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Posted by John Grabowski on May 14, 2008, 7:02 pm
> Update,
>
> I pulled out the sensor the bulb was screwed into and checked the
> wires again.
>
> Open between all, thought it was fixed.
>
> Hooked circuit back up to switch in house and turned on.
>
> Immediately blew breaker.
>
> With the breaker off and the wires to the switch still connected to
> pole,(in Junction box in cellar), I tested circuit again and black to
> copper was open but white to copper now had a reading back up the
> circuit to the switch.
*That may be normal as the white and bare are bonded in your main panel.
>
> I took a extension cord and put the wires from the pole in it and
> plugged it in and the light came on and worked fine.
>
> I must also mention that the switch for this thing gets it's power
> from a row of 4 switches near my front door.
>
> There are 4 switches the pole one being the last in line.
>
> They are wired as follows,
>
> The switches all have the black wire to them and the bare copper then
> in the switch box the white wires are all twisted together, none of
> the white goes to the switches.
>
"As far as I can tell, even though it seems unlikely is the wires from the
pole switch to the cellar jct box must be shorted."
*Remove all of the switches from the box, but do not disconnect the wires.
Turn on the circuit and see what happens. I've seen it happen a couple of
times over the years where a short between the bare and a switch contact
happens. I don't know why, but I surmise that they were in close proximity
from the original installation and over time vibration and building movement
caused them to make contact. The front door location is subject to a lot of
vibration from the door opening and closing.
>
> Note also I can turn the pole switch on and off as long as it is
> disconnected from the pole light wires in the JCT box in the cellar
> with no problem.
*That is contrary to your above statement (In quotes). You need to pin it
down. Does the feed for the circuit come into the junction box or are those
wires just a continuation from the four gang switch box?
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