Thanks for looking.

While I can do basic electrical work, Its not my profession, so I thought I
would seek some information from you professionals out there.

Mom and Dad (retired) have a kitchen light that keeps dimming for no
reason - even with new bulbs, a standard 60 watt non-floresecent. Its hooked
up to a 3 way circut, with 2 switches, one is a "mercury" switch, the other
is a regular single throw contact switch.

I have checked the wiring for possible shorts. And save for yanking it out
of the walls compleatly, I can't see any other reason for the light diming..
I remember a friend telling me about those mercury switches getting old.

Nothing else on that electrical circut is effected. I E. The other light
does not flicker/dim.

Any help/suggestions appreacated.

Turn off the fuses to see if the other lights are on that circuit. See
if that light is on an apliance circuit , or pump AC whatever. It
could be a corroded lamp socket, loose wire somewhere, maybe a bad
switch. The bottom of the socket may not be making good contact.

Bumbledor wrote:

Thanks for looking.

While I can do basic electrical work, Its not my profession, so I thought I
would seek some information from you professionals out there.

Mom and Dad (retired) have a kitchen light that keeps dimming for no
reason - even with new bulbs, a standard 60 watt non-floresecent. Its hooked
up to a 3 way circut, with 2 switches, one is a "mercury" switch, the other
is a regular single throw contact switch.

I have checked the wiring for possible shorts. And save for yanking it out
of the walls compleatly, I can't see any other reason for the light diming..
I remember a friend telling me about those mercury switches getting old.

Nothing else on that electrical circut is effected. I E. The other light
does not flicker/dim.

Any help/suggestions appreacated.



I'm not an electrician.

There is a loose connection somewhere -- it can be on either the hot or
the neutral wire, and it may be on the previous device on the circuit
that feeds the light or the switch.

Mercury switches don't ever wear out (that's part of their charm), but
there may be a bad connection where the wires connect to it.

I'd vote for a back-wired switch or outlet somewhere that has the
spring-loaded terminals that you just poke a wire in. Replace with a
screw-terminal device, or (if the wires are cut too short) a heavy-duty
backwired device that clamps the wires in the back when you tighten the
side screws. Also check the wirenuts or whatever where the light
fixture wires are tied to the house wiring.

Bob

On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 11:46:29 -0400, "Bumbledor"
wrote:


Thanks for looking.

While I can do basic electrical work, Its not my profession, so I thought I
would seek some information from you professionals out there.

Mom and Dad (retired) have a kitchen light that keeps dimming for no
reason - even with new bulbs, a standard 60 watt non-floresecent. Its hooked
up to a 3 way circut, with 2 switches, one is a "mercury" switch, the other
is a regular single throw contact switch.

I have checked the wiring for possible shorts. And save for yanking it out
of the walls compleatly, I can't see any other reason for the light diming..
I remember a friend telling me about those mercury switches getting old.

Nothing else on that electrical circut is effected. I E. The other light
does not flicker/dim.

Any help/suggestions appreacated.

After all this high-tech mumbo-jumbo, just check the center tab in the
light fixture screwshell. The screwshell has probably arced and burnt
the socket. P.S. Don't stick your finger in the socket with the switch
on! Lol!

"Bumbledor" wrote in message
...

Thanks for looking.

While I can do basic electrical work, Its not my profession, so I thought
I
would seek some information from you professionals out there.

Mom and Dad (retired) have a kitchen light that keeps dimming for no
reason - even with new bulbs, a standard 60 watt non-floresecent. Its
hooked
up to a 3 way circut, with 2 switches, one is a "mercury" switch, the
other
is a regular single throw contact switch.

I have checked the wiring for possible shorts. And save for yanking it out
of the walls compleatly, I can't see any other reason for the light
diming..
I remember a friend telling me about those mercury switches getting old.

Nothing else on that electrical circut is effected. I E. The other light
does not flicker/dim.

Any help/suggestions appreacated.

Hire a good electrician, you cheap *******!