Ask Me Help Desk - How to fix incorrectly wired bathroom fan and light

The house I recently bought has two switches in the bathroom. There are vanity lights, a main light, and a fan. The switches are wired incorrect to where you cannot just turn on the vanity light. You have to turn on the switch that cuts on both the main light and the fan, only then will the other swich turn on the vanity lights. I would like to be able to just turn on the vanity lights say at night or daytime when all that light is unessesary. As well as not needing the fan on 24/7.
There are two main wires connected to each switch. One switch has black on top and white on the bottom and the other vise versa with both grouds just twisted together and taped off. Any suggestions?

Chances are good your wiring is OK but connected inside the switch box incorrectly. Sounds to me that the switch to the vanity lights is connected to the black wire coming out of/off the other switch, that's why it has not power until you throw the first switch. Both switches should get their power from the black wire as it comes into the box, before it connects to either switch

I agree with Bob. Are the black and white wires on the switches the only wires in the switch box (other than the ground). Are there any wires connecting the two switches.

If you look at it, it is two main white coated wires coming in to the switch box. Each main wire has three wires. A black, a white, and a ground. Each switch is wire with one of the two and do not share. Like I said one is black on top white on bottom and the other is vise versa with the grounds from either wire twisted together and taped off. There are no wires connecting the two together. What are my options for fixing this problem? Can I do I in the box or will it have to be something drastic I'll have to trace?

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkstroud

I agree with Bob. Are the black and white wires on the switches the only wires in the switch box (other than the ground). Are there any wires connecting the two switches.

If you look at it, it is two main white coated wires coming in to the switch box. Each main wire has three wires. A black, a white, and a ground. Each switch is wire with one of the two and do not share. Like I said one is black on top white on bottom and the other is vise versa with the grounds from either wire twisted together and taped off. There are no wires connecting the two together. What are my options for fixing this problem? Can I do I in the box or will it have to be something drastic I'll have to trace?

If you have only two cables coming to the switch box and the switches are not connected in any way, the problem is in the wiring of the fan/light.

A little electrician jargon. A wire is a wire. A cable is two or more wires in an outer covering. Cables are identified by the size of the wire in them and the number of conductors in them. The ground wire is not a conductor, so it is not counted. A 14/2 cable will have 3 wires, hot (some color other than white), neutral (white) and ground (bare or green).

What you have is called a switch leg. Power goes to the ceiling box. The neutral (white) of the power in cable is connected directly to the fan/light. The hot (black) is connected one of the wires in the cable going to the switch (should be white). The other wire in the cable to the switch is connected to the fan/light. So power coming into the ceiling box, goes to the switch on one wire, and when the switch is on, comes back to the to fan/light on the other.
With a simple on/off switch it does not mater which wire is connected to which switch terminal.

The hot and neutral of the power cable coming into the fan/light ceiling box should also be connected to a cable taking power to the vanity light. There the same wiring is done to the switch for the vanity light.

The problem is, someone connected the hot (black) of the cable going to the vanity, to the wire coming back from the switch (probably black). It should be connected to the hot (black) of the power coming in.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkstroud

If you have only two cables coming to the switch box and the switches are not connected in any way, the problem is in the wiring of the fan/light.

A little electrician jargon. A wire is a wire. A cable is two or more wires in an outer covering. Cables are identified by the size of the wire in them and the number of conductors in them. The ground wire is not a conductor, so it is not counted. A 14/2 cable will have 3 wires, hot (some color other than white), neutral (white) and ground (bare or green).

What you have is called a switch leg. Power goes to the ceiling box. The neutral (white) of the power in cable is connected directly to the fan/light. The hot (black) is connected one of the wires in the cable going to the switch (should be white). The other wire in the cable to the switch is connected to the fan/light. So power coming into the ceiling box, goes to the switch on one wire, and when the switch is on, comes back to the to fan/light on the other.
With a simple on/off switch it does not mater which wire is connected to which switch terminal.

The hot and neutral of the power cable coming into the fan/light ceiling box should also be connected to a cable taking power to the vanity light. There the same wiring is done to the switch for the vanity light.

The problem is, someone connected the hot (black) of the cable going to the vanity, to the wire coming back from the switch (probably black). It should be connected to the hot (black) of the power coming in.

Well what is the worst case scenario? Should this be something I can just call a handyman to rewire some stuff at the sources in the bathroom (fan, vanity, etc) or will it involve literally having to rewire the items from the breakers?

All corrections in the fan/light.