Electrical question

Factual Questions
1

Disclaimer:
I barely know what I’m talking about, but hubby (Tom) knows the basics of wiring.

So here’s the scenario. Tom wanted to replace a light switch. It’s not a double - where there’s another switch at another location. It’s a simple single switch to an outside light right on the other side of the wall.

The breaker controls 3 walls. He turned off the breaker, replaced the switch, and turned the breaker back on. The switch didn’t work (second wall), and the third wall didn’t work. The first wall still had power.

Did he simply wire it up wrong? Opinions needed. Thanks.

2

Sounds to me like the switch wasn’t the problem to begin with. How did you/he decide that the switch was the reason for the light not coming on?

3

IANAHEG (home electrical guru) but it sounds like there were two power leads in the switch box one power in, and power out to the other wall (plus of course the wire out to the light). If the power in lead is not connected, your light won’t work, and the other wall won’t work. If there are three wires, and all are connected, look closely and make sure that he didn’t screw down onto the insulation of the wires.

4

Have him kill the breaker, remove the switchplate and pull out the switch again. Inside the box, there should be a bundle of white (neutral) wires with a wire nut holding them together. Have him pull this out and unscrew the wire nut. He should check to see that all the bare wire ends are clean and that all of them neatly bundled together so that when he screws the wire nut back on, they are all well and firmly clinched together inside it. Dislodging a neutral wire due to a loose wire nut is a common cause of wall switch replacement problems.

5

The switch was getting replaced because we painted, and wanted a clean white one, not because it was bad.

Thanks for the input! I’ll pass it on.

6

There was not enough info in the OP to sufficiently troubleshoot the problem.
What I would need are numbers (how many) of wires and of what color they are and EXACTLY how they were hooked up to the old switch.
Like QED said it may be a loose connection in the box, but not all wall switches have the nuetral (white wires) in the j-box, sometimes just the hot and the switch leg are in the box. Also, did he replace the switch with a single pole switch or did he accidentily use a three way switch and try to wire it to work as a single pole switch (it can be done)?
Other things to consider are;
did you remove or replace any outlets?
did you remove or replace any ceiling lights?
How old is the house and what kind of wiring is in it?- if you can tell.

7

Any news?