From: "John A. Weeks III" 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: No power at light switchs
Date: Tue, 16 May 2006 19:44:23 -0500

In article <1147821450.125730.204580@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com>,
 "Dave"  wrote:

> I have two sets of light switchs. My inside entry way lights can be
> turned on at either set, the one closest to the front door also
> controls the porch lights and a closet light. Recently the lights quit
> working in both the entry way and on the porch. I at first thought bad
> bulbs (no) than bad switchs (?? would all switchs go out at the same
> time??). I pulled the switchs at the front door and can not detect any
> power. I can't find any circuit breakers tripped. I recently had a
> water leak in the ceiling that came out through the ceiling light
> fixture. My questions are:
> 1. If water caused a short in the fixture wouldn't it trip the breaker?

You don't have a short.  If you did, you would have a huge
electrical bill, and your wiring would be melting by now and
have caused a house fire.  Rather, what you have is an open,
that is, a spot in the wire where current is unable to flow
through.  Given the water damage, I suspect that one of two
things happened...

1) you got water on one of the copper wires, and the wire
rusted.  Copper rusts green, so people in the industry call
it green disease.  It is sometimes hard to find since it
will measure low resistance on an ohm meter, but goes high
resistance when you try to put a load on it.  Look for any
wires that have green spots, especially at terminations and
splices.

2) you got water on one of the screws, and the screws rusted,
perhaps falling apart and letting the wires lose contact with
the outlet or switch.  You can again see this visually, or
tug on each wire to make sure that it is soundly attached.

-john-

-- 
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John A. Weeks III           952-432-2708            john@johnweeks.com
Newave Communications                         http://www.johnweeks.com
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