Mystery Wire


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Old 07-31-11, 09:56 AM
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Question Mystery Wire

While removing a pair of wall mounted outside lights (wired in series) above a door I discovered that one of the lights is also wired to a line going into the house (not the feed line). I disconnected it, it's not hot, and I checked all the outlets and lights in the house. Everything is working. I put a meter to it and it reads open. The house is 50+ years old and before I owned it my parents owned it and had done extensive remodling. It is possible that at one time this line was ganged with the door light switch to turn on other outside lights at the same time.........or a myriad of other possibilities.

Since this line reads open and it's not hot would it be safe to cut it flush and stuff it back in its hole?

Is there anything else I can do to verify it's a dead line?

thanks

Syb
 
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Old 07-31-11, 10:02 AM
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While removing a pair of wall mounted outside lights (wired in series)
Lights are never wired in series. I believe you mean "daisy chained" in parallel. Does power come in at the switch or light? If it comes in at the light that could be a cable to a receptacle. Are there any dead receptacles?
 
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Old 07-31-11, 10:08 AM
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Power comes in via a switch so whatever that line went to wouldn't be coming on unless that switch/those lights were on,...... I think. Sorry, no, there are no dead recepticles
 
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Old 07-31-11, 10:24 AM
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It probably fed some outside lights at one time.
 
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Old 07-31-11, 10:54 AM
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Figured it out. Put a meter on the line coming out of the wall except this time threw the light switch..........viola! Short.

The power source and light switch were tied together at the light.

Thanks all
 
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Old 07-31-11, 12:30 PM
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Originally Posted by sybaris
Figured it out. Put a meter on the line coming out of the wall except this time threw the light switch..........viola! Short.

The power source and light switch were tied together at the light.

Thanks all
But I asked and you said: the power source was at the switch.
Power comes in via a switch
A good rule is look at both the switch and the light. If the switch has the black and white on it* then power is probably at the light. If there are two or more whites tied together at the switch power is probably at the switch.

*Assumes cable not conduit.
 
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Old 07-31-11, 06:50 PM
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What does a viola have to do with anything?
 
 

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