Electrical question - light stopped working

[honza.vosalik]

So my little daughter decides it would be fun to flip a light switch up and down for funsies. Next thing I know the light stopped working. So did my closet lights (in the room next to it). Turns out two out of three outlets in that room where she flipped the switch also stopped working.

So I went to the panel. A braker marked as "GFI bathroom outlets" seemed down. Please note the actual outlets in bathroom are not GFI, they are regular. So I flipped it up. Didn't help. Bathroom outlets work though.

Any suggestions how to proceed? And yes, I tried to change the bulb

 

[cybrdyke]

Just regular incandescent bulbs? Not CFL or LED?

 

[honza.vosalik]

Just regular incandescent bulbs? Not CFL or LED?

Regular.
I also tried to plug a night light in those outlets, doesn't work. Works in the bathroom though.

Not exactly sure if the bathroom is actually on the same circuit as the lights and outlets that stopped working.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

couldve killed the switch

gonna have to open up the switch box and see if you have power.

Are you comfortable working on electrical?

 

[finn]

Some breakers seem to have to be fully cycled when they trip, ie switch it completely off after it trips to a neutral position, before switching it to the on position.

 

[honza.vosalik]

Weird enough it started working now.

 

[cybrdyke]

Even though it's working now, it sounds like the switch will soon need to be replaced. The contacts can get weaker over time, resulting in less reliable contact. They can also get a build up of carbon on them, which also makes them less reliable.
CD

 

[honza.vosalik]

I can replace the switch, but how do you explain that teo outlets and two other lights would not work either?

Now in the morning it's not working again. Very confused!

 

[driftpin]

I can replace the switch, but how do you explain that teo outlets and two other lights would not work either?

Now in the morning it's not working again. Very confused!

That circuit and the switch are telling you, "change me out (the switch) before I short-out and start a fire!" Buy the better-quality switch and not the $.99 switch from the big box electrical aisle.

If the switch doesn't do it, you probably will need to replace the breaker, and take a good-look at the connections for being well-landed, and torqued correctly, with no insulation defects to-ground, which should have resulted in the breaker tripping again, if properly-operating.

 

[jeffmattero76]

Open the switchbox, and pull the switch out, after turning off the circuit breaker that controls this circuit. My guess is that power comes into that switchbox, and continues to feed the receptacles. The wires are connected with a wirenut, and one or more of them are loose. Also, take a look at the switch and tell me how many wires are connected to it. If there are more than two, post back.

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[TRWham]

I agree there is more than just a bad switch going on here. Check all the connections in that switchbox. Something is loose and the jiggling of the switch made it worse.

 

[ard]

Open the switchbox, and pull the switch out, after turning off the circuit breaker that controls this circuit. My guess is that power comes into that switchbox, and continues to feed the receptacles. The wires are connected with a wirenut, and one or more of them are loose. Also, take a look at the switch and tell me how many wires are connected to it. If there are more than two, post back.

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This.

Anyone wanna bet he finds backstabs????

 

[jeffmattero76]

I agree. That's why I asked how many wires hooked to the switch.

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[honza.vosalik]

Thanks, I'll check it out and will update the post after

 

[honza.vosalik]

Tonight th e light decided to work, so that allowed me to figure out that it's actually connected to breaker marked as master bedroom. I guess assuming that master closet is on the same circuit is the reason for that.

So I opened up the switch box. It's a 2gang box, one for the ceiling light and one for the closet in the room. There are 3 sets of wires, so I guess no backstab there.

I didn't find anything obvious. I replaced the switch just to be sure. One pig tail �� seemed a bit loose on the grounding wire, so I fixed it. Not sure how that would cause closet lights in master not to work though, they are on the same circuit but not the same switch box.

So we'll see I guess

 

[ard]

I guess no backstab there.

You 'guess'?

It is an "is" or "isn't" thing.....