side by side light swithes not working

katkell2645 · 10-17-2008, 06:01 PM

In my kitchen I have two switches next to each other, one is for the light out side the other is for the light over the sink. We had reset outlets in the kitchen and one went bad so we changed all the reset outlets to regular outlets. Now the switches are on the same wall, and after we changed the outlets the switches stopped working.
We looked at the wiring and the black wires are connected to the switches, the white wires are all connected together and it has a wire cap on it, then there is a small white wire that connects to each switch. There are three sets of wires coming in from the wall. All my outlets are working and the light switch for the kitchen light is working fine.
Just wondering if anyone knows what I can do to try and fix this.
THANKS YOU

**beenthere** · 10-17-2008, 06:04 PM

First. Rip out those regular recepticles. And put the CODE REQUIRE GFCI(the reset ones) receps back in.

Maybe the light bulb burnt out.

SD515 · 10-17-2008, 08:22 PM

As beenthere said, get those regular outlets out, and put in the GFCI’s. Replace the bad one with another one. These aren’t there to annoy people, they’re there for the protection of people.
The problem with the power at the switches could have been caused when the outlets were changed…a loose wire, a wire hooked up wrong, etc. It sounds like of the 3 cables entering the switch box, one will be the incoming power, with it’s black wire connected to each switch (probably via the white jumper wire you mentioned, and if so, should have been a color other than white or green). The black of the other 2 cables would go to the lights they control, and also hooked to the switches. The white wires, in this case, would be connected together, just like you mentioned.