Al I can tell you that many inspectors might agree with you but this has been brought up at many a meeting with inspectors and contractors and the ruling was a switch is not an outlet. I will try and remember to ask at our state meeting in Raleigh this year-- we usually have 7 or so cmp members attend.
Hi Dennis. It's all well and good to simply ask, or poll, is a switch an outlet straight out. We've done that here.
I believe the real underlying issue is the highly entrenched electrical meme that "
a switch is not an outlet because it doesn't use power". This meme is so far from the definition of Outlet that re-education of the words in the definitions is indicated -- especially "Outlet" and what it is. If "using power" is a requirement for a switch to be an outlet, then a receptacle outlet cannot be an Outlet because it, too, does not use power. Again, the definition of Outlet concerns current only. Not power.
The members and moderators of the Forum have been engaging with me, and others holding my perspective, and have held forth in exchange of ideas and beliefs. I believe more exchange of understanding of the Code language is needed with more and more people.