I have a wall switch that is not working right.

The switch should work like this: push the button and light turns on. Push it
again and light turns off. It's a three way switch imho. It is also the only
switch to the light in question that I know of.

Now the switch works a bit strange. When I press it the light turns on. When I
press it again the light does NOT turn off. Multiple press and nothing happens. I
let the switch be for about ten minutes and the tried to turn off. The light
turned off like it should. This is how it works now: it will turn off only after
some time passes.

I switched power from mains and examined the switch. I appears OK and looks just
like a simple switch. I pulled out another three way switch is is identical and
works OK. The wires were connected identically although.

Leaving the switch off with neutral and hot wires dangling in the air I turned
mains on. Suprisingly the lights were on!

What could be the problem? The switch is probably broken but how come the light
could be on when the hot and neutral were cut off??

"John" wrote in message
...
I have a wall switch that is not working right.

The switch should work like this: push the button and light turns on. Push
it
again and light turns off. It's a three way switch imho. It is also the
only
switch to the light in question that I know of.

Now the switch works a bit strange. When I press it the light turns on.
When I
press it again the light does NOT turn off. Multiple press and nothing
happens. I
let the switch be for about ten minutes and the tried to turn off. The
light
turned off like it should. This is how it works now: it will turn off only
after
some time passes.

I switched power from mains and examined the switch. I appears OK and
looks just
like a simple switch. I pulled out another three way switch is is
identical and
works OK. The wires were connected identically although.

Leaving the switch off with neutral and hot wires dangling in the air I
turned
mains on. Suprisingly the lights were on!

What could be the problem? The switch is probably broken but how come the
light
could be on when the hot and neutral were cut off??



Is this a low voltage relay system? It sounds as though the relay is
getting hung up and may need to be replaced. That would account for the
lights being on with the switch off. A real three way switch has 3 wires
connected to it. The wires on the switch are low voltage. The 120 volt
line and neutral are connected in the relay box.

Is there a box near your main panel with a bunch of relays in it? You will
need to identify the relay for that particular light. It may already be
labeled, but you could have someone press the switch repeatedly and you
could listen for the relay clicking.


John Grabowski
http://www.mrelectrician.tv

Any chance it is a switch designed to do this to save power. You turn it
on, pass thru the space then it turns itself off after a suitable delay?


"John" wrote in message
...
I have a wall switch that is not working right.

The switch should work like this: push the button and light turns on. Push
it
again and light turns off. It's a three way switch imho. It is also the
only
switch to the light in question that I know of.

Now the switch works a bit strange. When I press it the light turns on.
When I
press it again the light does NOT turn off. Multiple press and nothing
happens. I
let the switch be for about ten minutes and the tried to turn off. The
light
turned off like it should. This is how it works now: it will turn off only
after
some time passes.

I switched power from mains and examined the switch. I appears OK and
looks just
like a simple switch. I pulled out another three way switch is is
identical and
works OK. The wires were connected identically although.

Leaving the switch off with neutral and hot wires dangling in the air I
turned
mains on. Suprisingly the lights were on!

What could be the problem? The switch is probably broken but how come the
light
could be on when the hot and neutral were cut off??

"John Grabowski" wrote:


"John" wrote in message
.. .
I have a wall switch that is not working right.

The switch should work like this: push the button and light turns on. Push
it
again and light turns off. It's a three way switch imho. It is also the
only
switch to the light in question that I know of.

Now the switch works a bit strange. When I press it the light turns on.
When I
press it again the light does NOT turn off. Multiple press and nothing
happens. I
let the switch be for about ten minutes and the tried to turn off. The
light
turned off like it should. This is how it works now: it will turn off only
after
some time passes.

I switched power from mains and examined the switch. I appears OK and
looks just
like a simple switch. I pulled out another three way switch is is
identical and
works OK. The wires were connected identically although.

Leaving the switch off with neutral and hot wires dangling in the air I
turned
mains on. Suprisingly the lights were on!

What could be the problem? The switch is probably broken but how come the
light
could be on when the hot and neutral were cut off??



Is this a low voltage relay system? It sounds as though the relay is
getting hung up and may need to be replaced. That would account for the
lights being on with the switch off. A real three way switch has 3 wires
connected to it. The wires on the switch are low voltage. The 120 volt
line and neutral are connected in the relay box.

Is there a box near your main panel with a bunch of relays in it? You will
need to identify the relay for that particular light. It may already be
labeled, but you could have someone press the switch repeatedly and you
could listen for the relay clicking.


John Grabowski
http://www.mrelectrician.tv

You may be right! There are a few relays in the mains switch panel and I can hear
a click when the broken (?) switch is pressed.

Why would there be a relay??? Just another part that cab go broken.

On Sat, 1 Apr 2006 10:48:06 -0500, "John Grabowski"
wrote:


"John" wrote in message
.. .
I have a wall switch that is not working right.

The switch should work like this: push the button and light turns on. Push
it
again and light turns off. It's a three way switch imho.

Whether it is a three way switch isn't really a matter of opinion.
:-)

.....

Is this a low voltage relay system? It sounds as though the relay is
getting hung up and may need to be replaced. That would account for the
lights being on with the switch off. A real three way switch has 3 wires
connected to it.

Normally I would consider my next remark nitpicking and wouldn't post
it, but this case seems already maybe a situation with a
misunderstanding by the OP.

A real three way switch has separate screws for 3 wires, but it might
be used as a 2-way switch, and only have two wires connected to it.

I"m not saying that is the case here, but I'm trying to account for
the OP having an "opinion" that it is 3-way.

The wires on the switch are low voltage. The 120 volt
line and neutral are connected in the relay box.

Is there a box near your main panel with a bunch of relays in it? You will
need to identify the relay for that particular light. It may already be
labeled, but you could have someone press the switch repeatedly and you
could listen for the relay clicking.


John Grabowski
http://www.mrelectrician.tv

"John" wrote in message
...
"John Grabowski" wrote:


"John" wrote in message
.. .
I have a wall switch that is not working right.

The switch should work like this: push the button and light turns on.
Push
it
again and light turns off. It's a three way switch imho. It is also the
only
switch to the light in question that I know of.

Now the switch works a bit strange. When I press it the light turns on.
When I
press it again the light does NOT turn off. Multiple press and nothing
happens. I
let the switch be for about ten minutes and the tried to turn off. The
light
turned off like it should. This is how it works now: it will turn off
only
after
some time passes.

I switched power from mains and examined the switch. I appears OK and
looks just
like a simple switch. I pulled out another three way switch is is
identical and
works OK. The wires were connected identically although.

Leaving the switch off with neutral and hot wires dangling in the air I
turned
mains on. Suprisingly the lights were on!

What could be the problem? The switch is probably broken but how come
the
light
could be on when the hot and neutral were cut off??



Is this a low voltage relay system? It sounds as though the relay is
getting hung up and may need to be replaced. That would account for the
lights being on with the switch off. A real three way switch has 3 wires
connected to it. The wires on the switch are low voltage. The 120 volt
line and neutral are connected in the relay box.

Is there a box near your main panel with a bunch of relays in it? You
will
need to identify the relay for that particular light. It may already be
labeled, but you could have someone press the switch repeatedly and you
could listen for the relay clicking.


John Grabowski
http://www.mrelectrician.tv

You may be right! There are a few relays in the mains switch panel and I
can hear
a click when the broken (?) switch is pressed.

Why would there be a relay??? Just another part that cab go broken.


It was a lot easier to have multiple switch locations without spending a lot
of money on wiring. The low voltage switches use a smaller gauge wire and
are not required to be terminated in a junction box. I guess you could say
it was an earlier version of a "Smart House". Manufacturers had accessories
such as timers and master control boxes to operate the whole house from one
location.

The downside is that there are two sets of wires to troubleshoot, and like
you said another part that can break down.

Replacements are available, but you may have to try several different
electrical supply houses to find them. You won't find them at a home
center. I don't know if anyone sells them online. There are two types of
systems, a 2 wire and a 3 wire. It sounds as though you have a 2 wire
system. This can be confirmed by the number of low voltage wires on the
relay.