Help with circut breaker and light switches


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Old 06-20-21, 09:47 PM
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Help with circut breaker and light switches

I was replacing a light dual light switch for the middle switch of a row of three switches. (Photos attached). I made a mistake when connecting the wires and when I turned my circuit breaker back on it tripped the circuit. I fixed the wires correctly but now only some of the light switches attached to that circuit work. Of the 3 switches in the row only one works and the other two do not and one of the outlets attached to that circuit does not work. The other lights and outlets attached to that same circuit work (there are 2 more lights and one more outlet and they work)
I have replaced all of the light switches with new ones just in case it was the switch affected and did not help.
Any idea if it's that circuit or what is going on? Hopefully w/o having to call an electrician.
I have attached photos of the circuit breaker panel and the light switches I am referring to.

Thank you.


 
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Old 06-21-21, 02:45 AM
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If the setup was working originally (that is before the switch you wanted to replace supposedly failed) and now does not since you replaced the switch then it seems you have missed wired something. Without seeing the wires in the box it is hard for me (us) to give you any help here except obvious things

You may not have connected the power coming into the box to all three switches.
You may have while rewiring the new switch loosened a wire/s in a wire nut and now lost continuity of power to the other two switches (and receptacle).

Each switch must have power going to it. That would be the first thing to check.

Are you absolutely sure that this 3 gang box only has one circuit in it? It is possible for it to have more than one.

Again, a clear picture of the wires and switches (don't remove any wires from the switches or wire nuts) will help us help you more.

 
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Old 06-21-21, 06:40 PM
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The only switch i replaced was the one in the middle. It was working but there was a short in the switch because i had to wiggle it for the light to come and stay on. I did not replace the other two switches on the ends. They all worked before. When i replaced the one in the middle, i misconnected two of the wires, when i turned the breaker back on, it sparked and tripped that circuit breaker, and then that's when the other switches stopped working. the far right one still works, as does the light switch in my laundry room, my sunroom, and my small utility room; all of which are on the same circuit. The only ones that stopped working on that circuit are the two switches in the photo and an outlet on the outside of my house, all of which are on the same circuit. The one light switch on the right that no longer works i never replaced or disconnected the wires.

I am not sure if the 3 gang box only has one circuit in it. I have never removed the entire circuit breaker and honestly, i am leary in doing so since i am not much of an electrition as i found out lol
 
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Old 06-21-21, 07:01 PM
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The old switch was intermittent..... not shorting. Shorting means to create sparks.
Those dual switches have a lot crammed in a small package and go intermittent often.

You wouldn't get a spark/short on a switch by miswiring it unless there are two circuits involved.
Those switches come with a common hot side terminal tie so that one hot wire can run both switches. You need to make sure the clip is used (only one hot wire) or the clips gets removed (two hot wires).
How many wires are on the switch ?
 
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Old 06-21-21, 09:24 PM
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There are actually 4 wires attached to each switch. (photo attached) one on the left side and three on the right side. As you can tell the contractor who built the house 30 years ago did not color code the wires lol.

The problem is not the wiring...anymore, but that they don't work at all now. the wires are attached correctly now, but again, the two switches on the left do not work (i never messed with the far left one at all so it's as it
always has been), but the far right one does. I think it's an issue with the circuit breaker maybe? And if so why would some of the outlets attached to that breaker work and others would not?



 

Last edited by PJmax; 06-22-21 at 08:20 AM. Reason: resized/enhanced pics
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Old 06-22-21, 02:22 AM
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I'm sorry to say StPatrick but from what I am seeing in your recent photo of the wiring of the middle switch - it is not correct. Just a quick glance I see that you have a current carrying conductor/wire on the ground screw (green screw with black wire) and you have a bare copper wire on the bottom screw being used as a current carrying conductor/wire which is not only against code but very dangerous. I can't tell what the wiring is on the left side of the switch as the picture is blurry but it looks as though you have a black wire attached to the top screw and the tab is in tack. Other than that I have no idea where the wires are coming from to that middle switch.
 
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Old 06-22-21, 08:24 AM
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At the very least...... the bare wire that is now on the bottom terminal should be on the center/green terminal. I would move the wire that is currently on the center terminal to the bottom terminal.

The hot side clip is in place and both switches share a common hot.
 
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Old 06-23-21, 12:46 PM
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Yeah i am going ot have to break down and call an electrition i think. The wire attached to the left side of the middle switch is not even connected to anything lol. It's a cut wire inside the wall lol.
Thanks for everyone's help
 
 

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