Boneyard electricians?

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

So a bit of an issue here. Earlier today I took out a light switch and covered it with a flat outlet cover. I wrapped the wires around the bolts that had been on the switch and taped them up. Cue to 5 minutes ago and I try to a switch on A light in a nearby area of the house and nothing. Also one outlet in a nearby room no longer functioning.

Coincidence? What’s the deal?

 

[ClifSpliffy]

The exterior light over our front door works “sometimes.” There’s another light switch to nowhere in the living room. The house had two true owners before us. One for 30 years and one for 50 years. House went to moderate crap after the most recent owner and was then bought by a flipper then us. The listing boasted “upgraded electrical.” Sureeee

'no one you see, is smarter than he?' that's a crock. that fish can't even hold a screwdriver, so that was your first mistake. 'lives in a world full of wonder?' he was prolly drunk, too.

 

[Jaker]

So a bit of an issue here. Earlier today I took out a light switch and covered it with a flat outlet cover. I wrapped the wires around the bolts that had been on the switch and taped them up. Cue to 5 minutes ago and I try to a switch on A light in a nearby area of the house and nothing. Also one outlet in a nearby room no longer functioning.

Coincidence? What’s the deal?

Why did you feel the need to jump out the switch in the first place??

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Why did you feel the need to jump out the switch in the first place??

The switch that was there actually broke off. Tried to put in a new switch. Didn’t work. It’s a 3 way switch at the bottom of the stairs and there’s another switch at the top. Wife didn’t see the point and wanted to cover the eyesore

 

[uconnfan68]

The exterior light over our front door works “sometimes.” There’s another light switch to nowhere in the living room. The house had two true owners before us. One for 30 years and one for 50 years. House went to moderate crap after the most recent owner and was then bought by a flipper then us. The listing boasted “upgraded electrical.” Sureeee

Check the outlets nearby that living room switch. Chances are that switch controls half of a duplex plug. Took us a while to figure that out.

 

[NJHusky]

The problem with replacing 3 way switches is you need to know which is the common terminal and which terminals are NO/NC.

My father-in-law had tape over one of the 3 way switches “otherwise the other switch didn’t work”. It took 2 min with a meter to figure out which leads were hot and which were switched and rewire it properly.

Get someone that knows what’s going on. With a 3 way you have switched and hot leads

 

[NJHusky]

If you know someone before you did some home electrical work, hire an electrician to do it right and safe.

A few years ago we repainted the kitchen and I had to redo all the outlets and switches. I worked aircraft electrical systems for 20 years. The main kitchen light has two switches. I replaced them both with exactly same type of switch and swapped wires one at a time. Only one switch works correctly now. The second switch can only turn off lights if the first switch is on. If first switch is off, the second can't turn it on.
My father in law is a general contractor for custom homes in Phoenix. He laughed at me and took me to home improvement stores and got the right switches. He swapped everything out to the "correct" leads and terminal lugs. Proud of his work, he tried it out. Same thing as me. Second switch doesn't work correctly.
Owner before me did something. I'm just too proud to call. So, until we sell our home, it is as it is

It’s wired wrong. Plain and simple. Changing Wires one at a time if u haven’t identified which is the common and which is NC/NO on each switch is meaningless.

 

[intlzncster]

Well, on the bright side if you want to remove that switch, it's rather easy.

First, get a couple of wirenuts (we called them scotchloks when I worked for my dad in CT.)

Take the two wires under one nut and twist them together with insulated pliers and put a wirenut on the twist and twist it down tight. Take the other single wire and twist a wirenut tight over that.

Problem solved.

Don't forget to wrap the nut and cords fully with electrical tape afterwards.

@Dream Jobbed 2.0 you might want to have your electrical given a once over by a master electrician. Sounds like there's a few things 'off' behind the walls; you've no idea what else was jerry-rigged together. Relatively small investment in time and money for piece of mind. Can't hurt.

 

[Fishy]

No, really, call an electrician.

 

[mussels]

Idk if I would rather get medical or electrician advice from the BY

Probably better off going with the medical advice, since if things don't improve you're likely to eventually see a real doctor. Once you've burned down the house you're pretty much beat.

 

[Platt81]

So since no one has chimed in as an actual electrician, I will throw it out there I have my own electrical business. I live in Newtown, so anywhere Waterbury(ish) and south if anyone ever has anything they need looked at I would gladly come look at and give a Husky discount to.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

So since no one has chimed in as an actual electrician, I will throw it out there I have my own electrical business. I live in Newtown, so anywhere Waterbury(ish) and south if anyone ever has anything they need looked at I would gladly come look at and give a Husky discount to.

Ah. Up in Manchester

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

@Dream Jobbed 2.0 you might want to have your electrical given a once over by a master electrician. Sounds like there's a few things 'off' behind the walls; you've no idea what else was jerry-rigged together. Relatively small investment in time and money for piece of mind. Can't hurt.

Might even save a life or more

 

[jleves]

No, really, call an electrician.

Totally agree - don't do anything I said. Hire a certified electrician. (after thinking about it, I thought of about 3 different ways this could be connected.)

 

[methodology]

The exterior light over our front door works “sometimes.” There’s another light switch to nowhere in the living room. The house had two true owners before us. One for 30 years and one for 50 years. House went to moderate crap after the most recent owner and was then bought by a flipper then us. The listing boasted “upgraded electrical.” Sureeee

They probably upgraded the box from 100 amp. So if that was the case the electrical was updated (about 3k upgrade)

 

[Rocktheworld]

Probably better of going with the medical advice, since if things don't improve you're likely to eventually see a real doctor. Once you've burned down the house you're pretty much beat.

Lol exactly

 

[HuskyHawk]

No, really, call an electrician.

Agree. I do light plumbing all the time, but I do not mess around with electrical beyond a straight replacement of a switch. Better safe than sorry.

 

[uconnfan68]

Agree. I do light plumbing all the time, but I do not mess around with electrical beyond a straight replacement of a switch. Better safe than sorry.

Plumbing? What could go wrong?

 

[huskiesNhoos]

I do a decent bit of electrical work on larger manufacturing equipment even though background is ME, and I learned that if I don't know how to wire something I sure as hell don't try and mess with it.

Take fishy's advice...call an electrician. Too many people out there that watched a YouTube video and think they're an expert

 

[HuskyHawk]

Plumbing? What could go wrong?

You get wet. Instead of electrocuted. Faucets and Toilets are easy.

 

[WillB4]

Yes! Which I thought was weird but I honestly have no idea about this stuff

Let's see, your quote, "I have no idea about this stuff". Yet you dive into it. Did you at least turn off the breaker so you did not end up like the hot dog pictured above? Then to add to it, you ask the BY for advice.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Let's see, your quote, "I have no idea about this stuff". Yet you dive into it. Did you at least turn off the breaker so you did not end up like the hot dog pictured above? Then to add to it, you ask the BY for advice.

Yes I knew that much!

 

[CL82]

Well, on the bright side if you want to remove that switch, it's rather easy.

First, get a couple of wirenuts (we called them scotchloks when I worked for my dad in CT.)

Take the two wires under one nut and twist them together with insulated pliers and put a wirenut on the twist and twist it down tight. Take the other single wire and twist a wirenut tight over that.

Problem solved.

Yeah but why you want to leave a blank plate rather than a switch? Really a question for DJ2.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Some of you old beezin's may be old enough to remember this show.

 

[FatHank]

Some of you old beezin's may be old enough to remember this show.

Hilarious clip! Great show too!

That would surely be me doing my electric work, although, I once did successfully install a ceiling fan in my apartment. Talk about a nerve racking experience even after my brother, who has his own construction business, gave me proper advice.
Never again touching wires!!!

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

You get wet. Instead of electrocuted. Faucets and Toilets are easy.

Could add also get 'dirty,' but otherwise yeah.