Another electrical problem - Montana Owners Club

rldriver · 05-24-2007, 12:06 PM

I am sitting here in the camp site and decided to install a rope light under the counter edge in the kitchen. I have a 120 VAC rocker switch and room to put it on the end of the counter. I spliced power from the GFCI outlet next to it. I cut the plug off from the end of the rope light and wired it directly into the switch. All looked good to me, white to white and black to black.

Turned the power on and the GFCI in line poped. When I reset it I heard the pop and saw a little smoke from the new switch, it also poped the circuit breaker in the main panel. I think when I pushed the switch into the box I may have had two wires touching. I think that is taken care of now, but wait there is more. The GFCI outlets and the rope light now work except great but when I turn the switch off it will pop the circuit breaker in the main panel.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I have another electrical project to do but think I will put that on hold until I get this figured out.

Ozz · 05-24-2007, 12:54 PM

Wire the White rope light to a known neutral wire, (possibly not in the switch box area), then come off a known hot wire with a wire into the switch, then on to the load, (the rope light) on the other side of the switch.
Sometimes they use a white wire in a load situation, you have to check with a meter.
Good luck.
Ozz

rldriver · 05-24-2007, 04:29 PM

Thanks Ozz for the quick reply. I am sorry to say that it's a little over my head. No, it's a "lot" over my head. I don't know much about the electricity stuff. My Dad tought me not to put my fingers in those two little holes in the wall.

The only power I have in the area is the oulet at the end of the counter so not sure what I am going to do.

In another note, I am in the park that Bluegill has spent the last few months only to find that he has pulled up stakes and headed East.

JH Sechelt · 05-24-2007, 05:06 PM

Dick,

You said white to white & black to black. Does the switch have 4 places to hook up wires? or just 2 ? I would have thought one wire from the rope lights would have just been connected to the wire from the ground fault plug and put a 2 way switch (in-line) with the other wire. One side of the switch going to the ground fault plug and the other end of the switch to the other wire from the rope light.
Sounds like you have created a direct short in the switch some how.
Any pictures?

J&D

rldriver · 05-24-2007, 06:33 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by JH Sechelt

Dick,

You said white to white & black to black. Does the switch have 4 places to hook up wires? or just 2 ? I would have thought one wire from the rope lights would have just been connected to the wire from the ground fault plug and put a 2 way switch (in-line) with the other wire. One side of the switch going to the ground fault plug and the other end of the switch to the other wire from the rope light.
Sounds like you have created a direct short in the switch some how.
Any pictures?
J&D

No pictures today but will try and get one in the morning.

Here is a link to the switch that I used http://64.239.63.88/catalog/ I would guess that it would be called a 2 wire hook up as it has two holes for inserting bare solid wire and 2 nuts on the side that I think are connected directly to the wire inserted in the holes.

What I did was run the three wires from the GFCI outlet directly into the new switch by inserting the black and white into the two holes in the back of the switch, also hooked up the ground wire to the green nut on the new switch. Then I took the two leads, black and white)from the rope light and hooked them up to the two nuts on the new switch, no ground wire.

When on it works fine but when I turn it off it pops the circuit breaker, very strange. Could I have purchased the wrong type of switch?

Sure would like to get this working before my wife arrives tomorrow evening so I can say "look what I did".

On edit it's called a "Single pole switch with ground"

JH Sechelt · 05-24-2007, 07:42 PM

Dick,

I couldn't find the switch you are talking about, but it sounds like an ordinary house light switch.
The holes in the switch where you put the wires in are the same as the nuts or screws on the side.
Just a different way to hook the wires up.
My guess is that you have created a dead short by hooking both the black and white wire from the GFI plug to the switch.
Buy a new switch, the old one is probably fried.
Hook the black wire from the GFI plug to one of the screws on the switch and one of the wires from the Rope light to the other screw connector on the switch.
Hook the bare copper wire to the green screw ( ground).
Now hook the white wire from the GFI plug to the other wire in your rope light.
The switch is only going to break the circuit in the black wire.
I wouldn't use the little holes in the back of the switch to connect the wires.
Hope this makes a little sense, If not get someone to help you.

J&D

Broome101 · 05-25-2007, 12:24 AM

Think of it as just like hooking up your switch in your home. You have to break the circuit from the light itself just as John said. Normally you would tie either or one withe or black from appliance and switch together, white from light and black from power source wire nut together, then the other two white and blk left over to the switch, know your ready to go. GFI's can be tricky, if it keeps popping your wall breaker my guess is you fried it.

Sunnyside · 05-25-2007, 01:08 AM

JH is correct about the wiring. Here is a diagram that may clarify things.

Jim

rldriver · 05-25-2007, 04:52 AM

How does the song go "What was I thinking". Now that I think about it that was a pretty dumb stunt I pulled. The switch is still good and all works great thank Ozz, J&D, Brome 101 and Sunnyside for all your assistance. I laid in bed last night and thought that I had wired the switch in line and when I turned it on (not off) I was creating a dead short. Like I said "What was I thinking".

Thanks again for all your help and now I can say to Jackie when she gets here "see what ""we"" did".

If you have read some of my earlier posts you know that we are here awaiting our 4th Grand Child, first by this daughter, so please keep all of us in your prayers and thanks again for all your help.

David and Jo-Anna · 05-25-2007, 09:43 AM

Dick:

Thanks for providing the opportunity for me to learn more about handling electricity. And glad I didn't read your post before cutting into my main power line last Sunday to install my Surge Guard. LOL!!!!

Jo-Anna and I are keeping you and your family in our thoughts while you await the birth of your grandchild. Blessings to you. We leave in 30 minutes for my son's wedding. Lots of positive things going on right now!!!!!!

rldriver · 05-25-2007, 12:28 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by David and Jo-Anna

Dick:

Thanks for providing the opportunity for me to learn more about handling electricity. And glad I didn't read your post before cutting into my main power line last Sunday to install my Surge Guard. LOL!!!!

Jo-Anna and I are keeping you and your family in our thoughts while you await the birth of your grandchild. Blessings to you. We leave in 30 minutes for my son's wedding. Lots of positive things going on right now!!!!!!

David and Jo-Anna thanks for the kind words and have a happy wedding.

I think you should have said learning about how "not" to handle electricity.

I now have a bathroom fan switch on the wall and a 12' rope light hidden under the edge of the kitchen counter that acts like a night light. I think the switches for the bedroom speakers are next.

You may also like: