Troubleshooting Bathroom Wiring

Nov 20, 2003 2 Replies

OVERVIEW: Standard bathrooom configuration: overhead light and fan both operated by a standard light switch (2 switches: top switch for light, bottom switch for fan) that sits flush against the wall.



PROBLEM: The fan works fine, but the overhead light does not work. It used to work for a awhile, but now never works.



ATTEMPTS:



  1. I changed the light bulb ~ still no light
  2. removed the entire light fixture, and tested it to see if it works ~ works fine.
  3. I reconnected the the connections from the light to the wires ~ still no light
  4. I removed the light switch to check the wiring, but i'm not sure what's right and what's wrong: in short, there are 2 screws on each side of the switch; 2 red lines both connect to the bottom 2 screws, and 1 black line connects to the top screw on one side. I moved the bottom red wire to the top screw to test and see if the light worked, but still no light. I also checked to make sure the red line terminating with another wire (assuming it goes up to the light fixture) was well connected and there wasn't a problem.

Does anyone have any insight to the problem, or have a suggestion of something else i can test?



Thanks so much for your help. Trevor


Sometimes the little metal tab in the cneter of the socket gets mashed down too much.

Shut off power. Reach in with small screw driver, and lift the little tab up a tiny bit. Replace bulb, try light, again.

Neutral (usually white) is maybe open? Are there separate neutrals for light and fan or combined single neutral? Idea.

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