I have a light switch that trips the breaker when the light switch is pushed in to the box, but not when it is pulled out and hanging. I left it live just now as I tried to push it back into the box and as I pushed it sparked and tripped the breaker. How do I fix this?

I guessing that when you push the switch in, the hot wire is touching a ground wire (or the white neutral wire). If there is a bare ground wire in the box, make sure it is tucked safely out of the way. If that doesn't do it, I would then do a thorough examination of the insulation on both black and white wires, looking for small nicks.

The location of the sparks when you push it back it will be a good clue as to where the problem lies.

Good luck, and be careful.
WallyH

Is this a plastic box or metal? As stated previous look over everything dealing with the wires.

When did this start? Did you replace the switch? Did you do any other type work to it?

Make sure the wires are crimped all the way around the bolts as well make sure the wires are not sticking out. I have seen switches wired and too much wire was stripped off leaving exposed wire at the switch.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42426219@N00/2515052432
Here's what the box looks like. It's metal. The sparks are coming off the two white wires that are put together. There are two light switches that control this light, which I guess explains the two sets of wirefor this one switch. I switched out the light switch about two weeks ago and have had problems with the breaker tripping intermittently since then. Now it won't not trip and is always off. I checked the wires and didn't see any nicks and the wires seem to be crimped fairly well. The house is 41 years old, so the wiring may be abnormal. What should I try?

Whaoo OK>>> See the red wire attached to the white one... That needs to be wire nutted together! Looks like it is just wrapped up and open iF this is the case needs a wire nut on that like yesterday...

If the white wire is burned, and if you can strip it back to some good wire. Get rid of the burned stuff from the sparking


Does the breaker stop tripping now with it wire nutted??

I had a little trouble being sure from The pic but I'm pretty sure mr500 nailed it dead on I bet the red wire is making contact with the bottom of the box when the switch is pushed in. I would get that nutted up as soon as possible and shut the circuit down until you do.

It's tough to tell from the pic, but the red wire isn't attached to anything. It's screwed onto the off part of the switch and then runs straight up into the cable conduit thing. There are two white wires that are tied together that are sparking when the circuit is live. I have a wire nut on those now, but the breaker is still tripping. I took another picture that might help you figure it out better here. Everything is good when the switch is out, but the white wires that are nutted together spark and trip the breaker when I push it in. Advice? Thanks.

You have a circuit wire connected to the ground terminal!

I assume this was/is a 3-way setup?? You are dangerously using a single pole switch in it's place by mistake!

Since there is no ground on the switch, as soon as it touches the box it will trip if that wire is hot. That is why it is intermittent. It only trips if the other 3-way is in a certain position.

THAT is your problem.

I don't mean to sound mean, but this is one of the dangers of DIY work where folks really don't know what they are doing.
If there was no ground present, as in older houses, you would be electrifying everything metallic attached to this and the breaker/fuse would not trip. This would create a potentially lethal condition.
What if this were the bathroom??

Yep, looks like hot(black attached to ground terminal). Wires should be wrapped other direction around screw.
Unless the other 3 way has a short, then it should NOT cause a short in a different direction.
If this is a 3 way setup(switched from 2 locations? then you will need to determine the 2 travellers and the common.
From your picture, it looks like the red and black that come out of the same cable are likely travellers and will connect to 2 same colored screws on your new 3 way. The other black will connect to the common screw(dark screw)
You can mix up 3 way wire in any wrong configuration and it won't cause a short.

Much better pic follow stan and strats suggetsions they will get you straight. GOOD LUCK, AC

That was it. I threw a 3-way switch in there and turned the breaker on and lights came back on. What I don't get is that they had a single pole switch in there before, but it didn't trip the breaker. Thanks for the help.

If it had a single pole switch in their before, Then the other 3 way would only work if the single pole was on(both have to be on)?
Was it able to be switched from both locations before?
Thanks for toughing it out. Take Care