"Phil Anderson" wrote in message
...

"I-zheet M'drurz" wrote in message
...
On 08 Jan 2004, Phil Anderson wrote:
snip

no problem, and please report back in whin it's all over,
let
us know what you ended up doing.

Interim report:

Took way too long to find a tester, and it is getting late so I
will give up soon. Here is what I think I see so far. First,
there are a whole batch of white wires off to one side of the
switch box held together with a "nut." I do not see what they
do - they do not connect to the switch.

Second, there are two black wires twisted together part way back
in the box. This seems to be the source wire, since I get a
neon
light with the switch on or off. A third 'jumper' wire is
twisted
(poorly) onto those two wires. That jumper goes into the
switch.

Third, there is another black wire that goes into the switch
that
I do not see connected to anything else as I look deeper into
the
box. I assume it is the switched wire.

Fourth, there is a large red nut just lieing loose in the box.
I
will put it over the jumper twist.

Fifth, and I am not sure about this right now, there seems to be
a
red wire off in the corner of the box. It does not seem to be
attached to anything, and to just sit there bare. What, if
anything, does that suggest? Will investigate further now, but
probably will not report back until tomorrow.

Sixth, I am under pressure to get off line, and will do so now.
I have time for one last followup:

A) Whoever twisted the black wires should be shot. I did them
much better, if not professionally.
B). The red wire is not connected to anything. The bare end does
not like it has ever been twisted or connected to anything. Is
this something I should be twisting into the source wire, on the
assumption that from there it goes on around the room to the
outlets that work only when the switch is on?
C) That's all for tonight. Hope to have time to play with the
switch tomorrow night, assuming you guys confirm the red needs to
join the twist.

Phil