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    xANGELy's Avatar
    xANGELy Posts: 5, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Oct 15, 2009, 01:23 AM
    Light/fan combo, switch and outlets issue
    Hello,
    I am having a bit of problem in my bedroom.
    There are 3 outlets, 1 switch and one ceiling fan/light combo installed.
    The problem is that when the switch is in OFF position, 2 out of 3 outlets are not working, but the fan still works and the light flickers (if fans chain is pulled so the fan is rotating), but when the chain is pulled so the fan is not rotating then the light is still having power but it is giving maybe 5-10% of the light out of 100%.
    When the switch is in ON position, all 3 outlets are working, the fan/light is working but if I plug anything (like little lamp) into those 2 outlets (the ones I mentioned previously) then the lamp is flickering and it's not even giving full amount of light.
    I would appreciate any help.
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
    Home Improvement & Construction Expert
    		  
    #2

    Oct 15, 2009, 05:51 AM

    You have an incorrectly wired switch and apparently a loose connection. The incorrect wiring could be in the switch box, or the fan or one of the outlets. To start pull the switch and describe the wiring there. Do you have any kind of test light or meter?
    ballengerb1's Avatar
    ballengerb1 Posts: 27,378, Reputation: 2280
    Home Repair & Remodeling Expert
    		  
    #3

    Oct 15, 2009, 07:24 AM

    The switch appears to control 2 receptacles and not the fan. Check all connections at the switch and receptacles for a loose wire or poor connection with a back stab
    xANGELy's Avatar
    xANGELy Posts: 5, Reputation: 1
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    #4

    Oct 15, 2009, 02:50 PM

    In the switch, there is only 1 cable with 2 wires in the switch box. Those 2 receptacles I mentioned earlier, one of them has 1 cable with 2 wires plus the receptacle itself has a green wire (grounding wire) connected on a grounding screw and the it is connected to the receptacle box with another grounding screw. The other two receptacles, they both have 2 cables, each with 2 wires and the grounding is the same as the first receptacle I mentioned. Now in the light/fan combo box, there are 4 cables each with 2 wires.
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
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    #5

    Oct 15, 2009, 09:16 PM

    In the fan/light box, one cable will be power coming to the box. One will be the one going to the switch, one will be going to the outlets. The forth cable will be taking power to some other fixture.
    Identify the switch cable. The white wire of that cable should have a piece of black tape on it but may not. If you have a white wire connect to black wires, that would be the switch cable.

    After identifying the switch cable, connect the black of that cable to the fan light wire. Should be blue. Connect the white of the cable to the switch and all of the black wires, including fan black, together. Connect all the remaining white wires, including the white to the fan/light, together.

    Switch will control the light, pull chain will control the fan. Outlets should be unaffected by switch.

    Check for loose connections at the switch and all outlets.
    ceilingfanrepair's Avatar
    ceilingfanrepair Posts: 5,733, Reputation: 109
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    #6

    Oct 19, 2009, 01:22 PM

    If the light is only glowing 10%, sounds like it is wired in series with something.

    I suspect this is a simple open neutral somewhere.
    ceilingfanrepair's Avatar
    ceilingfanrepair Posts: 5,733, Reputation: 109
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    #7

    Oct 19, 2009, 01:22 PM
    Unless you JUST changed something in the wiring before the problem occurred. Did you?
    xANGELy's Avatar
    xANGELy Posts: 5, Reputation: 1
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    #8

    Nov 11, 2009, 07:33 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by hkstroud View Post
    In the fan/light box, one cable will be power coming to the box. One will be the one going to the switch, one will be going to the outlets. The forth cable will be taking power to some other fixture.
    Identify the switch cable. The white wire of that cable should have a piece of black tape on it but may not. If you have a white wire connect to black wires, that would be the switch cable.

    After identifying the switch cable, connect the black of that cable to the fan light wire. Should be blue. Connect the white of the cable to the switch and all of the black wires, including fan black, together. Connect all the remaining white wires, including the white to the fan/light, together.

    Switch will control the light, pull chain will control the fan. Outlets should be unaffected by switch.

    Check for loose connections at the switch and all outlets.
    I am sorry for not keeping up with my post, haven't been able to do so.
    But back to my issue, so I found out that 1 cable is for one outlet, 1 cable is for another outlet, 1 cable is for power and so I am assuming the last one is for the switch. But I don't know how to make it work. Each cable has 1 white and 1 black wire. The fan/light combo has 1 white, 1 blue, 1 black and 1 green wire. I know that the green one is the ground.
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
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    #9

    Nov 11, 2009, 08:30 PM

    Are the three cables in the ceiling or in the switch box?
    xANGELy's Avatar
    xANGELy Posts: 5, Reputation: 1
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    #10

    Nov 11, 2009, 08:42 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by hkstroud View Post
    Are the three cables in the ceiling or in the switch box?
    Actually, I have just made it work. Thanks to your earlier post. So thank you. :)
    ceilingfanrepair's Avatar
    ceilingfanrepair Posts: 5,733, Reputation: 109
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    #11

    Nov 12, 2009, 10:01 PM

    Mission accomplished.
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