Sky lights switch is gone / burnt out.

[Ajr188]

One of my customers who flips houses has a skylight in his living room. I guess durning demo and remodeling the switch was shorted out and thrown away. Does anyone have any recommendations on how I can trouble shoot this to see if it’ll work and the motor is not burnt out. I am not very familiar with working on sky lights that are controlled by a switch

Thanks

 

[roger]

Apply voltage to the motor.

 

[Ajr188]

Apply voltage to the motor.

Apply voltage to the motor.

you mean just splice it through and by pass the switch!?? If I do that how would I close it…

 

[kwired]

Good chance it is operating some sort of linear actuator. Maybe three input conductors, one being common, one energized for one direction other energized for opposite direction. Another possibility is an additional capacitor that gets put in series with one or the other conductor to change direction. Switch for either those arrangements often would be double throw switch, momentary contact either direction, spring return to center off position.

 

[LarryFine]

Maybe three input conductors, one being common, one energized for one direction other energized for opposite direction.

That's what it should be if the power is supplied to the actuator, controlled by a SPDT momentary switch.

Unless it was originally supplied with a wireless remote. A make and model number might be helpful.

Switch for either those arrangements often would be double throw switch, momentary contact either direction, spring return to center off position.

More likely if the power is not supplied directly to the actuator.

 

[Ajr188]

If I buy a double throw momentary contact switch I would be able to solve this issue !? I will have some pics to follow tomorrow

 

[kwired]

If I buy a double throw momentary contact switch I would be able to solve this issue !? I will have some pics to follow tomorrow

You have leads at what was a switch location? If so how many not counting any grounding conductors?

Three leads, very likely needs a SPST switch. Actuator may have internal limits so that it will stop when reaches end of travel.

 

[kwired]

That's what it should be if the power is supplied to the actuator, controlled by a SPDT momentary switch.

Unless it was originally supplied with a wireless remote. A make and model number might be helpful.


More likely if the power is not supplied directly to the actuator.

What you said very well could apply with a completed assembly. I've wired many general use actuators where we just hit the control switch first acutator itself just had three leads, two directional leads and a common lead, or even a PSC motor arrangement where direction depended on which of the directional leads you put in series with the capacitor, you energized both directional leads in all run instances though.

 

[GoldDigger]

The air dampers in my zoned forced air heating system used 24V AC motors which were geared to turn the damper arm, with spring return to take the damper back to the non-energized position. You could hear the entire gear train winding backward when the motor deenergized.

But that mechanism require far less operating force than opening a skylight. Much more likely would be actively driving in both directions.

 

[Jraef]

Aren’t the switches usually a momentary double throw toggle, center off, spring return from up or down? (Look up Hubbell 1557). There would be 3 leads in the box (plus maybe the neutral); line in, one for Open, one for Close.