[sam112]

Hi, everyone. I have a problem I'm hoping someone will have some trouble shooting tips I can do before needing to call an electrician. Since it's the weekend, it will be a couple days before I can do this anyway!

We are in the process of upgrading our bathroom. Yesterday, I installed a new vanity light fixture. I've installed plenty of light fixtures before, so I was confident I could do this. And I could! Before installation, I turned off the circuit breaker to the bathroom. Unfortunately, this same circuit is also in control of three bedrooms. Seems like a lot for one circuit to handle, but there you have it. House was built in 1979.

Lighting fixture was installed, and when I flipped the circuit back on, the lighting fixture works! And the bedroom next to the bathroom came back on to full power.... but the other 2 bedrooms do NOT have ANY power. Huh? I've never had a circuit breaker half work and half not.

I double checked to be sure that no other circuits were tripped... thinking I may have been mistaken that the one circuit was resposible for all four rooms. But, no. Everything is fine. Oh, I should also note that the circuit in question does NOT control the GFCI plug in the bathroom, that is connected to a different circuit. Only the vanity light is connected to this circuit in question.

Anyway, I'd greatly appreciate any advice... if there's any troubleshooting I can do before calling in an electrician. Thanks!

 

[joecaption]

First guess would be someplace you were working had more then 2 blacks or two whites tied togeter and one is not making a connection or was left out.

 

[hammerlane]

First guess would be someplace you were working had more then 2 blacks or two whites tied togeter and one is not making a connection or was left out.

Sounds like the most obvious guess.:thumbsup:

 

[sam112]

Hello and thank you.
My wife wrote the originating post for me while I was at work. (Thank you darling)

I followed the advice you gents presented. There were only 2 wire nuts which I worked on. I unfastened and refastened them both. Unfortunately there were no positive results.

There are four destinations leading from the JBox; the outlet, the ceiling fan, the light fixture and an unknown location (which I am pretty sure this leads to the bedrooms.
Here is how things look inside the JBox from the input.

Ground is connected to the JBox then connects to one wire nut which feeds into all four destination.

Black goes to the unknown location via one wire nut.
Brown goes to the outlet via one wire nut.

White #1 goes to the unknown location via one wire nut.
White #2 connects to the outlet, ceiling fan and light fixture through only one wire nut.

Red Nut #1 connects to a SP switch leading to the light fixture.
connects to the unknown location.
connects to Nut #2.
Red Nut #2 connects to two SP switches leading to the ceiling fan.

I really hope I explained that properly.

What I did and didn't do:

I did not touch the black.
I did not touch the brown.
I did not touch white #1
I did not touch Red Nut #1

I did cut the old ground line leading to the ceiling fan and connected what remained to the new line.
I did add Red Nut #2; This line was originally feeding the replaced switch to the ceiling fan; as stated before, it now wires 2 SP switches.
The wire nut for white #2 was removed and reapplied so that I may remove and attach a new white line feeding to the ceiling fan.

Would it be advisable to move one of the whites from the wire nut which has 4 lines in it to the other white line which only has 2 lines in it?

Well, now that this is as clear as mud, I really hope you guys know what I am saying.

Thanks again.

 

[hammerlane]

In this junction box you speak of, can you isolate or determine which cable is bringing in the power??

 

[hammerlane]

Here is how things look inside the JBox from the input.

Black goes to the unknown location via one wire nut.
Brown goes to the outlet via one wire nut.

White #1 goes to the unknown location via one wire nut.
White #2 connects to the outlet, ceiling fan and light fixture through only one wire nut.
Red Nut #1 connects to a SP switch leading to the light fixture.
connects to the unknown location.
connects to Nut #2.
Red Nut #2 connects to two SP switches leading to the ceiling fan.
I really hope I explained that properly.

You really expect people to get a visual from this??
Can you determine which cable is bringing power into your junct box that you spoke of above??

 

[Kyle_in_rure]

You need to find out which cable brings power to the box first; and a brown wire? That's new
Somehow I knew this would get interesting:whistling2:

 

[mpoulton]

I think pictures will be necessary here.