Ask Me Help Desk - Replacing Light Switches

Hello,

I am trying to replace switches in a house built in the 1980's. The switches were wired wrong by someone else who lived in the house years ago and the switch burned out. The receptacle I am working on houses a single switch on the right for the outside porch light and a 3 way switch on the left for the fan/light in the living room which also connects to the light switch on the other side of the living room. Also this switch cuts off some outlets in the house. The problem I am having is knowing which wires run where. I have a total of 12 wires running out of this receptacle. I am just assuming the black, white and copper wires on the right are just for the porch light. The black red and white wires in the middle are from the breaker box. The black white and copper on the left are for fan/light and the black white and copper on the bottom are for outlets. I just need to know how to rewire all of these correctly as they were wired wrong when I removed them and I cannot rewire them back the same way.

Since you only mention blacks, whites and a red, sounds like romex, it would be touugh to troubleshoot this with word as you will need to identify the travellers, switchlegs, and constant hots, white may even be hot if it is a switch loop.
Can you provide a drawing?

It's tough to determine what you actually have going on.

Do you understand the theory and mechanics behind a switch? For example, up until the 2011 edition of the NEC, switch outlets were not required to provide a "Neutral" connection at the switch outlet.

There was only two ways to connect a switch. Directly connect the power source to the switch and then connect the light to the switch. The other is a switch loop.

A switch loop starts at the power supply cable in the ceiling. The hot (black) in the ceiling is connected to the White conductor to the switch. The other end of the switched leg is connected to the bottom of the switch. Both ends of the White conductor are then either wrappd with black tape to signify that the white conductor is being used as a hot conductor.

The black condor at the switch is connecter to the top of the switch and then connected to the black from the fixture. The white on the supply cable then connects to the fixture's white wire,

The bare wire at the switch connects to the green screw on the switch yole.

You make some opening statements that seem out of place' For example your assumption the switches were connected incorrectly. Why are you making that statement? How do you know the switches are wired incorrectly?

If only one switch is failing. Why did you pull all three switches out? Please describe the failure for us. Do you have a multimeter handy so that you can verify that the switch is opening and closing properly?

You can sort this out but you must first clarify some things.

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The receptacle I am working

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switch cuts off some outlets

The way you use the term receptacle makes me wonder if you mean box.

A receptacle is an outlet and an outlet is a receptacle. A box is the box in the wall that the wires, and switches in.

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I have a total of 12 wires running out of this receptacle.

Does these 12 wires include ground wires. I can come up with no combination of cables that works out to 12 wires.

Describe the wiring in the terms of cables. A wire is a wire. A cable is two or more wires in an outer covering. Give the number of cables and the number and color of wires in each cable.

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switch cuts off some outlets

One outlet or more than one outlet?

Which switch?

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I am just assuming the black, white and copper wires on the right are just for the porch light. The black red and white wires in the middle are from the breaker box. The black white and copper on the left are for fan/light and the black white and copper on the bottom are for outlets.

The way that cables enter the box is of no significance what so ever.

Do you have a meter so you can do voltage test?

Apparently you have a single pole switch for the porch light and a set of three way switches for the fan/light. Is the fan and the light controlled by the switch(s) or is the fan controlled by the pull chain. Will the pull chain turn the fan on if the switch is off?

The 3-wire cable (black white and red) will be for connecting the two 3-way switches.

Remove the other 3-way switch and describe the wiring there.

Thank you for responding could not get a pic or diagram to post

Sorry missed your response.

Have you sorted things out? If not post back. Describe the wires at each switch i.e.. Like, first switch has two 2-wire cables and one 3-wire cable. Second switch has one 3-wire cable.