intermittent light and outlet off and on


  #1  
Old 04-07-08, 07:27 PM
C
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
intermittent light and outlet off and on

I have a troubling issue. My bathroom has an overhead light with a switch on the wall and a double outlet with ground. it worked well for a while, the light switch independent of the outlets. once in a while my light will go out and i thought it was the bulb that burnt out. changed the bulb and still no light. now i find that the outlet has no power. other items on the same circuit are working properly. I happen to lightly tap on the wall where the outlet and switch are and the light came back on. Now the light is off again. I tested the outlet and commercial electric VAC/DC 220/110 tester shows power at the outlet only when i touch the small prong and the ground. when i check both large prong and small prong i get no power indicator. ? Could i have a loose ground or power connection in the wall somewhere. This bathroom was a remodeling job a few years ago and all was ok until now.
 
  #2  
Old 04-07-08, 08:13 PM
F
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: NE Wis / Paris France{ In France for now }
Posts: 4,364
Upvotes: 0
Received 2 Upvotes on 2 Posts
sound more like you got a loose connection somewhere in the switch / recpectale box turn off the breaker for that bathroom and test it to make sure the power is off then go ahead and take the devices out and wiggle the wires you should see a loose connection tighten them down if you have backwired GFCI repectale just tighten them down unless you see a discolour there then replace it [ it dont pay to retighen them down if you see discolour there it will cause more issue down the road ]

once you get them tighten them down it should work fine after that.

Merci,Marc
 
  #3  
Old 04-08-08, 05:40 PM
Sthrnamp's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Mid TN
Posts: 177
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
curse the back stabs

It seems you may be having the same problem that most homeowners will be facing or are facing already. Backstabs on devices. You probably have 3 wires coming into the switch box (assuming recently wired) 2 serving as your hots for the circuit, and one being a switch leg. the switch leg is on one side of the switch and the two hots will be one the other. A lot of times lazy electricians will not make joints on the hots because you can put one around the screw and one stabbed in the back. I would say your problem is either there or backstabs on the recep below it. If it is oin the recep below the switch i would think it to be on the neutral (white) wire. in any case. remove all backstabs and make necessary joints and re install only using the screws.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: