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?

 

[uconnfan68]

Probably not a coincidence. What color were the wires? There is a 3rd wire for second switches to control the circuit from either switch.

 

[Jaker]

First of all, you twist and join wires with a proper wire nut, don't twist them around the outlet screw and tape unless you want a fire.

 

[Rocktheworld]

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

 

[temery]

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?

Was it a three was switch?

Also ...

 

[CTMike]

To piggy back... I do have a bunch of electrical work I’d like to get done at the house. If any Yard electricians service central CT shoot me a PM.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Was it a three was switch?

Also ...

3 way switch yeah

 

[UC313]

I once turned a 3 way switch into a 6 way switch. Red wire = run.

 

[formerlurker]

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?

This here's your problem.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

So I just went and put the old switch back on and have the power back to those places. Gonna leave it and never touch a screwdriver again

 

[jleves]

Sounds like someone took a shortcut and used the switch to act as a connector. Were there two wires under one screw on the switch?

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Sounds like someone took a shortcut and used the switch to act as a connector. Were there two wires under one screw on the switch?

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

 

[jleves]

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

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.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

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.

It’s a 3 way so there are technically 4 wires

 

[jleves]

It’s a 3 way so there are technically 4 wires

That poses additional steps that would be easier to deal with locally. You would have to have one of the travelers from the other side of the 3 way switch you are removing connected to the other two wires that were under the same screw. There's probably a red and black connected to the traveler side of the switch with the white tied through (not connected to the switch but connected to all the other white wires.) So if you connected say the black traveler from the second side of the switch to the other two wires, you would want to attach that black wire to new single pole switch along with the existing black wire on the other side of the old 3 way switch.

If that doesn't make sense, I could probably make a drawing that would make sense - or hire an electician

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

That poses additional steps that would be easier to deal with locally. You would have to have one of the travelers from the other side of the 3 way switch you are removing connected to the other two wires that were under the same screw. There's probably a red and black connected to the traveler side of the switch with the white tied through (not connected to the switch but connected to all the other white wires.) So if you connected say the black traveler from the second side of the switch to the other two wires, you would want to attach that black wire to new single pole switch along with the existing black wire on the other side of the old 3 way switch.

If that doesn't make sense, I could probably make a drawing that would make sense - or hire an electician

No that’s very helpful and I’ll keep in mind if I decide to take another crack

 

[Fishy]

Let’s just hire an electrician here.

 

[formerlurker]

jleves is a hack! My lab partner lit a lightbulb in 7th grade with some potatoes and wire and stuff. Who you going to trust?

 

[jleves]

jleves is a hack! My lab partner lit a lightbulb in 7th grade with some potatoes and wire and stuff. Who you going to trust?

Hey - I at least figured out he had two wires under one screw!

 

[ZenConn]

This here's your problem.

View attachment 48957

LOL. Apparently, we're all electricians here.

 

[Chin Diesel]

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

 

[CL82]

So I just went and put the old switch back on and have the power back to those places. Gonna leave it and never touch a screwdriver again

Probably for the best.

 

[CL82]

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

If you were scrupulous about replacing the wires they way were, and it sounds like you were, I'd guess that you have a bad switch on the other end of the circuit.
(Disclosure: I'm not an electrician.)

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

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

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

 

[CL82]

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

I'd get someone decent and show them the issues. Stuff like putting in a new switch or outlet isn't bad if everything is an easy enough thing to do, but you have no idea what the flipper did. I've walked through commercial real estate where they were in the process of mudding over an former wall sconce. They didn't even put a plate over the box (which would be bad in and of itself). They just were pushing joint compound into a box with wires in it. That is insane and likely to get someone killed. It would be worth it to me to get someone in just for the piece of mind, at least for the known issues.