How To Troubleshoot A Light Switch
Do you have a light switch in your home that isn’t working properly? If you have a screwdriver, voltage tester, insulated pliers and a wire connector you can troubleshoot your light switch to determine the problem and, if necessary, replace the switch. Light switches are inexpensive, and take only a small amount of time to replace.
Exercise caution when working with light switches. They can be very dangerous. If you’re not comfortable working with electricity, contact a professional electrician. Never work with electrical outlets, switches or fixtures, unless you have an understanding of electrical circuits and basic home wiring.
A light switch has small components in its casing and if damaged, you will need to replace the switch. But before you replace the light switch, check some things to verify that the light switch is actually the issue and not the wiring or something else.
Follow these steps to troubleshoot your light switch:
If the light switch randomly stopped working there might be no power coming to it so make sure the breakers are all on. Also, check around your home if there is a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) that is tripped that can sometimes be the problem to your faulty light switch. And lastly, it might be obvious to a lot of us, but check your light bulbs. It can be that easy to fix your electrical problem. If neither of those things worked, then your light switch might not be working or you might have a faulty wire connection.
If the light switch has been flickering, it could be a sign of a loose connection. First thing is to make sure that the power is off to your light switch. Before pulling out the light switch from its box make sure to test the wires with your voltage meter to verify that the power is off. Once you have verified check the wires going to your light and give them a pull to see if they're loose. If they are put them back in the correct screw (terminal) that they were originally in and tighten the screw. Turn the power back on and see if the light works.
Check the light switch where the screws are at to see if there is visible signs of melted plastic or any type of black stain that could indicate that the light switch is damaged.
If neither of the wires were loose make sure the power is off and unscrew the two wires connected to your light switch and twist them together. Once they are connected, turn the power back on and see if the light works. If the power comes on, you have fixed your issue and you will need to get a new light switch.
If the light does not come on, check inside the light switch box to see if there is any white wires(neutrals) in there. If there is, verify that there is no power going to those wires with your voltage tester. Also, make sure to see if the wires are touching. If they're not, twist them together and put a wire nut on them. Turn the power back on and see if the light turns on.
If the light does not come on or is still flickering after bypassing the light switch and checking the white wires (neutrals) then the problem could be a faulty wire connection somewhere in the light fixture. Make sure the power is off at the light fixture before taking it down. Use your voltage tester to verify that the power is off at the light fixture and check the wires going to your light fixture. Give the two wires a pull and if they're loose tighten the wires back into place and check to see if the light works. If it doesn't turn on, check inside the light fixture box if there are any wire connections. If there is, use your voltage tester to verify that the power is off. Visually check that the wire connections are touching each other. Put a wire nut on them and then turn the power back on and see if the light turns on. If the light does turn on, good job! You just accomplished your extensive troubleshooting job!
If the light does not come on or it continues to flicker then there might be a loose connection somewhere else in the circuit. You will have to do further investigating or you can call Morbes Electric to troubleshoot your electrical circuit for you!
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