On Feb 23, 1:47*pm, dpb wrote:
hr(bob) wrote:

...

You'll have to start back at the fuse box and trace everything from
there. To do otherwise could cause a fatal event sometime in the
future, plus when you go to sell the house it will be impossible to do
with the wiring the way that it is.

Neither at all likely; second essentially impossible.

I'd wager high odds RBM has first instance correct; possibly the same
symptom in the second although at a light it's possible he simply has
the switch leg that somebody didn't mark.

If it's been functioning, it's likely the overall wiring is not grossly
at fault.

To OP, one would presume there was an inspection before the son bought
the place???

--

There was an inspection. I do not recall any mention of the wiring,
however.

It appears that the wires atop the light fixture (and there are a lot
of wires) are there because the original wirer was using that box for
a central wiring point ( I think there are 6 wires connected
togther).

Nevertheless, why would a switch-leg be hooked up to the neutral wires?