherever you like. 00:04:13.857 --> 00:04:19.897 But people did really like those light switches which let you brighten a room as you entered it. 00:04:19.897 --> 00:04:21.232 So somebody asked 00:04:21.232 --> 00:04:22.562 ¿Por que no las dos? 00:04:22.562 --> 00:04:24.717 and the switched outlet was born. 00:04:24.717 --> 00:04:31.382 Instead of running power from a switch to a light fixture overhead, it went instead to an outlet somewhere in the room. 00:04:31.382 --> 00:04:35.556 Just plug your lamp into that one and you’ll have the best of both worlds. 00:04:35.556 --> 00:04:42.396 This was such a common thing that many homes built in the middle of the last century have rooms with no light fixtures at all, 00:04:42.396 --> 00:04:47.665 but a light switch by the door is still there to control lamps from a distance. 00:04:47.665 --> 00:04:55.187 But now, as trends have steadily moved back towards overhead lighting, many people seem to hate this idea with a passion. 00:04:55.187 --> 00:05:00.410 Now, when this is implemented poorly, displeasure  with the concept is understandable. 00:05:00.410 --> 00:05:03.909 And implementation is poor with distressing frequency. 00:05:03.909 --> 00:05:09.377 For instance, did you know that duplex receptacles can be split into two halves? 00:05:09.377 --> 00:05:15.921 In my home, every receptacle location with a switched outlet has one side of it hot-at-all-times. 00:05:15.921 --> 00:05:19.154 This is done by breaking this little tab on the receptacle. 00:05:19.154 --> 00:05:26.689 Then, two hot wires are run to the box: one going through the light switch by the door, and the other coming straight from the electrical panel. 00:05:26.689 --> 00:05:32.804 We can now wire the switched hot to one side, and the always-hot to the other side of the same outlet. 00:05:32.804 --> 00:05:38.783 So now you can plug a lamp into the switched side and use the other half for your phone charger or whatever. 00:05:38.783 --> 00:05:44.298 You could even use a splitter like this and still plug two things into the other side. 00:05:44.298 --> 00:05:49.134 But you might have an outlet where both halves are switched at the same time. 00:05:49.134 --> 00:05:56.582 Nice if you happen to want two lamps plugged in at that location, but annoying in literally all other cases. 00:05:56.582 --> 00:06:02.700 If you’re stuck with an outlet like that in an otherwise really convenient location, I get why you would be bothered. 00:06:03.300 --> 00:06:07.596 But when it’s done right, this is actually a very nice thing to have. 00:06:07.596 --> 00:06:12.240 To possibly convince you, I’d like to walk you through some options at your disposal.   00:06:12.240 --> 00:06:16.138 First of all, if you’re annoyed by an outlet like this in your home 00:06:16.138 --> 00:06:21.157 because you keep forgetting it’s on a switch and so plug stuff into it only to find out that it’s dead, 00:06:21.157 --> 00:06:25.149 or worse plug important things into it which you accidentally  switch off, 00:06:25.149 --> 00:06:26.342 here’s an easy way to fix that: 00:06:26.982 --> 00:06:28.145 Go to store. 00:06:28.145 --> 00:06:29.331 Or website! 00:06:29.331 --> 00:06:31.293 Obtain lamp. 00:06:31.293 --> 00:06:33.637 Plug lamp into outlet. 00:06:33.637 --> 00:06:36.486 Now outlet has lamp in it. 00:06:36.486 --> 00:06:38.441 Leave lamp switched on. 00:06:38.441 --> 00:06:40.529 Now light switch does thing! 00:06:40.529 --> 00:06:42.839 Leave lamp plugged in all the time… 00:06:42.839 --> 00:06:44.365 confusion over. 00:06:45.942 --> 00:06:47.210 The heat switched off. 00:06:47.210 --> 00:06:51.218 Seriously. If you don’t truly need that outlet for anything else, 00:06:51.218 --> 00:06:53.610 try using it for what it’s for! 00:06:53.610 --> 00:06:54.850 A lamp! 00:06:54.850 --> 00:07:02.710 There are tons of inexpensive floor lamps and table lamps out there, plenty of which are sleek and don’t take up much space at all. 00:07:02.710 --> 00:07:08.319 Next time you need meatballs swing by the lighting department and a whole $10 will get you this thing. 00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:12.944 Or check out your local thrift store for some cheap and often groovy fare. 00:07:12.944 --> 00:07:17.689 I think you will be surprised at how drastically different your living spaces will feel 00:07:17.689 --> 00:07:22.733 when lit by a floor lamp in the corner instead of a boob light on the ceiling. 00:07:22.733 --> 00:07:25.182 It’s a much calmer atmosphere. 00:07:25.182 --> 00:07:31.568 More and more folks are seeing the benefits of not-overhead lighting, and you can count me among the enlightened. 00:07:31.568 --> 00:07:35.779 Bottom line, if you keep the switched outlet occupied by a lamp, 00:07:35.779 --> 00:07:39.314 not only will you maybe get to use that light switch as intended, 00:07:39.314 --> 00:07:43.065 but you’ll keep yourself from plugging something else into it. 00:07:43.065 --> 00:07:43.800 Win win. 00:07:44.400 --> 00:07:47.016 Now, if you can’t be bothered to get a lamp, 00:07:47.016 --> 00:07:50.907 you can mark that outlet somehow so you know that one is switched. 00:07:50.907 --> 00:07:58.165 And actually, a somewhat common convention is to install outlets that are switched upside-down so they can be identified at a glance. 00:07:59.040 --> 00:08:03.584 It doesn’t work quite as well where we like to install outlets sideways for some reason, 00:08:03.584 --> 00:08:08.214 but anyway you can also get a sharpie and put a dot over the switched outlet, 00:08:08.214 --> 00:08:09.778 or you can cover it with tape, 00:08:09.778 --> 00:08:11.976 or you can get those little covers for babies, 00:08:11.976 --> 00:08:13.680 or you could put tape over the switch, 00:08:13.680 --> 00:08:16.573 or you could get one of those anti-tamper covers and put it over the switch, 00:08:16.573 --> 00:08:19.992 or you could even go so far as to permanently bypass the switch, 00:08:19.992 --> 00:08:24.989 really there are just so many things you could do besides get frustrated over and over again. 00:08:24.989 --> 00:08:27.671 It’s not the switch’s fault you haven’t done that. 00:08:27.671 --> 00:08:31.270 *clears throat* Uh, but what about when things are a bit weird? 00:08:31.270 --> 00:08:39.466 For instance, all too frequently you find that the outlet on a switch just happens to be the one closest to the switch. 00:08:39.983 --> 00:08:44.862 When you see that, you know someone was doing the bare minimum to meet code. 00:08:44.862 --> 00:08:48.911 See, it’s required that every room have a light switch as you enter it. 00:08:48.911 --> 00:08:53.652 That can either control an overhead light or it can go to an outlet to power a lamp. 00:08:53.652 --> 00:08:56.870 But there’s no rule on where that outlet needs to go, 00:08:56.870 --> 00:09:01.176 and when five feet of wire is cheaper than 25 feet, 00:09:01.176 --> 00:09:03.060 well you know which option's gonna get taken. 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:09.032 This can feel particularly silly since pretty  much any lamp will have its own switch, 00:09:09.032 --> 00:09:14.252 and if it’s right there as you enter the room, the switch on the wall doesn’t add much. 00:09:14.252 --> 00:09:22.251 My previous home was like this in the living room and bedrooms, and while the silliness factor didn’t bother me it was fairly limiting. 00:09:22.251 --> 00:09:26.219 I would have much preferred the lamp be in the opposite corner of the room, 00:09:26.219 --> 00:09:29.728 and while extension cords *could* get me there, 00:09:29.728 --> 00:09:34.176 it would be pretty silly to run such a long one along two entire walls along. 00:09:34.176 --> 00:09:38.240 However, even though a situation like that isn’t ideal, 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:41.719 I would still argue the light switch is much easier to use. 00:09:41.719 --> 00:09:45.644 No fumbling in the dark with the lamp or reaching for its cord. 00:09:46.201 --> 00:09:53.195 But what about when you put a lamp on a switched outlet that you also want to control with its own switch? 00:09:54.256 --> 00:09:57.286 Well, I won’t lie - there is the potential for conflict here. 00:09:57.286 --> 00:10:01.270 But how frustrating this is will be in the eye of the beholder. 00:10:01.270 --> 00:10:02.906 For instance, [phone dings] in this bedroom 00:10:02.906 --> 00:10:03.920 don't worry about that 00:10:03.920 --> 00:10:06.575 there is an outlet behind each nightstand. 00:10:06.575 --> 00:10:12.949 Both of them, actually, are split in half so the light switch by the door can control a lamp on both sides. 00:10:12.949 --> 00:10:17.105 So, the bedside lamps can be turned on as you enter the room. 00:10:17.105 --> 00:10:20.717 That’s nice - you don’t have to cross a dark room to turn them on. 00:10:20.717 --> 00:10:21.644 Again - 00:10:21.644 --> 00:10:23.111 that’s the point! 00:10:23.111 --> 00:10:24.703 A remote control for lamps! 00:10:25.458 --> 00:10:31.802 But suppose after you’ve turned them on, you want to settle into bed and then turn them off from there? 00:10:31.802 --> 00:10:34.054 Well, and this might shock you, 00:10:34.054 --> 00:10:35.913 you can still do that! 00:10:35.913 --> 00:10:41.004 However, if in the morning you don’t turn the lamps back on before you get out of bed, 00:10:41.004 --> 00:10:45.537 you might end up in a situation in which the switch by the wall doesn’t work anymore. 00:10:45.537 --> 00:10:48.947 But here’s the thing, and I hate to be the one to break this to you, 00:10:49.380 --> 00:10:51.339 if that happens... 00:10:51.339 --> 00:10:53.030 you did it to yourself. 00:10:53.030 --> 00:10:54.902 I’m not saying this can’t be confusing. 00:10:54.902 --> 00:11:02.106 I myself have been befuddled by a light switch that isn’t doing anything because the lamp it’s controlling is switched off. 00:11:02.106 --> 00:11:05.515 But depending on your circumstances,  this might be really useful. 00:11:05.515 --> 00:11:07.043 Take the bedroom example. 00:11:07.043 --> 00:11:10.410 Turn the lights on as you enter, turn them off when you’re in bed. 00:11:10.410 --> 00:11:15.528 When you wake up, turn them back on from bed and now you can switch them off when you leave the room! 00:11:15.528 --> 00:11:19.740 Then, throughout the day the light switch will serve  to illuminate the room as you come and go. 00:11:20.280 --> 00:11:22.319 I find this really useful! 00:11:22.319 --> 00:11:27.079 But it does require thinking ahead and turning at least one of the lamps back on. 00:11:27.079 --> 00:11:30.861 Which, depending on how early you wake up, you might need to do anyway! 00:11:30.861 --> 00:11:35.663 Personally, I really like the flexibility that switched outlets provide. 00:11:35.663 --> 00:11:42.788 I can rearrange a room and change the lighting to my tastes without tearing walls apart and redoing the electrical work. 00:11:42.788 --> 00:11:49.243 And with properly split outlets, I’m not even losing any utility thanks to splitters like these. 00:11:49.243 --> 00:11:54.862 Now I should address - some of you might  find it funny that I’m OK with outlet splitters 00:11:54.862 --> 00:11:59.990 given that I made a video on how our extension cords are… not great. 00:11:59.990 --> 00:12:03.582 See, splitters don’t introduce those same risks. 00:12:03.582 --> 00:12:09.161 Unless it’s a terrible-quality splitter, it should be able to handle a full 15A just fine. 00:12:09.161 --> 00:12:14.009 Often they’ve got thick brass links in there so they don’t concern me. 00:12:14.009 --> 00:12:19.507 My beef with extension cords is that many are sold which  cannot handle 15A 00:12:19.507 --> 00:12:26.229 and without a built-in fuse to limit them to their rated rating, it’s possible (if unlikely in the grand scheme) 00:12:26.229 --> 00:12:32.173 for the cord to become a problem as the circuit breaker protecting that circuit won’t intervene. 00:12:32.173 --> 00:12:33.601 But I digress. 00:12:33.601 --> 00:12:37.877 I was saying that I really like the flexibility that switched outlets provide. 00:12:37.877 --> 00:12:42.560 When I built-out this room for filming, I ran a separate switched feed throughout. 00:12:42.560 --> 00:12:49.454 I used two-gang boxes for four plugs at each location, and I bought grey receptacles for the switched side. 00:12:49.454 --> 00:12:56.612 The set is powered through the switched leg and so when I  come down here to film I just go *foop* and the set lights up with NO EFFORT. 00:12:56.612 --> 00:12:57.654 There it is. 00:12:57.654 --> 00:13:01.105 I also plug anything that might be hazardous into the grey outlets 00:13:01.105 --> 00:13:05.160 so that I have an extra layer of assurance  I didn’t leave something on that I shouldn’t have. 00:13:05.700 --> 00:13:11.175 I’ve even used dimmer switches on switched outlets - which I’m sure is a terrifying thought to some of you, 00:13:11.175 --> 00:13:16.241 but see, you plug the lamp into it and then you don’t touch it again. 00:13:16.241 --> 00:13:17.744 That’s actually, like... 00:13:17.744 --> 00:13:21.228 it's a big part of my confusion towards the confusion here. 00:13:21.228 --> 00:13:24.942 Yeah, when you move into a new place it takes a while to figure this stuff out. 00:13:24.942 --> 00:13:28.085 But once you do - well now you know! 00:13:28.085 --> 00:13:29.847 When you’re traveling, I get it. 00:13:29.847 --> 00:13:35.025 Especially in a hotel room - it might be really frustrating to plug something in and not have it work. 00:13:35.025 --> 00:13:38.149 It might even get you into a jam if you needed something to charge overnight. 00:13:38.820 --> 00:13:44.629 But now that you know this is a thing, just make sure whatever you’re using is working before you go to bed. 00:13:44.629 --> 00:13:48.300 If it’s not, try another outlet or see if  there’s a light switch that’s turned off. 00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:53.056 Now there are old setups out there which are just flat out bad. 00:13:53.056 --> 00:13:59.244 More than one person has told me their home has a bathroom  where the outlets only have power when the lights are on. 00:13:59.244 --> 00:14:02.100 In other words, the switch interrupts all power to the room. 00:14:03.420 --> 00:14:06.028 I can sort-of see the logic there - 00:14:06.028 --> 00:14:10.731 one might ask what could you do in a bathroom with the lights out that needed power, 00:14:10.731 --> 00:14:15.628 and it provides a bit of reassurance against leaving a curling iron or something turned on. 00:14:15.628 --> 00:14:19.878 But now with rechargeable toothbrushes, razors, and whatnot, 00:14:19.878 --> 00:14:22.260 that scheme is all sorts of inconvenient. 00:14:22.800 --> 00:14:29.694 But the idea of using a light switch to control an outlet so that you can turn on a lamp as you enter a room 00:14:29.694 --> 00:14:32.349 (and indeed turn it off as you leave) 00:14:32.349 --> 00:14:34.021 is pretty good. 00:14:34.021 --> 00:14:38.634 And you, like me, might imagine uses for this outside of simple lamps! 00:14:38.634 --> 00:14:45.135 So yeah, next time you get mad at one of these switched outlets - give some thought to what you could do with it. 00:14:45.135 --> 00:14:47.791 You might just learn to appreciate it. 00:14:48.658 --> 00:14:51.248 ♫ confoundingly smooth jazz ♫ 00:14:53.798 --> 00:14:55.351 I think there’s a mouse in here. 00:14:56.514 --> 00:15:00.875 Anyway, um, I dunno if there’s gonna be bloopers because there weren’t that many screw-ups. 00:15:01.467 --> 00:15:03.747 I didn’t… the camera didn’t stop did it? 00:15:04.706 --> 00:15:07.048 Are you kidding? I did this in 20 minutes? 00:15:07.782 --> 00:15:11.092 Well, you thought this wasn’t No Effort November. 00:15:11.092 --> 00:15:11.980 Guffaw! 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:19.975 But people did really like those light switches wit let you  [mouth stumbles] 00:15:19.975 --> 00:15:23.661 …the light switch by the door can control a lullabehdehbedehbuh 00:15:36.739 --> 00:15:37.974 doobedoobedoobedoobe 00:15:37.974 --> 00:15:39.198 doobedoobedoobedoobe 00:15:39.198 --> 00:15:40.057 doobedoobedoobedoobe 00:15:40.057 --> 00:15:42.796 doobedoobedoobedoobe doobedoobedoobedoobe 00:15:42.796 --> 00:15:46.442 ba dah ba baaaaaaaaa baaaaaaah 00:15:46.442 --> 00:15:49.729 ba de baaa da ba de baaaa 00:15:49.729 --> 00:15:53.819 boo DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA