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mjc0502 · Oct 17, 2009, 04:57 AM

I have 120 volts on neutral wire on light switch .
My lights in bathrooms & kitchen don't work since I unhooked the kitchen light switch .
The kitchen light switch works when I hook the ground & red wires together.

stanfortyman · Oct 17, 2009, 05:51 AM

Originally Posted by mjc0502

I have 120 volts on neutral wire on light switch .
My lights in bathrooms & kitchen dont work since i unhooked the kitchen light switch .
the kitchen light switch works when i hook the ground & red wires together.

OK, is there a question in here somewhere?

This is VERY confusing.
It is HIGHLY unlikely that you have a neutral on a switch. It may be white, but doubtful that it is a neutral.
Why did you disconnect it?
WHY in the world would you go touching wires to the ground??

Do one of two things;
Please try to explain this mess a little better by telling us exactly what you have in each of the boxes involved, and how they are connected,
Or,
Better yet, have an electrician come in and troubleshoot this problem.

hkstroud · Oct 17, 2009, 05:53 AM

Well you screwed up. Disconnect that ground wire, now. Then come back and tell me what wires you have in the kitchen ceiling box and what you are trying to do.

mjc0502 · Oct 17, 2009, 06:40 AM

Originally Posted by stanfortyman

OK, is there a question in here somewhere?

This is VERY confusing.
It is HIGHLY unlikely that you have a neutral on a switch. it may be white, but doubtful that it is a neutral.
Why did you disconnect it?
WHY in the world would you go touching wires to the ground????

Do one of two things;
Please try to explain this mess a little better by telling us exactly what you have in each of the boxes involved, and how they are connected,
or,
better yet, have an electrician come in and troubleshoot this problem.

OK lets start over I needed to move the light switch up 8 inches for back splash tile.
The 2 white wires wire nut together blk wire 1 side of switch red wire 2 other side of switch.
Is this the proper way to hook this switch up.like I said this also feeds stove fan& lights both bathroom can you help me with this problem. There are 2 white wires 2 black wires & 1 red wire the white to black both have 120 volts . I just happened to touch the ground & red together & the light came on also when I did that the celing fan & light came on dim.

mjc0502 · Oct 17, 2009, 06:53 AM

Originally Posted by stanfortyman

OK, is there a question in here somewhere?

This is VERY confusing.
It is HIGHLY unlikely that you have a neutral on a switch. it may be white, but doubtful that it is a neutral.
Why did you disconnect it?
WHY in the world would you go touching wires to the ground????

Do one of two things;
Please try to explain this mess a little better by telling us exactly what you have in each of the boxes involved, and how they are connected,
or,
better yet, have an electrician come in and troubleshoot this problem.

OK lets start over I needed to move the light switch up 8 inches for back splash tile.
The 2 white wires wire nut together blk wire 1 side of switch red wire 2 other side of switch.
Is this the proper way to hook this switch up.like I said this also feeds stove fan& lights both bathroom can you help me with this problem. There are 2 white wires 2 black wires & 1 red wire the white to black both have 120 volts . I just happened to touch the ground & red together & the light came on also when I did that the celing fan & light came on dim.

Stratmando · Oct 17, 2009, 06:55 AM

The ground should not be connected to the Hot or Neutral as mentioned. The whites need to stay together. Sounds like you need a red and black to attach to the switch.
The correct way is to eleminate the existing box, as you cannot cover with tile(Needs access)
If wires are from above, it will be easier than running new wiring to the lower locations(Dishwasher/Disposal).

mjc0502 · Oct 17, 2009, 07:03 AM

What would make the existing black & red wires not work.

stanfortyman · Oct 17, 2009, 07:03 AM

So the white wire is not "on" a switch as you originally stated. That changes things.

The switch box is wired correctly. It is not the only way to wire that, it is simply ONE way.

A black and white are bringing in power. The other black red and white are going out to to other areas.
- The two whites ARE the neutrals. Since you broke that splice there is no neutral being carried on.
- The two blacks are constant power. One in and one out.
- The red is the switch leg to the light.

How did you raise the switch box? Was there enough slack to out it back together the same way?
I am still unclear as to exactly what you did.

hkstroud · Oct 17, 2009, 07:07 AM

So, you are only moving the switch box. There is one 2-wire cable with a black and white wire and one 3-wire cable with a black, red and white wire. Is that correct? How many terminals (screws) does the switch have. If only 2, are they on the same side of the switch?

mjc0502 · Oct 17, 2009, 07:49 AM

I have hooked up everything the way it should be hooked up white to white
Black to one side of switch & black &red to other side of switch still nothing.
There was enough slack to move box up 8 ". What else could it be.

hkstroud · Oct 17, 2009, 07:58 AM

What do you mean "other side" of the switch. How many terminals does the switch have?

mjc0502 · Oct 17, 2009, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by hkstroud

So, you are only moving the switch box. There is one 2-wire cable with a black and white wire and one 3-wire cable with a black, red and white wire. Is that correct? How many terminals (screws) does the switch have. If only 2, are they on the same side of the switch?

Yes that is correct it has 2 terminals & yes they are on the same side of the switch.
So I tied the 2 whites together & tie the black & red to the switch I have done that & I still have nothing is that the correct way to hook it up or not??

hkstroud · Oct 17, 2009, 09:12 AM

Do you have a meter and can you tell me which wire is hot?

mjc0502 · Oct 17, 2009, 09:34 AM

From the 2 wires blk & white to the white blk & red .
I have 120 volts white to blk white to white & white to red.
And still have nothing. With light sw hooked up. Baffled

hkstroud · Oct 17, 2009, 09:38 AM

Be patient, we will sort it out. Remove the switch. Test for voltage between the black and white of the 2-wire cable. Test between the black and white of the 3-wire cable. Test between the red and white of the 3-wire cable.

Stratmando · Oct 17, 2009, 10:09 AM

If you have voltage between white to white, that may be your problem, if they are solidly connected, you WILL NOT get 120 Volts between them.

mjc0502 · Oct 17, 2009, 10:31 AM

When the 2 white wires are not hooked together there is 120 volts.
When they are tied together there is no voltage.

stanfortyman · Oct 17, 2009, 10:38 AM

KEEP the whites together. This is NOT the problem.

The two blacks should most likely be together, with a tail to one side of the switch.
The red should be on the other side of the switch.

hkstroud · Oct 17, 2009, 10:57 AM

I suspect that there is something improper about this wiring. I don't think mj would be having such a hard time if there was not. When he touched the red wire to the ground he said that the light came on. Either nothing should have happened or the breaker should have tripped. Right now I would just like to know where the power is coming from.

mjc0502 · Oct 17, 2009, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by hkstroud

Be patient, we will sort it out. Remove the switch. Test for voltage between the black and white of the 2-wire cable. Test between the black and white of the 3-wire cable. Test between the red and white of the 3-wire cable.

There is no voltage between the black& white of the pair.
Same as the three wires no voltage.