Power source for switch = outlet, no light!


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Old 07-03-07, 04:54 PM
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Question Power source for switch = outlet, no light!

I wired a light with my power source into the switch coming from an outlet. The outlet is in the middle of the circuit. The wires into the switch are connected as they should be but I encounter 2 probelms 1) the light does not come on even though there is power 2) the fixture has power regardless of the position of the switch (on or off). Any insight on how to resolve this issue would be great!
 
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Old 07-03-07, 05:06 PM
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you are switching the neutral instead of the hot??? you have a lose neutral? you are using a 3-way switch instead of a single pole...you need to tell us how you wired it
 
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Old 07-03-07, 05:07 PM
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Describe what colors wires are connected to what in each location.

Should have black/white/bare coming from receptacle to switch box.

Black from receptacle goes to bottom (brass) screw of switch.

White from receptacle should be wire nutted to white going to light

Black from light should be on top of the switch.

Bare to bare.
 
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Old 07-03-07, 05:15 PM
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WOW! Thanks for the prompt replys!!

I have have a 2 wire (black/white/bare) coming from receptacle to switch box and 2 wire going to the light. I am using a single pole switch.

The black from receptacle goes to bottom (brass) screw of switch.

The white from receptacle is wire nutted to white going to the light.

The black from light is on top of the switch.

Bare is to bare.
 
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Old 07-03-07, 05:21 PM
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Have you tried a different switch?

Can you OHM this switch out?

What about the wires on the receptacle?
 
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Old 07-03-07, 05:29 PM
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I have not tried a different switch, but I will do that now. I need to look at the outlet again and check how it is wired......guess I have some more investigating to do.

This forum rocks. Thanks again!
 
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Old 07-03-07, 05:32 PM
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Was this originally wired as a switch that controlled the receptacle?

Tell us how the wires are connected at the receptacle.
 
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Old 07-04-07, 01:52 PM
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Well, I found the source of my problem.

I traced the feed back to a different receptacle, which turned out be a bit of a bees nest. The neutral was cut off and the hot was pig-talied. It appears that the original installer planned to control the recptcl from the switch, but never finished.

I just killed the wire and cut it out, and ran a new feed to the switch. Took a couple hours, but it is done right and safe!

Your tip on a lose neutral was right on, thanks for all the feedback.

Since I am here, I have another problem! There is wire in my panel that the previous owner seemed to have cut short. They used wire nuts to extend both the hot to the breaker and the neutral to the panel. Is there a way to fix this so that is a little safer (without tearing down walls)? Can I use a crimp and then put a heat shrink seal on it or something???
 
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Old 07-04-07, 02:15 PM
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Originally Posted by aDIYer
.

Since I am here, I have another problem! There is wire in my panel that the previous owner seemed to have cut short. They used wire nuts to extend both the hot to the breaker and the neutral to the panel. Is there a way to fix this so that is a little safer (without tearing down walls)? Can I use a crimp and then put a heat shrink seal on it or something???

This is fine, leave it.
 
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Old 07-04-07, 02:47 PM
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There is nothing unsafe about wire nuts used to extend the wires inside the panel. Leave them alone. If they are loose, replace the wire nuts, but otherwise leave them be.
 
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Old 07-04-07, 03:12 PM
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I am glad you solved your problem. You would have gotten advice much sooner, or even figured it out yourself faster if you have completely measured for power.

Obviously you did NOT have power at the switch or light, despite your assertion that you did. Power means a hot and a neutral. Your testing method was flawed, or you did not interpret the results properly. To test for power measure with a voltmeter or a two wore tester between the hot and neutral wire. Using a proximity tester can be misleading, as can testing between the hot and ground.

Finally, whenever you attempt to extend a circuit or modify it in any way, you need to examine the source wires as far back as possible, in this case at the receptacle supplying power.
 
 

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