I'm stuck on a wall switch..

[MagicMarker]

Ok,
Just replacing old to new switches. I believed it is a single pole switch, but something isn't right. Originally, all the outlets were live and the switch controlled the power to the ceiling fan.

Here is the old switch. One black in the screw, one in the push right next to it and the red in the other push.



Here's my new switch. In this set up, now the outlets and fan are controlled by the switch.. I tried removing the red and capping it off, but that didn't work... Please help.

 

[CJ7VFR]

Is the power source coming from the switch and then going to the outlets and fan, or is the power source coming from the outlets and fan and then to the switch?

This will make a difference on how everything is hooked up.

Your pictures do not show a white neutral wire anywhere, so it's hard to determine exactly what is going on and where the power source is coming from.

Jim

 

[BD1]

Which wire feeds outlets ? That should go to the OFF terminal of the switch keeping them live all the time.

 

[MagicMarker]

Is the power source coming from the switch and then going to the outlets and fan, or is the power source coming from the outlets and fan and then to the switch?

This will make a difference on how everything is hooked up.

Your pictures do not show a white neutral wire anywhere, so it's hard to determine exactly what is going on and where the power source is coming from.

Jim

Well originally, all the outlets were always hot independent of the switch, so I'd have to say the power must be coming from the outlets to switch to fan. The switch only controlled the ceiling fan.

There is no white wire to speak of that was attached to the original switch... there are white wires bound together in the back of the box.

So is the next step to determine which wire is source wire?

 

[MagicMarker]

Which wire feeds outlets ? That should go to the OFF terminal of the switch keeping them live all the time.

So the hot wire should be on the bottom screw?

 

[Axehandle]

You had your red to common in the old switch and 2 blacks together, so your red probably goes to the fan. The 2 blacks..probably 1 hot and the other to the recepts.

 

[MagicMarker]

Also where does the red wire go?

 

[Git]

It looks like you have a 3 way switch - See where it says "common". Check all your existing switches to be sure. If it is a 3 way, only one of those travelers is going to be energized at one time

 

[philofab]

You need to move the black wires together on your new switch.

One black wire is power into the switch box, the other goes to the outlets. The red is most likely the fan or light.

 

[Git]

I should add that my son did a similar thing when replacing the switch for a ceiling fan.

He insisted this was the only switch that controlled his ceiling fan/light and couldn't figure out where all the wires went on the new switch. About a month later, I get a call that the lights on his new fan would no longer work...

What happened was the OTHER switch, (that he didn't have ) got switched and since there was only the one traveler, the light could no longer get power

So double check to see if this is the only switch...

 

[MagicMarker]

yes.. looks like the old switch is a three way... there is an opening labeled "common" where the red wire went into.

I guess I need to buy a three way switch.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Typically 3-way switches have a black screw for the common.

Is there another switch that controls the fan?

U dont have enough wires there for the fan to be 3-way controlled and the outlets to be hot all the time.

A 3-way switch can be used in place of a single pole switch.

First step- determine which wire is the feed/hot all the time. Then turn power off.

Hook that up to the bottom screw on the new switch.

Then hookup the red wire to the top screw.

Turn power back on and turn switch on. See if the fan or the outlets come on.

Repeat above for other black wire.

BTW u dont want to use the push-in terminals aka back stabs. They fail over time. U should use pig tails instead:

When u figure out which wire is for the outlets, get a short piece of wire and a wire nut and twist the feed wire, outlet wire and short wire together.

Put the short wire on the bottom screw of the new switch.

Put fan wire on top screw.

Turn power on and test.

If u do have another 3-way switch, then this switch may feed the fan and therefore u wont have constant power here. The wire that goes on the common will feed the fan.

However, i think someone just used a 3-way in place of a single pole switch.

 

[Git]

However, i think someone just used a 3-way in place of a single pole switch.

I think you may be right. I went back and re-read the first post. He does have a 3-way switch, but it does not sound like he is using all 3 terminals

"One black in the screw, one in the push right next to it and the red in the other push"

clear as mud

So on the new switch the red wire gets connected to one terminal and the two black wires get connected to the other terminal

 

[the gypsy]

Hi MagicMarker. I just wanted to say that the switch in the first post/pic does not look like a 3way. What it looks like to me is a single pole switch. The confusion in my opinion is that one wire was attached to the one screw and then another wire was back stabbed to the hole next to the screw. As someone else already stated, it is not safe to backstab the wires, they get loose in time. Personally I believe you should install a pigtail to the wires that were installed one next to each other and install the other wire on the other screw.
Another reason I don't beliece it was a 3 way switch is that there would be another space to backstab the other traveller IF it were a 3way.
Therefore it confirms to me that the previous person that did the repair was a diyer and did not do the repair in the best poosible manner.

 

[the gypsy]

So after reading and rereading the fist post a couple of times. I figure the 2 wires that were one next to each other, one was hot and therefore wired together powered the outlets. the one on the opposite side was for the fan and when the switch was flipped turned on the fan.

 

[MagicMarker]

So after reading and rereading the fist post a couple of times. I figure the 2 wires that were one next to each other, one was hot and therefore wired together powered the outlets. the one on the opposite side was for the fan and when the switch was flipped turned on the fan.

I need to test which wire is the source (my gut says it's one of the black ones). Then pigtail the two blacks and screw to the bottom and the red to the top screw?

 

[the gypsy]

What do you have to test the wires? It certainly sounds like that assumption is correct. According to your first post the blacks were next to each other, leading me to believe that one was hot and the other wired to the outlets .
What I do after I figure out which wire is hot I put a put a sign on it identifying it and maybe you should identify the others too. In a box with 2 black wires I would put a red tape around the hot, but in your situation I might put a yellow one and write hot on it with a permanent marker.

 

[MagicMarker]

What do you have to test the wires? It certainly sounds like that assumption is correct. According to your first post the blacks were next to each other, leading me to believe that one was hot and the other wired to the outlets .
What I do after I figure out which wire is hot I put a put a sign on it identifying it and maybe you should identify the others too. In a box with 2 black wires I would put a red tape around the hot, but in your situation I might put a yellow one and write hot on it with a permanent marker.

Just confirmed one of the black wires is hot... I used a multimeter to determine which is hot.

So I'll pig tail the two blacks and screw to the bottom terminal and the red to the top terminal... correct?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Is there another switch that controls the fan?

If not that was the key that its not a 3-way circuit.

 

[gpflepsen]

Or... The power originates in the fan box. The black on the common screw brings power from the fan box. The other black that is in the stab goes to the outlets. The red is the switched power going back to the fan box. Why else would there be three conductor wire going to fan?

In any case, pigtail the blacks to the new switch common, then the red goes to the switched screw.

 

[MagicMarker]

Thanks all for the super fast responses and advice.

It all works now... pigtailed the blacks to the bottom terminal and red to the top.

All is right in the room again.

I love learning a bit more about first time home ownership.

 

[the gypsy]

There is no "OR". The power originated with a hot black wire and supplied power to outlets (because they were on all the time) and the red wire brought power to the fan when flipped on. The lack of neutral is not pertinent on the switch because they are all linked in the box.

 

[Mustang51js]

I wish I would've seen this earlier,it's simple, red in top screw to fan and the two blacks go together

 

[OccupantRJ]

In any case, if the switch was a three way, it would not have the word "off" on the toggle. This also applies to a four way.