JimmyTheMonkey
Well-known member
So I know this is a bit of a basic question, but I am positive someone here can shed some light (ha!)
60 year old garage with original wiring throughout most of it. I have a switch box with three switches. The middle switch clearly turns on and off the majority of the lights in the garage - however the lights affected by this switch were installed right before we moved in and so I imagined this switch was replaced or "turned on," for lack of a better term.
The other two switches dont appear to do anything, however. I followed the wiring from the breaker box (also in the garage), and both switches have wiring running from the box, through the switch, and then on to other sources. The left switch has wiring running to two outlet banks, and both outlet banks are not affected by the switch in any way (I plugged in a shop vac and stereo and flipped the switch with no effect). The other switch runs to an old light point and then into the ceiling to what I think is the old ceiling light and switch. Regardless, that switch doesnt do anything either.
So, first, how is it possible that a switch has cable running through it but the switch itself has no effect on that cable. I guess there must be a way to defeat the switch portion of the switch, but then why run it through a switch in the first place? Do switches sometimes fail and then get stuck in the "on" position?
Second, I plan on adding some more outlets and lights to the garage, could there possibly be something else wrong that I am not thinking of, or could I simply add the lights, wire them to the switch box, and just replace the the current switch?
I took some pictures of the exposed box last night that looked fine but they are really blurry now, I can take more pictures tonight and post, if necessary.
60 year old garage with original wiring throughout most of it. I have a switch box with three switches. The middle switch clearly turns on and off the majority of the lights in the garage - however the lights affected by this switch were installed right before we moved in and so I imagined this switch was replaced or "turned on," for lack of a better term.
The other two switches dont appear to do anything, however. I followed the wiring from the breaker box (also in the garage), and both switches have wiring running from the box, through the switch, and then on to other sources. The left switch has wiring running to two outlet banks, and both outlet banks are not affected by the switch in any way (I plugged in a shop vac and stereo and flipped the switch with no effect). The other switch runs to an old light point and then into the ceiling to what I think is the old ceiling light and switch. Regardless, that switch doesnt do anything either.
So, first, how is it possible that a switch has cable running through it but the switch itself has no effect on that cable. I guess there must be a way to defeat the switch portion of the switch, but then why run it through a switch in the first place? Do switches sometimes fail and then get stuck in the "on" position?
Second, I plan on adding some more outlets and lights to the garage, could there possibly be something else wrong that I am not thinking of, or could I simply add the lights, wire them to the switch box, and just replace the the current switch?
I took some pictures of the exposed box last night that looked fine but they are really blurry now, I can take more pictures tonight and post, if necessary.
