Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans - Please Help!
Doityourself.com community forum was created to provide answers to all questions related to home improvement and home repair. Doityourself community can help you find information about how-to topics on small fixes to large remodeling projects. With comprehensive how-to content and expertly moderated community forums DoItYourself.com makes it easy to tackle even the most complex home improvement projects.View Full Version : Please Help!
Jarsh
02-21-09, 08:58 PM
If anyone could please help me with this screwup, I'd greatly appreciate it...
Tonight my room mate and I were watching TV when she asked if I could somehow figure out what a light switch on our wall was for. We live in a basement apartment in a close to 100 year old home, so unused switches and mystery receptacles aren't uncommon. This particular switch has never seemed to do anything in the past.
I removed the switch cover and unfastened the switch from its' box to see if the switch even had wires run to it (like I said, old house, nothing surprises us here). This may have proved to be a stupid decision.
As I gently moved the switch aside to see if wires were connected, it sparked and immediately all the lights on its' circuit (ceiling light in room, light above kitchen, and outside light) all went out. I checked the breaker panel and the switch hadn't been tripped, so I'm sitting here scratching my head.
Does anyone know what may have happened and how I can potentially fix it?
Tonight my room mate and I were watching TV when she asked if I could somehow figure out what a light switch on our wall was for. We live in a basement apartment in a close to 100 year old home, so unused switches and mystery receptacles aren't uncommon. This particular switch has never seemed to do anything in the past.
I removed the switch cover and unfastened the switch from its' box to see if the switch even had wires run to it (like I said, old house, nothing surprises us here). This may have proved to be a stupid decision.
As I gently moved the switch aside to see if wires were connected, it sparked and immediately all the lights on its' circuit (ceiling light in room, light above kitchen, and outside light) all went out. I checked the breaker panel and the switch hadn't been tripped, so I'm sitting here scratching my head.
Does anyone know what may have happened and how I can potentially fix it?
John Nelson
02-21-09, 09:36 PM
Circuit connections are often made in switch boxes. The solution to your problem is to carefully remake the existing connections, using new wire nuts and a new switch (after shutting off the breaker).
Do this very carefully, very slowly and one connection at a time. Make sure the new switch is an exact replacement.
This should fix your problem. But it is possible that your actions damaged something else on the circuit, but let's hope not (for now).
Are you 100% sure the breaker isn't tripped? You cannot always tell by visual inspection. Shut it off and turn it back on again. If you're not sure which breaker, shut them all off and back on (and then go reset all your digital clocks).
Do this very carefully, very slowly and one connection at a time. Make sure the new switch is an exact replacement.
This should fix your problem. But it is possible that your actions damaged something else on the circuit, but let's hope not (for now).
Are you 100% sure the breaker isn't tripped? You cannot always tell by visual inspection. Shut it off and turn it back on again. If you're not sure which breaker, shut them all off and back on (and then go reset all your digital clocks).