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Small wiring puzzle Aaron Fude 05-10-2008
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Posted by Aaron Fude on May 10, 2008, 7:15 pm
I'm sure you guys will crack it instantly.

I'm replacing a light and the switch that controlled it. I removed the
switch first. The switch connected a black and a white wire that came
in the same sheath. The white one was hot. (I know that sometimes this
means something, but what?)

Then when I removed the light I discovered that it, too, had a black
and a white wire connected to it, and the black one is hot. Now that
the light is disconnected, the black whire is still hot, but the wire
that used to be connected to the switch is now dead.

There are no other wires in either electrical box.

I'm racking by brain, but can't figure out how everything was
connected.

Many thanks in advance!

Aaron

Posted by Speedy Jim on May 10, 2008, 7:38 pm
Aaron Fude wrote:
> I'm sure you guys will crack it instantly.
>
> I'm replacing a light and the switch that controlled it. I removed the
> switch first. The switch connected a black and a white wire that came
> in the same sheath. The white one was hot. (I know that sometimes this
> means something, but what?)
>
> Then when I removed the light I discovered that it, too, had a black
> and a white wire connected to it, and the black one is hot. Now that
> the light is disconnected, the black whire is still hot, but the wire
> that used to be connected to the switch is now dead.
>
> There are no other wires in either electrical box.
>
> I'm racking by brain, but can't figure out how everything was
> connected.
>
> Many thanks in advance!
>
> Aaron

As I see it:
The switch was (improperly) wired into the Neutral side of the Line.


splice
Neutral ___________0 sw 0_________X_________0 light 0_____Hot
Bk Wh Wh Bk


It may not be possible to correct the mistake without opening walls, etc.

Jim

Posted by Nate Nagel on May 10, 2008, 8:34 pm
Speedy Jim wrote:
> Aaron Fude wrote:
>
>> I'm sure you guys will crack it instantly.
>>
>> I'm replacing a light and the switch that controlled it. I removed the
>> switch first. The switch connected a black and a white wire that came
>> in the same sheath. The white one was hot. (I know that sometimes this
>> means something, but what?)
>>
>> Then when I removed the light I discovered that it, too, had a black
>> and a white wire connected to it, and the black one is hot. Now that
>> the light is disconnected, the black whire is still hot, but the wire
>> that used to be connected to the switch is now dead.
>>
>> There are no other wires in either electrical box.
>>
>> I'm racking by brain, but can't figure out how everything was
>> connected.
>>
>> Many thanks in advance!
>>
>> Aaron
>
>
> As I see it:
> The switch was (improperly) wired into the Neutral side of the Line.
>
>
> splice
> Neutral ___________0 sw 0_________X_________0 light 0_____Hot
> Bk Wh Wh Bk
>
>
> It may not be possible to correct the mistake without opening walls, etc.
>
> Jim

If it's a switch leg, it ought to be able to be fixed without busting
anything open.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

Posted by metspitzer on May 10, 2008, 8:25 pm
On Sat, 10 May 2008 16:15:26 -0700 (PDT), Aaron Fude

>I'm sure you guys will crack it instantly.
>
>I'm replacing a light and the switch that controlled it. I removed the
>switch first. The switch connected a black and a white wire that came
>in the same sheath. The white one was hot. (I know that sometimes this
>means something, but what?)
>
>Then when I removed the light I discovered that it, too, had a black
>and a white wire connected to it, and the black one is hot. Now that
>the light is disconnected, the black whire is still hot, but the wire
>that used to be connected to the switch is now dead.
>
>There are no other wires in either electrical box.
>
>I'm racking by brain, but can't figure out how everything was
>connected.
>
>Many thanks in advance!
>
>Aaron

The two wires at the switch go on the two terminals on the switch.
At the light, black to black and white to white.

You can put some tape on the white wire at the switch but it works
fine without it.


Posted by metspitzer on May 10, 2008, 9:31 pm
wrote:

>On Sat, 10 May 2008 16:15:26 -0700 (PDT), Aaron Fude
>
>>I'm sure you guys will crack it instantly.
>>
>>I'm replacing a light and the switch that controlled it. I removed the
>>switch first. The switch connected a black and a white wire that came
>>in the same sheath. The white one was hot. (I know that sometimes this
>>means something, but what?)
>>
>>Then when I removed the light I discovered that it, too, had a black
>>and a white wire connected to it, and the black one is hot. Now that
>>the light is disconnected, the black whire is still hot, but the wire
>>that used to be connected to the switch is now dead.
>>
>>There are no other wires in either electrical box.
>>
>>I'm racking by brain, but can't figure out how everything was
>>connected.
>>
>>Many thanks in advance!
>>
>>Aaron
>
>The two wires at the switch go on the two terminals on the switch.
>At the light, black to black and white to white.
>
>You can put some tape on the white wire at the switch but it works
>fine without it.


If you put the tester down and just look at what you have, you can't
really go wrong.


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