I went to change out two ceiling mtd' fixtures for HO. Turned off toggle sw to work on the ceiling fixture outlet, only to find that the sw leg was still hot. This occured at both locations. It seems that the switches are switching the neutral. The fixtures worked fine before and after installation of new fixtures wired no different then before. Any comments would be welcome.
Toggle Sw. off but sw leg still hot
- Thread starter EEC
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LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Pullnwire
Senior Member
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- Surrounded by Oranges
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- Electrician, Business Owner, SME and Trade Instructor
Were the switches lit? A tic tracer will show voltage, as power is feeding through the switch to the lamp so it will glow.
Clarification
Clarification
No matter whether the switch was off or on, there was a hot wire still at the fixture outlet.
Clarification
No matter whether the switch was off or on, there was a hot wire still at the fixture outlet.
Pullnwire
Senior Member
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- Surrounded by Oranges
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- Electrician, Business Owner, SME and Trade Instructor
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- Windsor, CO NEC: 2017
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- Service Manager
You sure there wasn't already power at the light, and a two-wire switchleg was run down to the switch?
PCN
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
I'd either open up the switch to see if the neutrals are connected to the terminals on the switch.
Or take down the fixture put one lead of your meter on the hot, put the other lead on the grounding conductor, flip your switch on and off. If it stays energized in either position that will tell you the hot is not being switched. Repeat with the hot and white to confirm.
Or take down the fixture put one lead of your meter on the hot, put the other lead on the grounding conductor, flip your switch on and off. If it stays energized in either position that will tell you the hot is not being switched. Repeat with the hot and white to confirm.
cadpoint
Senior Member
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- Durham, NC
triplstep
Member
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- Aurora, Illinois
Cow
Senior Member
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- Eastern Oregon
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- Electrician
Exactly.:wink:
PCN
Senior Member
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- New England
What if the receptacle circuit is on a different leg?
quogueelectric
Senior Member
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- new york
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
PCN
Senior Member
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- New England
Lcdrwalker
Senior Member
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- Columbus, Ohio
I will agree with triplstep. Sounds like switched neutrals. This was common in the '60s. They thought that the switches lasted longer.
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- New Jersey
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electricmanscott
Senior Member
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- Boston, MA
Ed Carr
Senior Member
- Location
- way upstate NY
EEC, If you have two switch locations and a wire at the fixture that's
always hot it's probably a bootleg 3way.The neutral is switched at one
end and the hot at the other.480 Sparky had a nice little display of it.
Ed
always hot it's probably a bootleg 3way.The neutral is switched at one
end and the hot at the other.480 Sparky had a nice little display of it.
Ed
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