A question for the electricians here

[camaross]

I'm in the process of upgrading the power sockets in my house. Today, I did those in a bedroom in my basement. Something weird happened.

After I did all 3 power sockets in the room, the light/ceiling fan is now constantly on. I can flip the light switch on/off, but it won't turn off the light. I never tampered with the switch. How could this be possible? What are the likely causes for this weird situation to happen?

Thanks.

 

[nadogail]

The fan is probably fed by a "Half Hot" switched outlet, I am guessing that you did not remove the jumper between the switched and the un-switched sides of the outlet that powers the fan.

 

[Sinatra]

Do you still have the three outlets that you removed? Check each one to see if the tab between the two hot (brass colored) screws has been cut. If so, one or more of the outlets were split with half the outlet being always hot and the other half controlled by the switch. You will need to figure out where it used to be installed and correct the wiring there.

 

[camaross]

Do you still have the three outlets that you removed? Check each one to see if the tab between the two hot (brass colored) screws has been cut. If so, one or more of the outlets were split with half the outlet being always hot and the other half controlled by the switch. You will need to figure out where it used to be installed and correct the wiring there.

Thank you very much for the tip!

I just checked. You're exactly right! At least one of the sockets has the tab between the two hot screws cut.

 

[signcrafter]

Thank you very much for the tip!

I just checked. You're exactly right! At least one of the sockets has the tab between the two hot screws cut.

Now you have to figure out which one it was and make sure you get the switched power to the fan wire.

 

[camaross]

Now you have to figure out which one it was and make sure you get the switched power to the fan wire.

I'm able to locate the suspect after a failed first try. Now the issue has been fixed 100% Thank you again for sharing your knowledge.

I hope others will learn the lesson from me. When upgrading your power sockets, you need to pay close attention to whether the tabs between the screws are broken off or not.

 

[Zeke]

Weird that the power to the fan came from wire from a duplex. That pretty much makes one half of the outlet useless.

 

[Mzungu]

Weird that the power to the fan came from wire from a duplex. That pretty much makes one half of the outlet useless.

My thought too. I am guessing that somehow the fan/light is plugged into the switched plug.

 

[Zeke]

My thought too. I am guessing that somehow the fan/light is plugged into the switched plug.

I think 'wired' into the switched plug which to me seems like it could have been wired at the back of the box and the outlet left intact with both plugs working. Or I'm just not understanding this.

 

[Mzungu]

I think 'wired' into the switched plug which to me seems like it could have been wired at the back of the box and the outlet left intact with both plugs working. Or I'm just not understanding this.

That's probably it. Maybe a previous owner had a switched table lamp and then upgraded to a ceiling fixture by grabbing the switch leg and neutral from the plug.

 

[sparky 1971]

Weird that the power to the fan came from wire from a duplex. That pretty much makes one half of the outlet useless.

My thought too. I am guessing that somehow the fan/light is plugged into the switched plug.

I think 'wired' into the switched plug which to me seems like it could have been wired at the back of the box and the outlet left intact with both plugs working. Or I'm just not understanding this.

That's probably it. Maybe a previous owner had a switched table lamp and then upgraded to a ceiling fixture by grabbing the switch leg and neutral from the plug.

The room was probably originally wired with switched receptacles only. Then someone added the fan and fished the switch leg down to the existing switch, but left the wire to the receptacle connected at the switch. I've done it several times, but I pull the switch leg to the receptacle off and cap it. Then replace the split wired duplex.

 

[nadogail]

Sometimes the happy homeowner, who fancies himself as an electrician, will do something creative but unconventional.

 

[75gmck25]

IIRC, in one area I lived we needed either a switched wall receptacle or a switched ceiling light in every bedroom. Most of the duplex wall receptacles used were split so that you only switched one half of the receptacle and left the other half on all the time.

As already mentioned, it appears they just tapped off the switched receptacle to power the ceiling fan when it was installed.