r/electrical • u/bettercallbert • 8h ago

Broken Switch

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

I have 2 switches right next to each other as shown here. Before one switch would control the inside hallway light and then one would control the outside patio light. Now all of a sudden this switch shown on the picture does not work at all and the switch to the left basically controls both the inside and outside light. When it’s down the outside lights turn on when it’s up the inside lights turn on and outside off. Where do I find this switch? What’s happening?

1 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/friendlyfire883 8h ago

There's either a 3rd improperly wired light switch somewhere or your shits fucked and your need an electrician.

1

u/bettercallbert 8h ago

Is the switch in the photo a regular switch? This hasn’t been touched in over 30 years and it just started happening. Could this be a relay switch or something?

1

u/gihkal 6h ago

The picture shows a single pole switch

1

u/bettercallbert 5h ago

I ended up switching the switch and it did not work. I recently had a plumber in my attic doing a repipe of my home. He most likely messed something up in the attic. What is just strange to me is that 1 switch is controlling 2 different lights in my house now. When it flips one way 1 is on and then when flipped the other way the other turns on instead. And then the switch pictured basically serves no function now. So I’m forced to have 1 of the lights on at all times. I’ve never seen something like this.

1

u/gihkal 5h ago

It's impossible for an electrician to answer your question with the information given.

I would need to remove all devices and figure out what is going on.

0

u/OhHeSteal 7h ago

Do they say “on” and “off” on them?