[DIYGirl08]

Hello.

I am attempting to switch a double-switch in a single gang box that controls the light and fan in my bathroon to 2 single switches in a double gang box. There are 2 sets of wires coming into the box. One has a black, white and ground. The other has a black, white, ground and red. When I removed the double switch, I discovered that the 2 ground wires were wrapped together and the 2 black wires were nutted together. The 2 whites were attached to the left side of the switch and the red was on the right. Everyone I have spoken with says that having the two blacks together is unusual and advised that I test the wires. I did, and the whites show neutral and the blacks show hot. However, the only way to get the light to work is to have the whites together.

I have tried every configuration that I can think of (even drew pictures so I could remember what I'd done) and I cannot get the light and fan to work properly. I can get the light to work, but not the fan. Or the light and the fan will work from one switch but they are dull. I even had it where the switch was off and I still had light and fan. I am at a loss. Any advice would be appreciated. I would like to fix it without having to incur the expense of an electrician.

Thanks!

[stanfortyman]

It sounds as if they were switching the neutral.

Is there a way you can go into the fan/light and tell us what is hooked to what?

[donf]

Good afternoon,

Switches only carry power, there is no neutral return from a switch.

More than likely you are looking at two switch loops being supplied by either an overhead circuit or by power being brought to the switches themselves.

Do you know what the connection arrangements are in the ceiling?

I believe that you will need to pull two #14/2 AWG from the overhead connection into your wall switch gang box. Also, I would remove the #14/3 (Black. Red, White and ground) from the overhead to the wall).

In fact, I would use the 14/3 that I am removing to pull a doubled over 14/2 cable to the wall outlet. When you get the new wire over to the wall, leave about 6 inches outside and then cut the wire where you bent it over so that now you have two cables from the overhead to the wall.

Turn the breaker off that feeds the overhead! At the overhead, I would pigtail the three Blacks together and cap them with a wire nut.

Back at the wall, SW#1 Strip back the insulation on the black wire and attach the black to the bottom of SW1. Then strip back the insulation on the White wire that is paired with the Black wire and attach that white wire to the top of the switch. Also, place a small band of black around the white insulation to flag this conductor as a Hot conductor. Use the same process for SW2.

Back at the overhead, take one of the white wires coming up from the switches and place a small band of black tape on it then connect it to the fan or light conductors. Follow the same process for the second white conductor from the switches. Connect the White conductor from the fan and light package to the White wire from the supply pair. Connect all grounds together in the overhead and also at the wall switches.

Turn the circuit breaker back on and you should be finished. Well, in theory anyway. Good luck!