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JimR JimR is offline
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Default A really weird ceiling fan working / light not coming on problem


"RBM" wrote in message
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"Aaron Eel" wrote in message
...
On Apr 20, 7:05?pm, Aaron Eel wrote:
Hi one and all

I am having a little problem. Last night I turned on the wall switch
that activates my ceiling fan / 60 watt light in my daughter's room.
The light bulb popped out with a blue flash. No big deal right? I went
and got another bulb but it didn't work either. I tested it in another
light and it worked fine. I tried a second new bulb and it too did not
work but worked fine elsewhere. Both the light and the fan are
controlled separately with pull chains. There is a single wall switch
that provides power to both. I have been leaving the fan chain in the
off position because one blade broke off a month or so ago. The light
chain was on the on position when I turned on the wall switch.The fan
works fin by the chain and the wall switch.
?I had a neighbor test the wiring right up to and including the inside
of the light reciprocal with a voltage tester. Each step of the way
the tester read 110 red for good. Even on the tab where the light bulb
makes contact inside the bulb socket. It turned red when the chain was
on and off when the chain was in the off as well. What gives here? How
can the tab that the bulb touches have power but none of the bulbs
will work?

Thanks for your help everybody! Thanks!
Ehrin


It wasn't made very clear in my first letter but the fan works ok both
by the chain and by the wall switch. it's only the light thats acting
weird.


Ehrin

You're tester presumably proved that you have the hot leg at the socket,
but you need a neutral as well. The flash could have opened the neutral
conductor. You need to use a tester with two leads. Touch one lead to the
socket shell and one to the tongue, but it's probably easier to just
replace the fixture, if not the entire fan

It's also possible that the tab that makes contact with the base of the bulb
has been bent back slightly so that it doesn't make contact when the bulb is
screwed in, or that the flash you saw was actually a spark jumping from the
tab to the bulb which left a burned spot on the tab that doesn't conduct
electricity.to the bulb

On one occasion I've had to take a small screwdriver and gently pry that
little tab forward so that the bulb regains contact when it's screwed in,
and/or use a file or knifepoint to clean off the tab. Of course, make sure
the power is off before you try this --