Also agree. No matter how good the quality control in the factory, a bulb can get a stress crack during shippling, handling or even sitting on a shelf. The crack will let air into the bulb and than the filament will burn out. Sometimes that happens quickly; or, it may take a while. You can tell an "air leaker" by looking at the burned-out bulb. It will look cloudy or smoky inside.
Tomsic
The OP didn't write what type of light he has. A light switch that's arcing can blow a CFL but not necessarily an incandescent light. ^_^
TDD
In the US switches can be grounded through the mounting screws to a metal box. That is not true for receptacles unless they are "self grounding" or are on some surface mount boxes.
From the OP's description, my guess is he has a plastic switch box.
I'm assuming that he's using "live" for "line" and he's referring to the cables not individual conductors, e.g. "live" enters the box from the breaker panel and "load" is the cable from the switch box to the fixture box. Not common terminology but at least I thought I understood where he was going with that.
If I'm wrong, Robin, please clarify...
nate
And if it is a seldom replaced bulb, put some nose grease on the threads. Srsly.
nate
May I add my two sance to all? Replacing the switch should not have any effect on burning of bulb out. Ground wire adding pig tail to making convenient for hook up to switch or receptacle I do not know of any rules that covers that as long is firmly secure to the ground. Remember some houses are wire in with Romax and some with BX . With Romax carries isolated green or bare cooper wire with in cable itself. The BX is metal cover and it carries also ground wire but it is bare because it is option of use If all junction boxes are metal, one does not need ground wire because all connection/junction are metal to metal, however if it is Romax one most use ground wire at all the time. Switches fuses, circuit barker most always be on hot side, in some area you can find that some people or ass holes put switches and fuses/circuit breaker on neutral side, on older system one always most checks or you can get yourself in trouble. Also at no time use neutral as ground or ground as neutral, this could cause big problems with GFI circuits, beside that ground should never carry any current at no time. Well that is what I got to say.
I'm an electronic technician by trade, so I understand power concepts,
Thanks everyone for the post.
When I replaced the switch this morning, I found both ground wires (live & load) physically attached to the grounding screw. So I disassembled them, crimped them together while adding a pigtail to attach to the switch. I didn't think this was allowed having two ground wires on one grounding screw.
Robin
That is correct. There are two cables coming into the plastic box. The ru n from the breaker and the one going up to the ceiling light fixture. Both of these cables each have a ground wire. Both ground wires were secured t o the grounding screw on the switch. Sorry for the wrong terminology. I t hought "live" and load" was betther than "this one" and "that one"...LOL
I SUSPECT he means ground on the feed side and the load side of the circuit in a circuit with the neutrals tied together and the power switched. Now, if the ground screw in question is the ground screw on the utility box the switch is mounted in, 2 bares under one screw is acceptable - and if the box is a metal box the switch does NOT need to be grounded (at least here in Ontario)
The quality od incandescent bulbs available in North America has taken a very STEEP nose-dive over the last number of years. Even "brand name" bulbs are likely to be Chinese made - with the implied lack of quality control - and a good percentage of "brand name" bulbs (and other commodities) are counterfeit - which usually means even lower quality and less quality control.
concepts, > > > Thanks everyone for the post. > > When I replaced the switch this morning, I found both ground wires > (live & load) physically attached to the grounding screw. So I > disassembled them, crimped them together while adding a pigtail to > attach to the switch.
I'm assuming that he's using "live" for "line" and he's referring to the cables not individual conductors, e.g. "live" enters the box from the breaker panel and "load" is the cable from the switch box to the fixture box. Not common terminology but at least I thought I understood where he was going with that. If I'm wrong, Robin, please clarify... nate --
That is correct. There are two cables coming into the plastic box. The run from the breaker and the one going up to the ceiling light fixture. Both of these cables each have a ground wire. Both ground wires were secured to the grounding screw on the switch. Sorry for the wrong terminology. I thought "live" and load" was betther than "this one" and "that one"...LOL
The quality od incandescent bulbs available in North America has taken a very STEEP nose-dive over the last number of years. Even "brand name" bulbs are likely to be Chinese made - with the implied lack of quality control - and a good percentage of "brand name" bulbs (and other commodities) are counterfeit - which usually means even lower quality and less quality control.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.