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I need help re wiring a double wall switch that my father-in-law wired incorrectly. One switch is for a light and the other is for a fan. It’s wired so the top switch turns on both the fan and the light and the bottom one doesn’t do anything. It’s an end of the circuit set-up with a red, white and black wire coming into the box. Right now it’s wired with the red & white wire hooked up to the side with the connecting tab, with tab still intact and the black wire connected to both terminals on the other side. I suspect this isn’t the correct configuration and possibly dangerous. I appreciate any guidance with this problem. Sorry if this isn’t the right location for this discussion.
Robert
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Robert--
The switch is miswired (duh), and also I think one half of the switch is bad.
If there are no other wires in the switchbox, then my guess is that the black is the power to the switchbox. The red and white then carry power from the box back to the fan and the light.
If the tab is broken off on the side that the black wire is now connected to, take the switch out and spin it 180 degrees (top for bottom). Connect the black to one of the terminals on the side that isn't split (terminals still connected by the tab). Then tie the red and white to the split terminals on the other side. This should do it, if both halves of the switch are good.
Sometimes people miswire and create a direct short, popping the circuit breaker and also damaging the switch (or in this case, one part of it). That may have happened here, and would explain why the circuit worked the way you described it. You could use a continuity tester to check the switch, or just replace the switch.
If you have the voltage tester and feel comfortable using it, you could open up the box, turn the power back on, and check to see which wire at the switch is hot. The others are probably the light and the fan. Then cut the power and wire as described above--hot to the non-split side, the other two to the split terminals (one wire to each terminal). If none of this works, come back and let's discuss it.
Something to think about--if your in-law's house is older (built before grounded outlets), ask your FIL if he's replaced any electrical outlets with three-prong ones. If so, ask him how he grounded them. If he's tied the neutral wire to the ground terminal of the outlet to get a ground, that's a very hazardous situation--the metal case of anything with a three-prong plug that's plugged into such an outlet will be energized when the tool or fixture or appliance is turned on! It's called a bootleg ground, and is an accident waiting to happen. There are outlet testers that can pick this up, but most can't. Let me know if you want details on ones that can.
Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
*It is hard to say what the correct wiring is without know how it is wired at the other end. But based on what you said here is what I guess.The black is the connected to the black from the feed circuit and is always hot. It shoud connect to the side of the switch with the two terminals strapped together.The red is one switched hot and it should be connected to one of the terminals on the other side of the switch. The white is the other switched hot and it should be connected to the other terminal on that side. Also you should place a piece of black tape on the white wire or use a black marker to show that this is now a (switched) hot wire.At the lamp and fan you will either have two sets of black wires and white wires or a black, red and white wire.In either case the white wire(s) from the lamp/fan are connect to the white from the feed.The each of the two blacks (or the back and red wires) are connect to the switch wire. One to the red wire and the other the white wire and you should remark that end also.
*break the tab on one side only, hook top to light, bottom to fan and tie all the negative together
*JohnnieThis is AC, there are no "negatives". If you are talking about NEUTRAL from the sound of message there are no neutral at the switch.
*With a circuit tester, determine which wire is always hot. Probably black.I don't know your layout for a double switch, but here are the instructions for a single pole switch. Wire black to one leg of switch. Wire the white and the red to the other leg. White will be switched hot for fan, and red will be switched hot for light, or visa versa.By the way, mark the white wire by taping them with a different color, like blue tape. Usually colored tape which is not black signifies a switched hot lead. Make the same tapings at the ceiling box.That way the future "electrician", be it you or someone else will know what these wires are.
*If the switch leg were wired to code (NEC), the white wire should be hot and the red and black wires are the switch legs back to the fan and light. The red and black wires would then go on the side with the broken tab and the white wire would on the other side (tab intact).
*Sorry about not getting back sooner but I forgot my password and couldn't log-in and sysop is sending the new password to my old em-ail address so the quickest way to get back here was to re-register with a new name hence the I added to my name. Anyway getting back to the problem at hand. I had already tried the set-up suggested by Cliff, Bill & Scooter before my original posting but didn't have any luck. I was thinking about replacing the switch like Cliff said but now with norm's new suggestion I'm back to being "in the dark" :) I don't think it makes a difference but the switch is for the vent fan and light in the bathroom. I suspect the switch is half blown like Cliff said because of the improper wiring so I'm on my way to buy a new one. What's the worst thing that can happen? A blown switch or popped circuit breaker? Better buy a couple extra just in case. Maybe you guys can discuss this while I'm gone and when I get back there'll be a consensess. Robert K.
*And more armchair electrafying electramacutionisms from the armchair barber quintet society life members...near the whacky e stream express,aj
*Don't know if this will help...
*Mongo, That looks like a ceiling fan/light fixture set-up so I don't think it would apply here. Thanks anyway. I'm getting some help from an electrician on another site, haven't spoken to him yet but I will tomorrow. Hope he can had a little more insight to this problem. I guess after all of these suggestion and help I have to decide what direction to go in. More to come tomorrow if your following along. Robert K.
*I tested the old switch, it was bad, installed the new switch, black (which was hot) to tab side (tab intact) and the red and white to separate terminals on the other side and VOILA!! Thank-you for your help gentleman, my wife is happy and I earned a few more brownie points.Robert
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I need help re wiring a double wall switch that my father-in-law wired incorrectly. One switch is for a light and the other is for a fan. It's wired so the top switch turns on both the fan and the light and the bottom one doesn't do anything. It's an end of the circuit set-up with a red, white and black wire coming into the box. Right now it's wired with the red & white wire hooked up to the side with the connecting tab, with tab still intact and the black wire connected to both terminals on the other side. I suspect this isn't the correct configuration and possibly dangerous. I appreciate any guidance with this problem. Sorry if this isn't the right location for this discussion.
Robert