Laundry Room Light switch Problem

Crash44 · 02-12-2007, 02:01 AM

I need some help. I was helping a friend who had a faulty light switch in their laundry room. The light switch was getting old and when you would switch it on it began to fall and the light would go out. I replaced the switch with a new one. The problem is this: The first time you turn the switch on the light comes on, if you turn it off and then on again the light flashes on-off-on-off-on and stays on. If you turn it off the next time the light comes on the first time and stays on, if you turn it off the light goes on-off-on-off-on and stays on again. This pattern always happens. I tried another new switch and it has the same flashing problem. Do you have any idea why it does this? What can I do to make it turn on and of without it flashing every other time? Your help is much appreciated. Thanks

Stubbie · 02-12-2007, 02:28 AM

More info needed....what kind of switch? Auto-motion or just a simple on-off single pole toggle switch? What kind of light?

stubbie

Crash44 · 02-12-2007, 11:21 AM

The swith is a simple on-off single pole toggle switch. I believe the light is just a standard ceiling light that you would find in a bathroom or utility room with maybe a 60 or 75 watt bulb. Thanks

Brik · 02-12-2007, 01:33 PM

maybe a bad bulb, a loose wire, some type of x10 or other electronic controller in the mix or.... Aliens!

So, If nothing unusual is in the mix I would check all the connections in the fixture and at the switch, I would do that after changing the bulb and making sure the bulb is tight.

KUIPORNG · 02-12-2007, 01:40 PM

or would you mixed neutral and hot wire in the switch.... which caused strange result.... I don't know though never try to connect neutral (white) through switch...

Crash44 · 02-15-2007, 11:00 AM

When I opened up the light fixture I found a special bulb that had "beacon" stamped on the bottom. The bulb was a flashing bulb so we replaced it with a regular bulb and everything works fine. Moral to the story you can't assume anything. Thanks for all your help.

redline · 02-15-2007, 11:39 AM

change the bulb unless you like to dance to disco

RobertWilber · 02-15-2007, 04:01 PM

never heard of such a creature before
but when I looked, I found several manufacturers of the lamp
also, GE makes a replacement switch for your front door.
The idea is to identify your house as the place the emergency service people are looking for
I guess the owner just grabbed the special lamp by mistake when they replaced a bad lamp