Hi guys,

I'm a newbie, however i did browse the forums to try to find an answer to my question before posting again.

I didn't find what i was looking for so here it goes.

I replaced my old razor plug in the bathroom with a GFCI receptacle. Right off the bat, the plug worked fine. However the light in the bathroom remained on even though the switch was off. When i turned on the switch the breaker jumped in the basement. I've believe i've exhausted my wiring possibilities but I still can't fiqure it out.

The box where the receptacle goes has 2 cables entering it. The 1st cable which i determined to be the "line" has a black,red, and white wire. The black is live all the time. The second cable (the "load") has only a black and white wire.

The light switch also has a black and white wire so im assuming the black and white wires going to the switch are coming from the actual light ficture and not the box.

So thats a light ficture, GFCI receptacle, and light switch.

Please help!!! thanks.

 

Any time somebody reports the following two symptoms, and it happens a lot, we know that we have a miswired switch loop:

1) The fixture is on when the switch is off.
2) The breaker trips when the switch is turned on.

The problem with a switch loop is that not all white wires are neutrals. And it is always a mistake to connect all wires of the same color, which is clearly what you did. You probably didn't notice that all wires of the same color were not previously connected together.

When a switch loop is involved, you need to connect the power supply black wire to the white wire going to the switch. Neither of these wires attaches to the fixture in any way at the fixture.

If you need more details, please provide more details, especially any details about how things were connected before you messed with it.

I am, however, somewhat concerned about the red wire. This might be a multiwire circuit. Is the breaker that turns this off a double-pole breaker? Can you provide any more information about the red wire?

 

All i can tell you about the red wire is that it never seems to have power. Originally it was pigtailed with the live black wire and the black wire from the transister (razor plug).

I couldn't tell you what a doubled poled breaker is right now. I wil look that up. Thanks

 

A double-pole breaker is twice as wide as a regular breaker. All you really need to do is tell me how wide the breaker is.

 

Hi,

The breaker is approx. 3/4". I thinking that it's not a double poll breaker.

thanks

 

I did just what you said and placed the Black hot wire to the white wire.

So...

I pigtailed the red wire from line cable to black wire from load (wire to switch).

I pigtailed the black wire from line cable to white wire from load (wire to switch). Also pigtailed a separeate wire to receptacle.

White wire from line cable went directly to white load on receptacle.

Also the solution was to pigtail the wires and NOT use the load screws on the back of the receptacle.

Sorry if this is not clear but helped me understand by writing it out.

Thanks John for your help and im guessing a little patience too for us newbies.

Until next time.....take care!

 

Glad I could help.

Just a note to help you sound like a pro. Don't use the word "pigtail" when you refer to connecting wires. When you are connecting wires, you are merely connecting wires. You are not pigtailing. A pigtail is something else.