# Trying to square away a light that is miswired



## moorewarner (May 29, 2009)

Trying to clear a punch list on my fathers home to put it on the market tomorrow and I have one light that hasn't worked in forever. I dropped it down and the reason became clear the hot leg is capped there is no juice to the fixture.

It is the only hot in the whole shebang and I was hoping someone could confirm the fix so I can cross this bugger off my list.

I had a sparky come by and give me a bid on the few small electrical issues and handed over his bid to the estate attorney, they have not acted. I really prefer not to touch electrical for liability reasons but something this (apparently simple) I would like to resolve.

Is this question even answerable with the info I have?

Fire away gents.


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

More info needed. Is the capped black wire always hot, or controlled by a switch? Maybe the red one is a switch leg and the switch is miswired.

More importantly, have you tested that you have a neutral?


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

I was gonna say a switch loop, but not with a 3-wire...:blink:

I'll let the sparkies do this one.

Sorry Moore.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

"Ceiling-fan ready" install. Red is switched, black is not.

Check wiring is switch box.


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## moorewarner (May 29, 2009)

Firstly, the reason I leave electrical to the pros is because I know zip, such as how to test for neutral. :whistling

The capped black is currently controlled by a switch. The switch is in a double gang along with a dimmer that affects nothing. I assume the dimmer is supposed to be controlling the light and the switch is in place to allow for light/fan combo upgrade if desired?

This is a 14 year old cutom home so most is stock and not hacked on.

If you want a pic of the guts of the switch box let me know.

Thanks for wading in RS. :clap: (Edit: ...and 480, :thumbsup: crap you're fast brother... :laughing


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

So, if the black is switched, then....... put the light on the black wire. 

It could well be the dimmer controls the red, and is either miswired or nonfunctional.


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## moorewarner (May 29, 2009)

If this mess isn't clear enough I can pull the guts out of the box.


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

So no idea what the red one does? As 480 said, it's probably 2 switch legs prewired for a ceiling fan/light combination. The other end of the red one is probably just capped in the switch box. Hook up the black (switched) one to the 2 black fixture wires and if the light works, you've "probably" got a neutral and all is well.:thumbsup:


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

Scrape some of the sprayed paint off some of those wires so we can see colors.


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## moorewarner (May 29, 2009)

Enogh or more? In the other bedroom the dimmer, naturally, controls the light and the switch does nada as there is no fan or other light.

i would prefer to get the light in this room working from the dimmer... and a pony, if possible. :laughing:


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Bypass the dimmer and see if the light comes on.


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## moorewarner (May 29, 2009)

480sparky said:


> So, if the black is switched, then....... put the light on the black wire.
> 
> It could well be the dimmer controls the red, and is either miswired or nonfunctional.


that was my first thought but then I was unsure if I should diconect and cap the other red or just add the black.

Get me back to my nice simple trim. :blink:


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## TxElectrician (May 21, 2008)

Tie the two wires going to the dimmer together, bypassing the dimmer. With the power off, then turn it back on to test.


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

480sparky said:


> Bypass the dimmer and see if the light comes on.


By that he means take the red wire nut off the black wires and touch the red wire to it momentarily.

I see other issues there as well.

The switch is probably to control switched receptacles in the room and some doofus didn't break the tabs off. That would make the switch appear to do nothing. But one thing at a time.


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## moorewarner (May 29, 2009)

If by bypass you mean this, this results in a working light but always on.


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## moorewarner (May 29, 2009)

Sorry guys, I should ask for clarification of instruction you all are giving me before running off.


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

moorewarner said:


> If by bypass you mean this, this results in a working light but always on.


Yes because you are tied into the hot side of the switch in that pic.

PM me, and I'll give you my phone number. It's an easy fix.:thumbsup:


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

You've succeeded in proving the dimmer is faulty. Replace it with another dimmer or a plain old switch.


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## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

480sparky said:


> You've succeeded in proving the dimmer is faulty. Replace it with another dimmer or a plain old switch.


Always go simple process of elimination. Now to all the newbs that post questions on here and demand instant answers, take note of this thread. Everything was asked in a polite respectful manner, pictures with ample information was provided, and in this case a solution was derived. No name calling, no nasty chest pumping rants, just professionals helping each other out! Nice job!!


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

Just talked to him by phone. He did all the testing and had him confirm a couple things to make sure. Bad dimmer-issue solved.:thumbsup:


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## moorewarner (May 29, 2009)

Ron, 480, Tx,

You guys rock. Thanks.

For any others that stumble into this thread in the future, word to the wise, leave it to the pros.

Hattip gents, :notworthy ...on to quarter round. :thumbup:


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

rselectric1 said:


> Just talked to him by phone. He did all the testing and had him confirm a couple things to make sure. Bad dimmer-issue solved.:thumbsup:


Didja get a CC number? :whistling


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

480sparky said:


> Didja get a CC number? :whistling


:clap: Not necessary for the good guys here!

I've still got Leo's though and he said you can charge anything you want and money is no object.:jester:

Doesn't he still owe you a dollar?


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

rselectric1 said:


> :clap: Not necessary for the good guys here!
> 
> I've still got Leo's though and he said you can charge anything you want and money is no object.:jester:
> 
> Doesn't he still owe you a dollar?


Not any more. It's $1.17 with the accrued interest.


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## moorewarner (May 29, 2009)

480sparky said:


> Didja get a CC number? :whistling


 I'd of paid.







http://www.smileyvault.com/albums/userpics/10172/willy_nilly_th.gif







"...and the emergency fee, the after 7 pm fee, the ..." 

:laughing:


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## svronthmve (Aug 3, 2008)

overanalyze said:


> ..... Now to all the newbs that post questions on here and demand instant answers, take note of this thread. Everything was asked in a polite respectful manner, pictures with ample information was provided, and in this case a solution was derived. No name calling, no nasty chest pumping rants, just professionals helping each other out! Nice job!!


And to add, this wasn't his 1st post. He's got almost 2000 posts which means he had to have helped at least 1 person along the way, right? :laughing:


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## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

svronthmve said:


> And to add, this wasn't his 1st post. He's got almost 2000 posts which means he had to have helped at least 1 person along the way, right? :laughing:


Excellent point! He has been around awhile and didn't just expect free advise as his first question.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

moorewarner said:


> I'd of paid. http://www.smileyvault.com/albums/userpics/10172/willy_nilly_th.gif "...and the emergency fee, the after 7 pm fee, the ..."
> 
> :laughing:


Did he add age buck seventeen Leo owes me?


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## moorewarner (May 29, 2009)

480sparky said:


> Did he add age buck seventeen Leo owes me?


no... I don't see that anywhere on the invoice, :detective: It just says "No Charge." and then he flew away. :laughing:


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## moorewarner (May 29, 2009)

svronthmve said:


> And to add, this wasn't his 1st post. He's got almost 2000 posts which means he had to have helped at least 1 person along the way, right? :laughing:


There better be a 2000 freebie, all the dam trouble I went through to get there. :jester:


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## svronthmve (Aug 3, 2008)

moorewarner said:


> There better be a 2000 freebie, all the dam trouble I went through to get there. :jester:


It's rumored to be a "vacation" from CT. Although I understand some are getting that "beni" prior to their 2000th post!

But I could be wrong :laughing:

You'll have to let us know...


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