livingroom lighting went out


  #1  
Old 08-13-08, 07:27 PM
O
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 5
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
livingroom lighting went out

This is a 1980 TW, and the switch box has red, white, black and ground wire.

my old switch used to connect w/ red and black. And it used to work fine till two weeks ago. So I checked, that red to black only has 89 volt, NOT 120. I wonder if this is low voltage problem. I did not overload the wires, at least I dont think so, I did not do anything different for the past two weeks for sure.

here is other spec about these wires:
white to black, 123 volt
black to ground 123 - 124 volt
red to black 89 volt
red to ground, white to groud are both 0 volt

I wonder if I can use the wire connect to the black since it is 123 volt, but the orginal way was using red to black.

Thanks so much for the help!
ice
 

Last edited by oxice; 08-13-08 at 07:47 PM.
  #2  
Old 08-14-08, 06:56 AM
pcboss's Avatar
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Maryland
Posts: 13,976
Received 194 Upvotes on 170 Posts
Not sure what a 1980 TW is.

However I think your testing is flawed. Have you checked the bulb? What does the switch control? Have you replaced the switch?

NO!! you cannot use the ground as a current carrying conductor.
 
  #3  
Old 08-14-08, 07:15 AM
O
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 5
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
thanks for the reply

1980 tw is 1980 townhouse. I have not replace the switch control yet which I will do today.

I miss typed my last line for org post. I mean to ask if I can use the white to black instead of red to black with the new switch.

also, will 89 volt able to light up the 120v light bolb?
 
  #4  
Old 08-14-08, 07:41 AM
pcboss's Avatar
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Maryland
Posts: 13,976
Received 194 Upvotes on 170 Posts
No you cannot use the white and black. To do so would create a dead short and trip the breaker.
 
  #5  
Old 08-14-08, 09:06 AM
O
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 5
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
but the red - black only provide 89 volt, not 120 volt, I have tried "red - black" w/ a new switch, and I ground the green from dimmer also. but lights werent turned on with switch.

Is there anything I need to troubleshoot?
Thanks
 
  #6  
Old 08-14-08, 09:48 AM
pcboss's Avatar
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Maryland
Posts: 13,976
Received 194 Upvotes on 170 Posts
Are you sure the bulb is good?

Can you check for voltage at the socket? Test between the center tab and the screw shell with the switch on.
 
  #7  
Old 08-14-08, 10:47 AM
O
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 5
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
"Can you check for voltage at the socket? "
which socket are you talking about?

the socket below the switch, (not controlling by switch though) , the white to black on the switch box is also 120 volts, just the red wire to black wire is below 120 volts. it is 89 volts

i have not test all switches in the house yet. I am not sure if the bulb is good or not, since the lighting came from ikea 2 yrs ago. I need to change the lighting to find out if that works. So i have not gone that far yet

i think bulb should be good still, since i do have light blink on and off sometime ago. Even last night, it blinked once again if i leave my switch on. Sound like losen wire? But I didnt touch the lighting in livingroom for two years. I dont want to knock holes yet to find out where the wires goes to if i dont have to.

So will 89 volt be ok to light the bulb, but it is not low voltage problem?
 
  #8  
Old 08-14-08, 11:13 AM
pcboss's Avatar
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Maryland
Posts: 13,976
Received 194 Upvotes on 170 Posts
If the light blinks with the switch on it sounds like a loose connection at the switch. Move your connections to the screw terminals on the side of the switch. Make a clockwise loop around the screw and tighten the screw.

The socket I was talking about was the bulb socket at the fixture.
 
  #9  
Old 08-15-08, 07:11 AM
O
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 5
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
weekend is coming, will check on the light socket. thanks so much for ur instant replies
 
  #10  
Old 08-15-08, 07:32 AM
pcboss's Avatar
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Maryland
Posts: 13,976
Received 194 Upvotes on 170 Posts
You are welcome. Hoping you get this fixed.
 
 

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