# Light Switch Now Controlling Different Room



## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

Does the switch control the light is was intended to as well as the other room?
How many wires are on the switch? i bet there are three. One of them is on the wrong terminal.

Tell us more about the wiring at the switch and the fixture. We can't see it from here to determine what is wrong.


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## branles (Sep 9, 2015)

The new switch does control the light and fan like it's supposed to. I can always take a picture and post it if needed, but the box has two sets of wires coming from the top and one set from the bottom. All I did was unattach the wires connected to the dimmer (2 wires) and attach them to the new flip switch.

The two sets of wires coming from the top of the box were bundled together with another piece leading from the cap. That extra piece is what was attached to the dimmer and is now attached to the new switch. The wire from the bottom seems to need to be attached. I've tried without it and the switch wouldn't work.

And like I said, I can post a picture if needed.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

Sounds like what you have there is 
one power feed from the panel, the bottom wire,
One power out to the other rooms, one of the wires from the top,
and one power wire to the fixture, the other wire from the top.

Take one of the wires out of the nut and connect direct to the switch.
Take the single wire off the switch and connect to the spot where you just remove the wire. Then connect the short wire to the switch.
If the light stays on then you got the wrong wire.


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## branles (Sep 9, 2015)

joed said:


> Sounds like what you have there is
> one power feed from the panel, the bottom wire,
> One power out to the other rooms, one of the wires from the top,
> and one power wire to the fixture, the other wire from the top.
> ...


I understand what you're saying in the first paragraph, but I don't understand the directions in the second paragraph. I know from the two wires coming from the top of the box, the left one is for my ceiling fan, the one I want to work. The other one (from the right bundle) I guess goes to the other room. What should I do with this black wire?

And thanks for all your help so far!


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

You need to connect the wire from the other room to the wire from the panel and to the switch. You do that by connecting the two wires along with a short pigtail wire in a wire nut. Then connect the pigtail wire to the switch.
This sounds like what you have now with the top two wires. Problem is it should be the bottom wire and the other room wire instead of the light wire and the other room wire.


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## InPhase277 (Feb 9, 2008)

You have three black wires. One is power in, one is power out to the next room, and one goes to your fixture. You need to identify what is what.

Power in and power out go together and tail to the switch. The remaining wire goes on the other terminal of the switch.


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