Foyer Light Switch Panel?!

[D45]

So, I have been in my house for 5 years now...……..I have a 3 switch panel in the foyer, near the front door

One switch controls the outside porch and garage lights

One switch controls the foyer light and hallway light

What could the third switch control!?!

I have an outlet near the front porch, but its "hot" all the time...…...not switch controlled

Any ideas?

 

[MikeF2316]

First thing I'd do is pull the cover plate and see if there is any wires connected to the switch.

Then see if there's any power.

 

[D45]

Cover pulled

Wires connected to the switch

Has power

 

[RAYJAY]

3 way or 4 way switch ????/

 

[yatg]

Maybe a switched receptacle.

 

[D45]

House built in 1978 if that helps at all...……

Two wire switch

 

[AntonLargiader]

We're all just guessing, but:
- now-removed ceiling fan in foyer
- some other outside light, sidewalk etc.
- other exterior light on house, like in a gable end

 

[MikeF2316]

Time to buy a tool! Google wire tracing tool, or search on Amazon.

 

[Git]

Any red wires?

 

[nh_yota]

The neighbor's garage door opener?

 

[ferrari52000]

Check both top and bottom of the outlet.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[The Cobbler]

switched receptacle somewhere ( maybe outdoor receptacle to, for holiday lighting) , outdoor light somewhere,
(might only control 1 of 2 receptacles )

 

[sparky 1971]

Usually when I get that question, it turns out to be a ceiling fan light kit that doesn't exist. Sometimes it's because the fan/light has a remote control and only requires one "hot" wire leaving the other switch to be a "dummy". Since it's a 1978 home, I am going to guess it's a switched receptacle. Sometime in the last 40 years, that receptacle may have been changed. It happens a lot where the installer doesn't break the tab between the two sides, leaving both halves of the receptacle hot all the time.

 

[Steve W.]

Do you have a light out beside the driveway? If not, do the rest of your neighbors have lights? It's possible that yours was removed before you moved in.

Another possibility is a switched outlet near the front door for "holiday" lights.

.

 

[Shiftless]

Do you have a light out beside the driveway? If not, do the rest of your neighbors have lights? It's possible that yours was removed before you moved in.

Another possibility is a switched outlet near the front door for "holiday" lights.

.

That’s my guess as well. Maybe there used to be a post lantern that was removed. The switched outlet in the eves for holiday lights is a good possibility too. I kept hearing about this on GJ and thought it was a great idea so I did that for my house a few years ago.

 

[nadogail]

Maybe a voltage "sniffer" will point you in a constructive direction.

 

[egdede]

Usually when I get that question, it turns out to be a ceiling fan light kit that doesn't exist. Sometimes it's because the fan/light has a remote control and only requires one "hot" wire leaving the other switch to be a "dummy". Since it's a 1978 home, I am going to guess it's a switched receptacle. Sometime in the last 40 years, that receptacle may have been changed. It happens a lot where the installer doesn't break the tab between the two sides, leaving both halves of the receptacle hot all the time.

So now you have to pull all you outlets and look for one with an extra black wire.

 

[sparky 1971]

So now you have to pull all you outlets and look for one with an extra black wire.

It's probably red, but yes. Usually, people don't care once I tell them what it probably is though. They just say leave it when they realize that I am not a magician with a crystal ball or x-ray vision.

 

[The Cobbler]

of course, it could have fed a switched receptacle that has since been disconnected & fed hot continuously.
look for outlet boxes with an extra wire inside doing nothing

 

[ddawg16]

Does it look like all the outlets have been replaced?

If so....good chance someone just wire nutted the 'switched' outlet and both recept's are hot...

Or....maybe you have tested both positions. Typically, a switched outlet only applies to one of the recept's......one is always hot, the other switched

 

[sparky 1971]

of course, it could have fed a switched receptacle that has since been disconnected & fed hot continuously.
look for outlet boxes with an extra wire inside doing nothing

It's usually not an extra wire inside doing nothing. Someone changes the receptacle and hooks up both the "hot" and the switched wire. They fail to break the tab off that separates the two halves. This leaves both halves hot all the time.

 

[slow]

if that is the case, a multimeter on the switch should show power on both sides.

 

[rburke65]

The witch could be for anything