Light switch mystery

[Mr. Duality]

The switch for the overhead light in my garage suddenly operates conversely to what it did formerly. Until a few days ago the 'up' position turned the lights on, and the 'down' position turned them off. Last Tuesday I noticed that the lights were on when the switch was in the 'down' position, and flipping the switch to the 'up' position turned them off. So it has been ever since.

Mrs. Duality noticed this after she came home from work, without any hint from me, so please don't suggest I have lost my grip on reality. However, theories involving alternate universes will be considered.;)

My question: Is there a rational explanation for this?

We have been setting up Christmas lighting but no one has been making alterations to the permanent house wiring. I removed the switch cover and could see no indication that the switch had been messed with since the house was built in 1978.

My wife, daughter and mother-in-law all believe this house is inhabited by a ghost, but I'll save the details for a possible thread in MPSIMS.

[Quartz]

Are you sire there isn't another switch that's been accidentally flipped?

[Quartz]

s/sire/sure/

[Mr. Duality]

Quite sire.

[Q.E.D.]

Yes, chances are there's two switches that control this light. Either one can turn the light on or off. This configuration is used often is stairway lights, and in sometimes in hallways or other areas with two entrances.

[Mr. Duality]

:o Is my face red! There is another switch, well hidden behind the freezer which came with the house.

[rsa]

So your ghost has a sense of humor! Flipping a hidden switch to make you think that you're going crazy.

I want a ghost. ;)

[LSLGuy]

In future, an easy way 2-way from 3-way switches to look at the face of the switch.

Most simple 2-way (on/off) switches have the words "on" and "off" molded into the flat part of the moveable handle just above/below the handle. 3-way switches never have the words molded on there.

If you take the faceplate off and look at the back of the switch, an on/off switch will have 2 wires connected to it and a 3-way switch will have 3 wires. That's the definitive test for which type of switch you have.

[Meeko]

Heh, so instead of trying to find the switch INSIDE a freezer, you had to find it outside of it.

[don't ask]

I assume you are renting the place and that the landlord is Dr Schrodinger?

[scr4]

Originally posted by Mr. Duality
:o Is my face red! There is another switch, well hidden behind the freezer which came with the house.
If it makes you feel any better, the exact same thing happened to me and I couldn't figure it out either. I mentioned it to a friend and he figured it out immediately. :o

[Kakkerlak]

I spent three years in an apartment with an overhead light in the bedroom, but no switch to turn it on. I used a bedside lamp, and the previous tenant had evidently used candles.

Until one day I actually moved the giant wardrobe that blocked the long-since-painted-over hall door. Ta-daa ! There was the switch.

Too bad I had moved the wardrobe to clean behind it while moving out. Also found a Farrah Fawcett poster and a tennis racket.

[Meeko]

On a more serious note, My grandparents kitchen was wired to have two lights (on the same circuit) on two (perhaps 3) switches one at each doorway. I was playing around with this one day, noticeing that when one switch was activated, all the other switches stayed in place, yet, their function reversed. My grandmother told me, my grandfather did the wireing. On the day I contemplated the wiring of it all, I went back and forth playing with the lights... I blew one of the bulbs out my grandmother said I did it. Due to my grandmother's declined state, we sold the house 3 years ago. (Grandfather died in 1992).

Also, slight hijack the same house had a light switch in the hallway that had a light inside the switch itself, it was always on.

Also, Being just 21 it also had a bed room that had an old switch with the two buttons that push out. Only time I think I ever saw that type of switch in person.

[Enola Straight]

Don't keep flipping that switch on and off...you'll end up getting a phone call from somebody in Germany telling you to knock it off.