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Posted to alt.home.repair
Sev
 
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Default Why won't this light turn on?

Yes, do be careful. It sounds like there is break in the circuit at
some point before power arrives at the switch. You say you tested
every possible configuration of wires and diode didn't light. Tester
itself is good, yes? Check on known good receptacle, hot(small slot)
to neutral or ground. Then with power on(wear gloves), check at each
screw terminal of switches to any ground- bare wire in box or box
itself if metal. If diode doesn't light, switches aren't getting power.
You will have to trace circuit to see how they are fed. If you are
lucky, you may see an obvious loose wire in one of these adjacent
boxes. But since you say some of these appear to be on a different
circuit, the break may be in a switch/ recep/ junction box in a nearby
location. Can you identify everything which is affected when when you
turn circuit off? The problem could be in one of these boxes.
Actually, I'm now wondering if you are right when you say things are on
different circuit- you mustn't rely totally on labels at panel- only
trust what you test. Hope this helps a little- do consider getting
someone more knowledgeable to help- even a pro- might not be as much
as you think