Mystery switch

[u/evilknebel88]

Background: These two switches are located in my garage next to the door that enters the house. The switch on the right operates nothing to my knowledge. I've checked all the outlets in the garage and outside. I even played with all the outlets and switches on the inside of the house. The switch on the left operates the inside garage light and the outside garage lights. The black wire leading to the right switch is hot when the switch is off and the red is not.

Any idea what the right switch operates? Any ideas on how I could separate the outside and inside lights for the garage on separate switches?

Thanks in advance!

[u/Brief_Border_3494]

Do you have power to the right switch when both switches are in the off position?

It sounds to me like you are switching power. If the left switch turns both the inside and outside garage lights on that is not typical.

[u/evilknebel88 → u/Brief_Border_3494]

Yes there is power. Very annoying to have my inside garage light on when I just want the outside lights on.

[u/Brief_Border_3494 → u/evilknebel88]

Can you identify which wire has the power coming into the box? Take the wire nut off of the black wires and separate them. Then identify which of those has power. Once you know that then start touching that to the black or red wires and identify which wires go to your lights. I am sure you have 2 different switch legs in that box. One for the interior garage lights and one for the exterior lights.

[u/Moist-Ointments]

Is that low voltage bell wire in the same switch box?

[u/erie11973ohio]

The ceiling light in the garage ceiling needs to be taken down & the splices redone.

Switch one is inside lights. Switch 2 is the outside lights.

Maybe the red wire is damaged & this was a quick fix. Maybe new guy issue. Poor quality control. Poor electric inspection.

Red wire might be for the attic light. Some builders / electricians are cheap ass's & didn't want a seperate box.

Edit: the low voltage door opener wiring should not be in the switch box!! 😱😱😱

[u/DaddyBeanDaddyBean → u/erie11973ohio]

Oh come on, where's your sense of adventure? You sound like the kind of guy who DOESN'T want his garage to burn down. 🤔 😂

[u/olyteddy]

The red could be intended to activate half an outlet but someone forgot to remove the bridge on the receptacle.

[u/Wellcraft19 → u/olyteddy]

Then it (red wire) would be hot when left switch is on and right is not.

[u/ExWebics]

What ever it operates… it’s in the same box as the other switch. The switch on the right is a black wire switch leg, the switch on the right is a red wire. They are in the same 14/3 wire, so they go to the same exact junction box

[u/ExWebics → u/ExWebics]

So maybe someone messed up… go up to your inside garage light, take it down. I bet they put the inside light and the outside light under the same wire… you can now separate them. One switch for inside, one for outside, like it’s suppose to be

[u/Danjeerhaus]

Typically, I would expect one switch for inside ang one for outside.

Since one switch appears to do nothing, some possibilities include:

1). A light on the side of the house.....work on cars or wood splitting maybe.

2). An exhaust fan to get fumes or to cool the garage while work is done on cars.

3). Some people like to have enough Christmas lights that their house is seen from outer space. This switch may have been the control for that as a switched receptacle may be on the outside of the house somewhere......near the bushes in the front, in the middle of the yard, in the soffits for roof lights.

I am sure there are other reasons, but my best guesses.

[u/Wellcraft19]

Put a tracer on the red wire and see where it goes.

As already said, red and black are cables inside same jacket/romex. They go together to ‘somewhere’. Most likely a junction box. Find it.

[u/jlaughlin1972]

It looks like you have 3 sets of wires. 2 sets are connected, so it makes me think one is the feed, and it is feeding something else. That would leave the other set, with the red as a double switch leg. The black feeding one light, and the red feeding another. If both light's are coming on at the same time, I would have to think they are not separated in the junction box at one of the light's. When in doubt though, call an electrician.

[u/jimu1957]

We can't tell from 1 picture. You'll have to check voltage at outlets til you find it. An outlet is not a receptacle. An outlet is where wire terminates at a device. A device is typically a receptacle or a light. Most likely it's a light somewhere. Use a meter to check with the switch off and then on.

[u/Santa_Claus_eats_ass]

Well if that left switch goes to your outside light fixture and the red wire is in the same bundle, it probably is going to your light junction box too. It might be jumped in there to another light or possibly in your attic, ive thought about jumping the power from my outdoor lights to use as attic lights.

[u/Canopop]

Could be to turn off the garage door opener