Submitted by Most_Adhesiveness_73 t3_10fe3bb in DIY
Two switches in the bathroom aren’t working, one for the fan and one for the light. There is also a panel for the heating just underneath that isn’t working. The breaker switch hasn’t flipped and every other light/outlet in the bathroom are fine. What could be the issue?
> Check the breaker.
> Check the GFCI outlets in the bathroom to see if any of them have been tripped. Sometimes those get daisy chained together, even though that's not the proper thing to do.
> Get a basic voltage tester pen. Take the pull the wall plate off the switches and see if any of the wires trigger the pen. If they do, kill the power at the breaker box (check again with the tester to verify). Then pull the switch out to make sure all of the connections are secure.
If none of those things work. Call an electrician. They are extremely worth it! Unsure who to call? Realtors are a great resource for recos.
>Check the GFCI outlets in the bathroom to see if any of them have been tripped. Sometimes those get daisy chained together, even though that's not the proper thing to do.
This in particular is common in homes built between the 60s and the 80s. They used to have a two prong outlet for a plug in electric razor, tied to the bathroom lights but otherwise provided no GFI or even basic grounding protection (they did have a transformer to step down the voltage, so it wasnt a complete death trap). Homeowners and landlords typically just swap the two prong for a GFI receptacle but change nothing else about the circuit, which can take out the lights when the GFI trips. If you have an unusually large cover plate around a bathroom GFI, this has happened in your home
If they both stopped working at the same time I'd suggest checking the breaker. If the breaker is find turn it off and replace the switch. If that doesn't work move
To fix two switches that don't work in your bathroom, you will need to first identify the source of the problem. Here are some steps you can take:
1.Check the circuit breaker or fuse box to see if the circuit has tripped or blown. If it has, reset the circuit or replace the fuse.
2.If the circuit is not the problem, remove the switch plate and inspect the wiring. Make sure all the wires are securely connected to the switch and that there is no visible damage to the wiring.
3.If the wiring appears to be in good condition, the switch itself may be faulty. Test the switch with a multimeter to see if it is working properly.
4.If the switch is faulty, it will need to be replaced. Turn off the power to the circuit before replacing the switch.
5.Once you have identified and fixed the problem, turn the power back on and test the switches to make sure they are working properly.
It's always a good idea to hire an electrician if you're uncomfortable working with electrical wiring.
Thanks. I think I will get a sparky for this time.
Pull out the switch and make sure everything is still wired correctly. Use a multimeter with the switch disconnected to see if it is working correctly.
If no one messed with the wiring, how would it suddenly become incorrect?
The problem isn't "I tried to swap out a switch, and now nothing works right" it's "my lights don't work even though no one messed with them and they worked fine an hour ago"
There could be a Loose wire coming off and breaking the circuit. Although rare, switches can fail internally.
Still, it's unlikely to be the culprit. A loose wire would been giving intermittent issues as it made and lost its connection till it finally came completely off.
It could be a dead switch (aka one that failed in the off position) though, I'll give you that. Depending on the age of the switch it might even be the issue.
Move the switches out of the bathroom.
ToolMeister t1_j4w6g5y wrote
Sometimes the breaker doesn't fully trip. To reset, you have to manually flip it and return to normal.
If it's not the breaker at the panel, look for a GFCI outlet on the line or trace the wires until you find the issue