Disco party in the bathroom

"Tohru" (tohrurokuno)
12/28/2014 at 21:01 • Filed to: None

I'm managed to fuck up some wiring installing a replacement ceiling fan in the bathroom. I thought I wired it all properly, but I apparently didn't.

The ceiling box is controlled by a single switch. Because I'm a believer in janky wiring, there's a 3-bulb wall-mount fixture over the bathroom mirror that ties into the ceiling box using lamp cord. The 3-bulb light used 3 IKEA Ledare bulbs, the ceiling fan is incandescent for now.

Here's what's supposed to happen:

Fan works all the time, switch on or off. Controlled by pull chain on fan.

Lights come on with switch. Fan light controllable by pull chain.

Here's what's happening right now:

Fan works all the time, switch on or off. Controlled by pull chain on fan.

Fan light on, light switch on: only the fan light is on.

Fan light on, light switch off: 3-bulb is on, outer 2 bulbs blink, when they blink the fan light blinks dimly.

Fan light off: No lights come on, no matter the switch position.

Time to go sort out what I did wrong.

EDIT: Got it sorted.

The outlet box has 3 wires coming into it (old house, solid core 2 wire electrical in most of it):

Constant 120V (a white and a black wire twisted together)

Switched 120V (black wire)

Neutral (white wire)

The fan had all the connections right, but I wired the wall lights to Constant 120V and Switched 120V. Weird that they'd blink like that.

DISCUSSION (22)

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Tohru
12/28/2014 at 21:09

You have to have a constant hot (often black) in the ceiling box for fan all the time.

You need a switched wire (often red) to have the light obey the switch. If you only have black and white in the ceiling box, the whole operation is on the switch and you will not have constant fan.

The ext place to start is to figure out if the power originates in the ceiling, or in the switch box. It could happen either way.

The blinking/no light sounds like you have power coming from two different directions aimed at the light bulbs. If you have 120v pushing one way and the same 120v pushing the other way, there is no potential. You created an ad hoc three way switch by accident.

Xyl0c41n3 > Tohru
12/28/2014 at 21:12

Argh, I just finished typing a semi-long comment to this and got kinja'd. Le sigh. Whatevs. Anyway, hope you get it sorted soon.

Tohru > Xyl0c41n3
12/28/2014 at 21:19

Got it fixed. Updated the original post.

Tohru > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius
12/28/2014 at 21:21

You were right. I had wired the wall lights across Constant 120V and Switched 120V. So the system was backfeeding. Got it fixed.

Xyl0c41n3 > Tohru
12/28/2014 at 21:26

Yay! Now maybe you can fix the problem I have. Ceiling-mounted heater in the bathroom knocks out power to half the house if it's turned on when the microwave or dishwasher is on, or too many room lights.

Ha, kidding, I know why. It's an old house with old wiring that can't really handle modern appliances, plus, too many things are on too few circuits. Why an electrician several decades ago thought it was wise to put the kitchen, main bathroom, and most overhead room lights on the same switch is beyond me.

Anyhoo, check your email, por favor.

shop-teacher > Tohru
12/28/2014 at 21:36

Lamp cord? Really? Come on, man! At least jump for some romex!

Glad you got it sorted!

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Tohru
12/28/2014 at 21:55

Im a pretty fart smeller sometimes.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Xyl0c41n3
12/28/2014 at 22:03

I have two old houses. One built in 1936 with very old cloth covered romex.

The other is a 1928 with knob and tube.

Both of them have the same issue. The electrician switched the neutrals going to the ceiling light fixtures. Neutral!

I blew a main fuse and took a bunch of worrying apart before figuring it was the main. When i put it back, i switched the hot like I'm used to. When you would turn off the dining room, lights in half the house would then off. Crazy.

Xyl0c41n3 > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius
12/28/2014 at 22:07

Wow! This place isn't that old, but still. Lol. At least I can navigate the entire place by feel/memory in the pitch black. ^_^

Tohru > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius
12/28/2014 at 22:08

... what.

Tohru > shop-teacher
12/28/2014 at 22:09

I'm not going to run romex stapled to the ceiling, man. The white lamp cord blends in and you hardly notice it.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Tohru
12/28/2014 at 22:10

Old joke around the office. Switch the first syllable of those words.

Tohru > Xyl0c41n3
12/28/2014 at 22:22

My house has the following all on the same 15A circuit breaker:

Ceiling light in Dogapult's room.

All wall outlets in Dogapult's room.

Ceiling light in living room.

All outlets in living room.

Ceiling light in bathroom.

Outlet in bathroom.

Two outlets in the kitchen.

Exterior light at front door.

Last time I popped that breaker I was running a CRT TV, a PS2, an 1875watt heater, and a 1500watt heater.

Tohru > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius
12/28/2014 at 22:23

Half of my house is on one 15A circuit breaker. There's solid core cloth wiring everywhere.

Tohru > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius
12/28/2014 at 22:24

OH. Goddamnit.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Tohru
12/28/2014 at 22:27

Unless you like pretty farts. Then you can use the first one

shop-teacher > Tohru
12/28/2014 at 22:37

Can't argue that logic!

Xyl0c41n3 > Tohru
12/28/2014 at 22:41

I thought most of ours was on a 20A, but when I actually checked, it's one of a handful of 30A breakers. So, on one 30A we've got:

-Master bedroom overhead and wall outlets

-2nd and 3rd bedroom overheads and wall outlets

-hallway overhead

-kitchen overhead and half the wall outlets, including the one the dishwasher is tapped into

-Dining room overhead and outlets

-Living room overhead and wall outlets

-Home office overhead and wall outlets

-utility/pantry room overhead

On a couple of the other 30A and 20A are the fridge, freezer, washer/dryer, the other half of the kitchen outlets, and whatever needs power in the garage addition that was added on after the house was built. Plus all the exterior fixtures and outlets.

If you try to run the dishwasher and the coffee maker at the same time, it can be hit or miss, lol.

PyramidHat > Tohru
12/29/2014 at 00:23

Since we're on the topic of lighting and missing things: The GF had lamp with a failed switch/socket. I go to look at it and get a nice pop/spark due to said failure. No big deal - two screws, a couple of wires and you're home free. So I unplug the lamp, install the new socket, plug it back in, switch it on and...nothing. Now, this is a lamp: Two wires and a switch - not much to screw up, but I go to Google, anyway. Someone on a forum mentioned having the polarity reversed. Now, if this were a motor, I could see that being an issue, but I did not think it would apply to lamps, but for Shih Tzu giggles, I give it a go. Same thing - still doesn't work. I strip the wiring out of the lamp thinking that it was broken inside somewhere, and install a new cord. Still nothing. So, I give up for the evening, feeling like a lame ass. Meanwhile, the GF is making dinner and says "Damn, my mixer won't work!" Clue: The socket that the mixer is plugged in to is on the opposite side of the wall where the lamp was. I proceed to the breaker box and bingo: I guess when I got that pop/spark, I threw the breaker. (odd that they put a kitchen and dining room outlet on the same circuit, but there you go).

I felt silly, but I was glad that I at least knew how to connect two wires correctly.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Tohru
12/29/2014 at 09:12

Uhn tiss uhn tiss

Kinja'd!!!

Tohru > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
12/29/2014 at 11:12

"The Cheat is grounded. We had that light switch installed for you to turn the lights on and off. Not so you could throw light switch raves."

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Tohru
12/29/2014 at 11:19

"Mweh..."