On Jan 7, 1:44*pm, Kevin Ricks wrote:
wrote:
I installed a new subpanel and several new circuits in my basement and
just recently passed inspection, fired them up, and they work great.
Last step now is to remove the old lights which hang below the joists
so that I can drywall the ceiling. *However, when attempting to cut
off power to these basement lights, I successively turned off every
breaker in the main panel, checked the lights, and they were still
on! *Cutting the main power to the panel kills the lights, but no
individual breaker (other than the main) does the trick. *Any
suggestions?

Maybe you have a bad breaker that won't switch off.
I would remove the panel cover and test the output of each breaker with
a volt meter or test light to see if they all really go off when turned
off.

Did you shut off all the 240V breakers as well?
Another possibility is an illegal tap from one side of a 220V circuit
like a dryer outlet or water heater or something.

Or maybe you have another old sub panel somewhere?

Kevin

Ok, first off - the problem is with the original house wiring, not
with what I did so "starting over" is not really an option. Like I
said, what I installed works perfectly, it's the old wiring that is
confusing. Second - I am testing the lights by flipping breakers and
seeing if the lights get switched off, not using a meter - what
benefit might using a meter gain me? Third - I will test the output
of the breakers to see if one is perhaps bad, maybe that is the
problem. I did shut off all 240V breakers, but that's really only the
AirCond system as all my other appliances are gas - but still no
luck! Also, the house is only 10 years old, and there is NO other
subpanel (I'm 99.9% sure of it). Could it be that two circuits are
tied together - improperly - feeding these lights, such that killing
power to only one at a time doesn't cause the lights to turn off?
Other suggestions?