Can you have lights and outlets coming from two circuits (i.e. two breakers from the main box)?

Also how do you reverse the ground and hot wire?

I am wanting to move a light switch... I went to the breaker box and turned off the power to that circuit. I proceeded to disconnect the light switch and I got a spark!! Boy was I surprised. After I completely disconnected the switch, I turned the breaker back on and tested the wires to see which one was the power, which one was the light, and which one went on to other lights and outlets. The wire going to the remaining lights and outlets, the ground tested hot!!

Also when I completely disconnected the switch, lights went out on another circuit. However, not all of the other circuit was affected. It seems two lights (3-way switches) and two outlets. The two outlets tested as having the hot/ground reversed. If the lights are turned off, the outlets go dead, as does the first wire that surprised me. If I turn any of the 3-way switches on, the grounds on the outlets all turn hot. The grounds at the 3-way switches test hot. Also the lights are not bright, they are dim.

I think those are all the facts as far as I can tell.

tkrussell

There seems to be definite mis-wire someplace.Each circuit will need to be traced from the breaker panel to each and every outlet, switch , and junction box to find where sombody has both circuits connected together, and have reversed the hot and, when you say ground, I assume you mean the white wire, which is neutral or grounded, not ground.

If both circuits are on the same phase, then connecting both somewhere by accident will not trip any breakers, but give you a double feed like you found.

This is why we electricians test each wire before we touch it, even if we shut a breaker off, because the breaker may fail and not open, or in the rare case that two circuits got connected together.

Again, trace each circuit and check each connection poit, you will find where two circuits got connected together and the hot and neutral got reversed.

tstevens83

Thank you for your respnose.

I actually did mean ground as in the bear copper wire... that's why I was surprised. How does the bear copper wire become hot? When I test the wires for Voltage... it will only read 120volts when the ground wire is tested.

When I closed the circuit by completing the circuit... all outlets check OK and lights work fine.

I will try to trace the wiring... any hints on how the best way to approach the tracing?

tkrussell

What you have with the actual equipment ground being energized is very dangerous, and needs to be correctly as soon as possible.

These circuits need to be shut off until wired correctly.

Tracing has no short cuts, start at the panel and follow the cable to each box it enteres, open the box and check the connections until the miswire is found.


Now that I look back, you say you test between the hot and ground, and get 120 volts, this is normal. What do you get if you test between the hot and neutral9 white wire)?

tstevens83

I get zero volts between the hot and neutral.

When I reconnect the wires, the ground is no longer energized.

tkrussell

The circuit has an open neutral, which means the hot is at the the box you are testing, but the neutral (white) wire is broken or otherwise disconnected somewhere in the circuit.

Troublingshooting this means that the cable must be traced to each box, outlet, device, back to the panel if necessary, to find where the neutral wire has been broken or lost connection with the remaining circuit.

The neutral is the "return" for the circuit. The bare wire is not hot, but another, or supplemental return, this is why when you test from the hot to bare you read voltage.