|
05-05-2009, 10:48 AM
|
|
Senior Member
Status:
"The Reckoning Resumes Dec. 12..."
(set 26 days ago)
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Visitation between Wal-Mart & Home Depot
4,119 posts, read 2,798,191 times
Reputation: 2180
|
|
Wiring Problem Diagnostics
We haven't had a good wiring question in a while, so here's a little brain tickle for anyone so inclined. I already have the answer, I just want to see what you guys come up with...
A landlord in my neighborhood has a recently evicted tenant who illegally replaced a light fixture with a ceiling fan. The ceiling fan is in a breakfast nook and the switch that controls it is nearby in the kitchen. Now the range vent will not operate unless the ceiling fan is running and this was not the case prior to the ninja remodel. What's the deal?
The tenant replaced the simple toggle switch with a fan control, btw...
Thoughts?
|
|
05-05-2009, 11:21 AM
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Johns Creek, GA
1,193 posts, read 1,529,942 times
Reputation: 367
|
|
|
The "line" feeding the box is being controlled by the switch- .
Where before the "line" was feeding two different "loads"- the light and the range vent.
In other words- if you don't know WTF you're doing, leave it alone.
|
|
05-05-2009, 11:53 AM
|
|
Senior Member
Status:
"The Reckoning Resumes Dec. 12..."
(set 26 days ago)
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Visitation between Wal-Mart & Home Depot
4,119 posts, read 2,798,191 times
Reputation: 2180
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by K'ledgeBldr
The "line" feeding the box is being controlled by the switch- .
Where before the "line" was feeding two different "loads"- the light and the range vent.
In other words- if you don't know WTF you're doing, leave it alone.
|
Ah, this begs the question...
Why in the heck would the tenant do anything other than remove the old switch and re-attach the feed and the switch leg to the fan control???
It should be pretty straightforward to swap a toggle with a fan control. You should have two black wires and the common neutral in the back of the box (no ground, 1955 construction with original two-wire, black skinned romex)... What could go wrong, how could you get that confused and if you can hook up a fan why couldn't you figure out how to fix that? |
|
05-05-2009, 02:25 PM
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Grosse Ile Michigan and Sometimes Orange County CA
4,631 posts, read 3,687,372 times
Reputation: 1798
|
|
|
My guess: The cieling box for the fan was used as a junction box. The vent is powered by a constant hot that connects to the vent wiring in the cieling juntion box. After unhooking the various wired, the ninjas connsetcted the vent oto the switched hot rather than connecting it back to the constant hot that is also in the cieling box. If this is the case, then it is likely that they messed up other connections that are made in the cieling box (if any). The owner should test and trace every wire that connects in that box and see if there are any other problems.
Another possibility is that the fan is controlled by a switched neutral and the hot line in the cieling box powers both the cieling fan and the vent and the Ninjas got both devices connected to the switched neutral. If that is the case, the whole thing should probably be re-wired. Switched neutrals are dangerous.
|
|
05-05-2009, 02:43 PM
|
|
Senior Member
Status:
"The Reckoning Resumes Dec. 12..."
(set 26 days ago)
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Visitation between Wal-Mart & Home Depot
4,119 posts, read 2,798,191 times
Reputation: 2180
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Coldjensens
My guess: The cieling box for the fan was used as a junction box. The vent is powered by a constant hot that connects to the vent wiring in the cieling juntion box. After unhooking the various wired, the ninjas connsetcted the vent oto the switched hot rather than connecting it back to the constant hot that is also in the cieling box. If this is the case, then it is likely that they messed up other connections that are made in the cieling box (if any). The owner should test and trace every wire that connects in that box and see if there are any other problems.
Another possibility is that the fan is controlled by a switched neutral and the hot line in the cieling box powers both the cieling fan and the vent and the Ninjas got both devices connected to the switched neutral. If that is the case, the whole thing should probably be re-wired. Switched neutrals are dangerous.
|
You're good at this... |
|
05-05-2009, 02:59 PM
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Grosse Ile Michigan and Sometimes Orange County CA
4,631 posts, read 3,687,372 times
Reputation: 1798
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimboburnsy
You're good at this...
|
I have done a lot of wiring in old houses that were rewired or partially rewired by Ninjas. |
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
|
|
Welcome to City-Data.com forum! Make sure to register - it's free and very quick! You have to register before you can post and participate in our discussions with 700,000 other registered members. User profiles and some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your free account you will be able to customize many options, you will have the full access to over 15,000 posts/day about local topics and you will see fewer ads. 
Linear Mode
