I was shocked into learning something new

[Coppersmith]

I guess I should have known this, but ...

I was replacing a light fixture in a bathroom. Rather than turn off the breaker, I just turned off the light switch. I noticed that the light switch had a night light in the handle, but I didn't think anything about it. While handling the conductors, I got a little tingling shock when I touched both the hot and ground with my fingers. That's when I realized that the night light is probably working by leaking current to ground. Oops. Lesson learned.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I couldn't get out of bed without my morning tingle. It kept me going...LOL

 

[K8MHZ]

I guess I should have known this, but ...

I was replacing a light fixture in a bathroom. Rather than turn off the breaker, I just turned off the light switch. I noticed that the light switch had a night light in the handle, but I didn't think anything about it. While handling the conductors, I got a little tingling shock when I touched both the hot and ground with my fingers. That's when I realized that the night light is probably working by leaking current to ground. Oops. Lesson learned.

There ought to be a rule saying there has to be a neutral in the switch box for such loads as lighted handles so the EGC isn't used for that purpose.

 

[Fred B]

There ought to be a rule saying there has to be a neutral in the switch box for such loads as lighted handles so the EGC isn't used for that purpose.

Maybe you ought to submit that to the code making panel. Oh wait, somebody already did.

 

[GeorgeB]

There ought to be a rule saying there has to be a neutral in the switch box for such loads as lighted handles so the EGC isn't used for that purpose.

The ones I recall had the neon and resistor across the switch contacts. It lit when the switch was off (assuming a good lamp).

 

[GoldDigger]

I guess I should have known this, but ...

I was replacing a light fixture in a bathroom. Rather than turn off the breaker, I just turned off the light switch. I noticed that the light switch had a night light in the handle, but I didn't think anything about it. While handling the conductors, I got a little tingling shock when I touched both the hot and ground with my fingers. That's when I realized that the night light is probably working by leaking current to ground. Oops. Lesson learned.

If the light in the handle is only on when the light is off, it is probably getting its power by putting the light in series with the load when the switch is "open" In that case it is not leaking current to ground, it is leaking current onto the switched hot to the fixture.
If this is the case, the night light should go out when the fixture is disconnected or the bulb removed.

 

[wwhitney]

In that case it is not leaking current to ground, it is leaking current onto the switched hot to the fixture.

Which is consistent with the OP's report, that they got a mild shock when across (switched) hot at the fixture and ground. While if the lighted switch was using the ground as the return, then you wouldn't expect any potential difference at the fixture.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[LarryFine]

If the light in the handle is only on when the light is off, it is probably getting its power by putting the light in series with the load when the switch is "open" In that case it is not leaking current to ground, it is leaking current onto the switched hot to the fixture.
If this is the case, the night light should go out when the fixture is disconnected or the bulb removed.

This, and it doubles a bulb-condition indicator.

 

[Russs57]

Could be much worse. Had to change out a ballast on a PL high hat, 277 volt. I learned the hard way the one over the handicap stall isn't on the switch and is hot all the time.

 

[kwired]

This, and it doubles a bulb-condition indicator.

Until maybe the CFL and LED lamps came around. Worked great for indication of incandescent lamps.

 

[LarryFine]

Many years ago, I wired an older house in the city, the kind on a deep, narrow lot. There was a garage on the alley at the back of the back yard, so I put one flood and one spot bulb in the 2-bulb light fixture, which lit the deep yard well.

The garage light had been wired with 3-way switching, but you couldn't see whether the light was on from the house. I added an NE-2 bulb and a pair of 100K resistors to the 3-way inside the house, and drilled a small hole in the plate.

The two resistors are wired in series, with one end on each traveler, and the NE-2 wired from the point between the resistors to the neutral. If the NE-2 is on, so is the light. If it's off, so is the light. If it won't come on, the bulb is out.

 

[Coppersmith]

When I was very small, I was fascinated with electronics and I built many Radio Shack kits. While perusing an electronics supply house magazine I found I could get 100 neon bulbs for just a few dollars. Well of course I ordered them. I never did anything with them, but having them made me feel rich.