In the kitchen area of my house, the fan/light has suddenly stopped working. There is what I did so far:
- electricity is going to all switches and no breaker problem
- Checked out single pole switch for fan it was bad. replaced it with a new one
- three-way switches for the light checked out fine.
- basically “hot wired” the fan/light works fine.
- “hot wired” the wire leading to the fan/light … DEAD wire leading to fan/light!
We were having some construction in the area (porch roof being put on), but for the life of me I can’t see where they could have cut the wire or put a nail through it.
Any ideas?
I’m thinking I just need to re-run a new wire. PITA because of sheetrock deconstrustion to run the new wire.
Thanks,
Roger
Replies
Is it maybe on a GFCI for some reason? Check the light/fan/outlet in the bathroom.
Thanks for the reply. no GFCI involved. single run of 14/3 wire from switch to light. I've confirmed that this wire does not carry current by hot wiring directly to that with no switches or other devices involved.
Regards,
Roger
Would you consider using the ground wire to "replace" the open wire? It is inside the insulation jacket? And a ceiling mounted fan/light does not really need a ground. If you are concerned about future accidents, replace the circuit breaker with a GFCI.
"Would you consider using the ground wire to "replace" the open wire?"I wouldn't consider such a "solution" for a minute. Ground wire in Romex is bare copper. Even where they use insulated wire it is usually smaller gage.BruceT
I have to agree that using the ground wire as a circuit line is not a good idea. With romex I haven't ever noticed the gauge to be any less thou.
You said that the line is a 14-3. I'm assume two hot lines, one for fan and one for light. Might consider running the fan and light together and tape the remaining line as the neutral. You still have to identify the dead line and also hope that only one wire is bad. If a nail did pierce the line I wouldn't use that line.
That is strange, I can't ever recall ever finding a wire that decided to go open, assumming that the breaker is rated for the wire gauge. You said the fan switch was bad. Might have pulled too much current but seem wierd the breaker didn't trip. I would check the current pull on that fan with regards to this 15 amp line.
There was a short time in the late 50's early 60's when grounded NM was first used there they had an under sized ground wire. I have only seen it once.But another point to think of is that the cabled was damaged. No way of telling how are what was damaged in it and what the condition of the remaining parts.Might have a staple shearing one of the wires with the staple completing the connection..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
"I have to agree that using the ground wire as a circuit line is not a good idea. With romex I haven't ever noticed the gauge to be any less thou."Most 12ga Romex that I have seen has 14ga ground - enough to carry the load of a short until the breaker trips. I'm not sure whether 14ga Romex has smaller ga ground or not.
BruceT
That can be very dangerous.I found that the electrican's "helpers" pulled a good on in my house.I was panting the living room/dining room and had the switch plate off a box by the front door that had switches for the LR lights and a pathway lights between the stairs, kitchen, and DR/LR.I bumped the switches and the DR anad Kitchen lights flashed.Turns out that power was feed to a switch for the kitchen lights. From that switch 14-3 was feed to the lights with a switched and unswitched hot and neutral. From the light it then feed the DR light switch and DR light.There was a nail are staple in the 14-3 section. I forgot which wires it was but I think that the neutral and ground where shorted to the hot. At the light they cut neutral and ground wires from the switch and tied the light neutral to the neutral and ground from the upstream side.In the box box with the DR switch was also one of the 3/4 switches for the pathway lights. Those grounds where tied together.The in the LR had one of the 3/4 switches. The switches for the LR lights where on a different circuit. The grounds for those 2 circuits just happened to touch. Current code requires them to be tied togehter, don't know aobut at that time (1979).Fortunately there where no receptacles on that circuit. Could have been INTERESTING..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Thanks for the ideas. My next step is to run a continuity test on each wire of the 14/3 bundle to try to find out which one is shot. If only one, then I guess I could re-route the power and neutral on the 2 remaining.
Roger
I had that once, except it was intermitent. Turned out to be a loose terminal screw at the breaker which I only discovered because I happened to hear it arcing (scary). Make sure everything is clean and tight inside the panel.