Light is always on

I just purchased a house in which one of the ceiling lights is always on. Does this sound like a problem with the switch or perhaps with the ground in the outlet box? Any suggestions appreciated.

 

Sure it could be the switch and alot of other things too . Is this a new house? Did the light ever work correctly? Do you have a switch that does nothing. If you can provide more info I am sure we can help.

 

Unless the light has a pull chain(maybe its broke off) it sounds like a bad switch or a miswired switch. I have never heard of a light being permanent on.

 

The house isn't new. Built in 1970. All the other lights and outlets work just fine. Someone at HD suggested it was a bad switch. I bought a new one, connected the wires in pattern to the old switch, but the light would not turn off and on with the switch. I reversed the wires, and still the same thing. The light stays on. Does it sound like I need an electrician to come take a look?

 

Only if you feel comfortable doing this ...

Turn off the breaker. Disconnect the light from the box and gently pull it down, without disconnecting any wires. Tell us everything you see (all cables, all wires, all connections). Then do the same thing at the switch box. We can then probably figure this out for you.

 

John, at the fixture box, there are 3 wires: cream, black and red. The black is actually 3 black wires crimped together with a silver clamp. The light fixture has a white connected to cream, black to black, and a ground screw painted green. Nothing is attached to the ground screw. The red wire from the outlet box is capped with a little orange cone. On the switch, there are 3 wires: 2 red and 1 white. The switch actually has slots for 4 wires. The red and white are on the top row side-by-side. The other red is on the bottom row.

 

Sounds like a 3way switch. You should have another switch to operate this light somewhere. 2 reds and no blacks at the switch indicates you haven't found the correct switch or there is a 2nd switch.

I am confused as to the connections of the blacks at the light. Are there 2 black wires and the black from the light all crimped together? Is this an exposed connection. It should have a wire nut on it. Could you have meant that there are 3 bare wires crimped together and black and white connected to the light? The capped red was probably for a fan. I think you are in the wrong switch box.

 

Actually, there are 2 blacks crimped together in the outlet box, and the black from the light fixture is taped to this. There is a chance that I could be on the wrong switch, as there is another switch nearby that doesn't work any of the lights or seemingly any of the wall outlets. I will take a much closer look at both switches and see if I find anything.

 

Can't decipher enough from your notes to evaluate the switch issues, but the ceiling light remaining on continuously suggests to me that the switch may have been by-passed; the ceiling fixture may be wired to remain hot at the ceiling box. I have found this situation to occur when someone vacates a home and removes a ceiling fan. They often replace the ceiling fan with a light fixture to "cover the hole", without restoring the wiring to its original condition.
Based upon your description I'd recommend you have a licensed electrician look at the circuit(s).
Appears to me to be about a one hour job for a qualified professional.

 

Someone else mentioned the wiring being continuously hot at the ceiling. After messing with it a little more yesterday, I too decided it was best if I had an electrician take a look at it, lest I should short-out the entire house or, worse, burn it to the ground. Thanks to everybody for their help and input.