I live in an old house and the light in the bedroom has a pull string
and not a switch. I wanted a switch so I found the outlet nearest the
door and I removed the outlet and replaced it with a switch. Its kind
of low to the floor for a switch (about 18 inches), but thats better
than no switch at all. There were 2 wires in there, one black one
kind of a gray color. I put one wire on each screw on the switch.
Then I bought a switch cover because the outlet cover would not fit on
the switch. Whenever I turn on the switch, the fuse blows. I have
bought 3 boxes of fuses this week alone and that's getting expensive.
I even tried a larger fuse after the hardware store guy told me to try
a 30 instead of a 15. He said I'd get twice as much power. Them
fuses blows too when I turn on the switch. I then tried reversing the
wires on the switch screws, but it still blows the fuses.

Is the problem because the switch is too low to the floor?
What should I do?

Thank You.
Mark Lesko

On 9/8/2010 1:16 PM spake thus:

I live in an old house and the light in the bedroom has a pull string
and not a switch. I wanted a switch so I found the outlet nearest the
door and I removed the outlet and replaced it with a switch. Its kind
of low to the floor for a switch (about 18 inches), but thats better
than no switch at all. There were 2 wires in there, one black one
kind of a gray color. I put one wire on each screw on the switch.
Then I bought a switch cover because the outlet cover would not fit on
the switch. Whenever I turn on the switch, the fuse blows. I have
bought 3 boxes of fuses this week alone and that's getting expensive.
I even tried a larger fuse after the hardware store guy told me to try
a 30 instead of a 15. He said I'd get twice as much power. Them
fuses blows too when I turn on the switch. I then tried reversing the
wires on the switch screws, but it still blows the fuses.

Is the problem because the switch is too low to the floor?
What should I do?

Nice try.

I give your troll about a 2-1/2.


--
The fashion in killing has an insouciant, flirty style this spring,
with the flaunting of well-defined muscle, wrapped in flags.

- Comment from an article on Antiwar.com (http://antiwar.com)

On Sep 8, 3:39*pm, David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 9/8/2010 1:16 PM spake thus:





I live in an old house and the light in the bedroom has a pull string
and not a switch. *I wanted a switch so I found the outlet nearest the
door and I removed the outlet and replaced it with a switch. *Its kind
of low to the floor for a switch (about 18 inches), but thats better
than no switch at all. *There were 2 wires in there, one black one
kind of a gray color. *I put one wire on each screw on the switch.
Then I bought a switch cover because the outlet cover would not fit on
the switch. *Whenever I turn on the switch, the fuse blows. *I have
bought 3 boxes of fuses this week alone and that's getting expensive.
I even tried a larger fuse after the hardware store guy told me to try
a 30 instead of a 15. *He said I'd get twice as much power. *Them
fuses blows too when I turn on the switch. *I then tried reversing the
wires on the switch screws, but it still blows the fuses.

Is the problem because the switch is too low to the floor?
What should I do? *

Nice try.

I give your troll about a 2-1/2.

--
The fashion in killing has an insouciant, flirty style this spring,
with the flaunting of well-defined muscle, wrapped in flags.

- Comment from an article on Antiwar.com (http://antiwar.com)- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You shoudn't even have bothered to reply, let Darwin get his chance.

On Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:16:16 -0500, wrote:
I live in an old house and the light in the bedroom has a pull string
and not a switch. I wanted a switch so I found the outlet nearest the
door and I removed the outlet and replaced it with a switch. Its kind
of low to the floor for a switch (about 18 inches), but thats better
than no switch at all. There were 2 wires in there, one black one
kind of a gray color. I put one wire on each screw on the switch.
Then I bought a switch cover because the outlet cover would not fit on
the switch. Whenever I turn on the switch, the fuse blows. I have

You can't possibly be this stupid. Please tell me you're a troll.

On Sep 8, 4:16*pm, wrote:
I live in an old house and the light in the bedroom has a pull string
and not a switch. *I wanted a switch so I found the outlet nearest the
door and I removed the outlet and replaced it with a switch. *Its kind
of low to the floor for a switch (about 18 inches), but thats better
than no switch at all. *There were 2 wires in there, one black one
kind of a gray color. *I put one wire on each screw on the switch.
Then I bought a switch cover because the outlet cover would not fit on
the switch. *Whenever I turn on the switch, the fuse blows. *I have
bought 3 boxes of fuses this week alone and that's getting expensive.
I even tried a larger fuse after the hardware store guy told me to try
a 30 instead of a 15. *He said I'd get twice as much power. *Them
fuses blows too when I turn on the switch. *I then tried reversing the
wires on the switch screws, but it still blows the fuses.

Is the problem because the switch is too low to the floor?
What should I do? *

Thank You.
Mark Lesko

Replace the fuses with a breaker. It will save you money and it's a
good way to exercise.

On 9/8/10 4:16 PM, wrote:
I live in an old house and the light in the bedroom has a pull string
and not a switch. I wanted a switch so I found the outlet nearest the
door and I removed the outlet and replaced it with a switch. Its kind
of low to the floor for a switch (about 18 inches), but thats better
than no switch at all. There were 2 wires in there, one black one
kind of a gray color. I put one wire on each screw on the switch.
Then I bought a switch cover because the outlet cover would not fit on
the switch. Whenever I turn on the switch, the fuse blows. I have
bought 3 boxes of fuses this week alone and that's getting expensive.
I even tried a larger fuse after the hardware store guy told me to try
a 30 instead of a 15. He said I'd get twice as much power. Them
fuses blows too when I turn on the switch. I then tried reversing the
wires on the switch screws, but it still blows the fuses.

Is the problem because the switch is too low to the floor?
What should I do?

Thank You.
Mark Lesko


You have a short circuit. I've had a short circuit with an outlet four
feet from the floor. You can make the circuit longer by using an outlet
farther from the door, not the floor.

wrote in message
I live in an old house and the light in the bedroom has a pull string
and not a switch. I wanted a switch so I found the outlet nearest the
door and I removed the outlet and replaced it with a switch. Its kind
of low to the floor for a switch (about 18 inches), but thats better
than no switch at all. There were 2 wires in there, one black one
kind of a gray color. I put one wire on each screw on the switch.
Then I bought a switch cover because the outlet cover would not fit on
the switch. Whenever I turn on the switch, the fuse blows. I have
bought 3 boxes of fuses this week alone and that's getting expensive.
I even tried a larger fuse after the hardware store guy told me to try
a 30 instead of a 15. He said I'd get twice as much power. Them
fuses blows too when I turn on the switch. I then tried reversing the
wires on the switch screws, but it still blows the fuses.

Is the problem because the switch is too low to the floor?
What should I do?


Dear Mark;

Have you tried a "California 3-way"...
http://forums.mikeholt.com/showthread.php?t=121068

Dear Mark;

Have you tried a "California 3-way"...
http://forums.mikeholt.com/showthread.php?t=121068


The fancy drawn circuit at the start is a Carter circuit, not a California.

The hand drawn circuits are Californias.

Not that it matters to the OP troll.

bud--

On Sep 8, 6:59*pm, J Burns wrote:
On 9/8/10 4:16 PM, wrote:



I live in an old house and the light in the bedroom has a pull string
and not a switch. *I wanted a switch so I found the outlet nearest the
door and I removed the outlet and replaced it with a switch. *Its kind
of low to the floor for a switch (about 18 inches), but thats better
than no switch at all. *There were 2 wires in there, one black one
kind of a gray color. *I put one wire on each screw on the switch.
Then I bought a switch cover because the outlet cover would not fit on
the switch. *Whenever I turn on the switch, the fuse blows. *I have
bought 3 boxes of fuses this week alone and that's getting expensive.
I even tried a larger fuse after the hardware store guy told me to try
a 30 instead of a 15. *He said I'd get twice as much power. *Them
fuses blows too when I turn on the switch. *I then tried reversing the
wires on the switch screws, but it still blows the fuses.

Is the problem because the switch is too low to the floor?
What should I do?

Thank You.
Mark Lesko

You have a short circuit. *I've had a short circuit with an outlet four
feet from the floor. *You can make the circuit longer by using an outlet
farther from the door, not the floor.

What has the outlet too close to floor got to do with short circuit?
Inquiring minds...

HB

On Thu, 9 Sep 2010 12:04:34 -0700 (PDT), Higgs Boson
wrote:

On Sep 8, 6:59Â*pm, J Burns wrote:
On 9/8/10 4:16 PM, wrote:



I live in an old house and the light in the bedroom has a pull string
and not a switch. Â*I wanted a switch so I found the outlet nearest the
door and I removed the outlet and replaced it with a switch. Â*Its kind
of low to the floor for a switch (about 18 inches), but thats better
than no switch at all. Â*There were 2 wires in there, one black one
kind of a gray color. Â*I put one wire on each screw on the switch.
Then I bought a switch cover because the outlet cover would not fit on
the switch. Â*Whenever I turn on the switch, the fuse blows. Â*I have
bought 3 boxes of fuses this week alone and that's getting expensive.
I even tried a larger fuse after the hardware store guy told me to try
a 30 instead of a 15. Â*He said I'd get twice as much power. Â*Them
fuses blows too when I turn on the switch. Â*I then tried reversing the
wires on the switch screws, but it still blows the fuses.

Is the problem because the switch is too low to the floor?
What should I do?

Thank You.
Mark Lesko

You have a short circuit. Â*I've had a short circuit with an outlet four
feet from the floor. Â*You can make the circuit longer by using an outlet
farther from the door, not the floor.

What has the outlet too close to floor got to do with short circuit?
Inquiring minds...

HB
It would be a "long circuit" if the wiring cabe down from the attic.
Is that a clue??

On 9/9/2010 12:22 PM spake thus:

On Thu, 9 Sep 2010 12:04:34 -0700 (PDT), Higgs Boson
wrote:

On Sep 8, 6:59 pm, J Burns wrote:

On 9/8/10 4:16 PM, wrote:

I live in an old house and the light in the bedroom has a pull
string and not a switch. I wanted a switch so I found the
outlet nearest the door and I removed the outlet and replaced
it with a switch. Its kind of low to the floor for a switch
(about 18 inches), but thats better than no switch at all.
There were 2 wires in there, one black one kind of a gray
color. I put one wire on each screw on the switch. Then I
bought a switch cover because the outlet cover would not fit on
the switch. Whenever I turn on the switch, the fuse blows. I
have bought 3 boxes of fuses this week alone and that's getting
expensive. I even tried a larger fuse after the hardware store
guy told me to try a 30 instead of a 15. He said I'd get twice
as much power. Them fuses blows too when I turn on the switch.
I then tried reversing the wires on the switch screws, but it
still blows the fuses.

Is the problem because the switch is too low to the floor? What
should I do?

You have a short circuit. I've had a short circuit with an
outlet four feet from the floor. You can make the circuit longer
by using an outlet farther from the door, not the floor.

What has the outlet too close to floor got to do with short
circuit? Inquiring minds...

It would be a "long circuit" if the wiring cabe down from the attic.
Is that a clue??

I actually thought that part of the troll was somewhat clever. Got a
short circuit? Hey, just make it a little longer!

This actually played out in real life for me one time. Had a client with
a very strange electrical problem. He had three switches next to his
front door. Two worked fine (overhead outside light and a security
light). But the third one would cause a very long delayed trip of a
circuit breaker if switched on, accompanied by a loud humming sound.

After tracing his wiring up through his garage, I discovered that the
problem was in a very long line (close to 100') that went up to what was
once a light fixture at the end of his driveway. The fixture had long
since been removed, but they just left the line (wires in conduit) in
place. They were shorted near the end, so this was essentially a very
long short circuit. (Long enough not to immediately trip the breaker.)


--
The fashion in killing has an insouciant, flirty style this spring,
with the flaunting of well-defined muscle, wrapped in flags.

- Comment from an article on Antiwar.com (http://antiwar.com)

On 9/10/10 1:49 PM, David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 9/9/2010 12:22 PM spake thus:

On Thu, 9 Sep 2010 12:04:34 -0700 (PDT), Higgs Boson
wrote:

On Sep 8, 6:59 pm, J Burns wrote:

On 9/8/10 4:16 PM, wrote:

I live in an old house and the light in the bedroom has a pull
string and not a switch. I wanted a switch so I found the
outlet nearest the door and I removed the outlet and replaced
it with a switch. Its kind of low to the floor for a switch
(about 18 inches), but thats better than no switch at all.
There were 2 wires in there, one black one kind of a gray
color. I put one wire on each screw on the switch. Then I
bought a switch cover because the outlet cover would not fit on
the switch. Whenever I turn on the switch, the fuse blows. I
have bought 3 boxes of fuses this week alone and that's getting
expensive. I even tried a larger fuse after the hardware store
guy told me to try a 30 instead of a 15. He said I'd get twice
as much power. Them fuses blows too when I turn on the switch.
I then tried reversing the wires on the switch screws, but it
still blows the fuses.

Is the problem because the switch is too low to the floor? What
should I do?

You have a short circuit. I've had a short circuit with an
outlet four feet from the floor. You can make the circuit longer
by using an outlet farther from the door, not the floor.

What has the outlet too close to floor got to do with short
circuit? Inquiring minds...

It would be a "long circuit" if the wiring cabe down from the attic.
Is that a clue??

I actually thought that part of the troll was somewhat clever. Got a
short circuit? Hey, just make it a little longer!

This actually played out in real life for me one time. Had a client with
a very strange electrical problem. He had three switches next to his
front door. Two worked fine (overhead outside light and a security
light). But the third one would cause a very long delayed trip of a
circuit breaker if switched on, accompanied by a loud humming sound.

After tracing his wiring up through his garage, I discovered that the
problem was in a very long line (close to 100') that went up to what was
once a light fixture at the end of his driveway. The fixture had long
since been removed, but they just left the line (wires in conduit) in
place. They were shorted near the end, so this was essentially a very
long short circuit. (Long enough not to immediately trip the breaker.)


Shorted, I'd expect 100 feet of 16 gage cable to draw about 150 amps, 12
gage about 370. Might there somehow have been series inductance? (I
once ran the current to my water heater through the low-impedance side
of a transformer. The high-impedance side ran an odometer-type 24VAC
clock to show how many hours the water heater ran.)

On 9/10/2010 2:38 PM J Burns spake thus:

On 9/10/10 1:49 PM, David Nebenzahl wrote:

I actually thought that part of the troll was somewhat clever. Got
a short circuit? Hey, just make it a little longer!

This actually played out in real life for me one time. Had a client
with a very strange electrical problem. He had three switches next
to his front door. Two worked fine (overhead outside light and a
security light). But the third one would cause a very long delayed
trip of a circuit breaker if switched on, accompanied by a loud
humming sound.

After tracing his wiring up through his garage, I discovered that
the problem was in a very long line (close to 100') that went up to
what was once a light fixture at the end of his driveway. The
fixture had long since been removed, but they just left the line
(wires in conduit) in place. They were shorted near the end, so
this was essentially a very long short circuit. (Long enough not to
immediately trip the breaker.)

Shorted, I'd expect 100 feet of 16 gage cable to draw about 150 amps,
12 gage about 370. Might there somehow have been series inductance?
(I once ran the current to my water heater through the low-impedance
side of a transformer. The high-impedance side ran an odometer-type
24VAC clock to show how many hours the water heater ran.)

Nope, nothing but a long run of cable in that circuit. 12 ga. if I
remember correctly (20 A circuit). It took several seconds before the
breaker tripped. The actual short might have had a bit of resistance,
though (corroded wires touching).


--
The fashion in killing has an insouciant, flirty style this spring,
with the flaunting of well-defined muscle, wrapped in flags.

- Comment from an article on Antiwar.com (http://antiwar.com)

On 9/8/2010 5:55 PM, AZ Nomad wrote:
On Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:16:16 -0500, wrote:
I live in an old house and the light in the bedroom has a pull string
and not a switch. I wanted a switch so I found the outlet nearest the
door and I removed the outlet and replaced it with a switch. Its kind
of low to the floor for a switch (about 18 inches), but thats better
than no switch at all. There were 2 wires in there, one black one
kind of a gray color. I put one wire on each screw on the switch.
Then I bought a switch cover because the outlet cover would not fit on
the switch. Whenever I turn on the switch, the fuse blows. I have

You can't possibly be this stupid. Please tell me you're a troll.

There's a lot of stupid going on.

I knew someone that wired a light switch in parallel with the outlet.

Worked great as a power switch. Turning on the switch turned off the
power.

This sounds the same to me.

Jeff