Bathroom lights out
#1
06-28-20, 09:15 AM
Bathroom lights out
Bathroom vanity light and ceiling light on same circuit both went out after years. Breaker is fine and reset and getting power. Changed switch and both fixtures but no lights. Tester beeps on both fixtures when switch is on. I’m stumped...
Any help would be really appreciated!
Any help would be really appreciated!
#2
06-28-20, 09:34 AM
Group Moderator
A non-contact tester will beep if there is power there but will not tell you if there is an open neutral. You need to use a voltmeter and check if you have 120 volts between hot (black) and neutral (white) at the light. If not then you have to start working backward until you find the loose connection.
Have you changed any switches or receptacles recently?
Have you changed any switches or receptacles recently?
N3V3R D0N3
voted this post useful.
#4
06-28-20, 05:29 PM
Hi, thanks for the advice. No, I haven’t done anything in that bathroom until the lights went out. Then I changed both light fixtures, the switch and the gfi outlet also, even though not on same circuit.
#8
07-12-20, 03:24 AM
Fixed the problem!
The neutral wire in an outlet in the adjacent bedroom was not making contact.
the electrician who wired the house had the wiring so tight he had to use the push in connections instead of the nuts.
I pushed all the wires in tight and the bathroom lights worked again!
thanks to all who replied to help me!!!
the electrician who wired the house had the wiring so tight he had to use the push in connections instead of the nuts.
I pushed all the wires in tight and the bathroom lights worked again!
thanks to all who replied to help me!!!
N3V3R D0N3
voted this post useful.
#9
07-12-20, 04:44 AM
I pushed all the wires in tight and the bathroom lights worked again!
If it were me, I would wire-nut on a 4" pigtail to the white/black wires in this box and connect them to the screw terminals. It's not necessarily something you need to do immediately, but those push-in connectors are definitely unreliable over time.
N3V3R D0N3
voted this post useful.
#11
07-14-20, 01:15 PM
Member
Hi ksmi4429,
Your solved problem sounds so similar to an issue we're having - bathroom used to receive power, but now does not. Not on the outlet nor the light switch, nor the fan/heater/light fixture in the ceiling.
Can I ask how you found the loose neutral? did you have to check all the outlets in your walls for the loose wire? how did you know to check the adjacent bedroom? I should probably do that, too. Thanks!
Your solved problem sounds so similar to an issue we're having - bathroom used to receive power, but now does not. Not on the outlet nor the light switch, nor the fan/heater/light fixture in the ceiling.
Can I ask how you found the loose neutral? did you have to check all the outlets in your walls for the loose wire? how did you know to check the adjacent bedroom? I should probably do that, too. Thanks!
#12
07-14-20, 01:46 PM
Member
Hi N3V3R, Is it just the bathroom that is effected ? if so remove the devices in the bathroom and see if there are any loose connections , any conductors that are back stabbed into the outlets should be attached to the screw terminals.
Geo
Geo
N3V3R D0N3
voted this post useful.
#13
07-14-20, 02:25 PM
Member
Geochurchi - yes, it's the bathroom that is solely affected. we have a light fixture over the sinks that I install years ago when we had power and there is an old fan/heater/light fixture in the ceiling. I'll check them both next in my troubleshooting process. Thank you.
I went through most of the adjacent bedroom's outlets and checked for loose white wires. None. They're all the old 'back-stabbed' variety. So you're suggesting that in the bathroom, I should remove those backstabbed wires and re-install them to the screw terminals? I suppose I could do that. Thanks!
I went through most of the adjacent bedroom's outlets and checked for loose white wires. None. They're all the old 'back-stabbed' variety. So you're suggesting that in the bathroom, I should remove those backstabbed wires and re-install them to the screw terminals? I suppose I could do that. Thanks!
#14
07-14-20, 04:20 PM
Member
Yes, change everything to the screw terminals, if it’s just the bathroom are sure the circuit breaker isn’t the issue, is this an intermittent problem?
Geo
Geo
N3V3R D0N3
voted this post useful.
#15
07-14-20, 06:01 PM
Member
Geochurchi, yes, the power failures used to be an intermittent occurrence, but at some point, the bathroom completely lost power. I test each circuit breaker with a voltage tester (red on the breaker, black on the neutral bar). They all seemed good to me.
#16
07-14-20, 06:41 PM
Member
OK, looks like you will need to go to each device, even anything in the general location, does that bathroom have a GFCI receptacle? if so check it first.
Geo
Geo
