Timeline for What could this red switch be for possibly
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
26 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| May 24, 2018 at 18:17 | answer | added | John | timeline score: 3 | |
| May 24, 2018 at 2:54 | comment | added | ThreePhaseEel | @John -- post that as an answer and I'll give it a +1 :) | |
| May 24, 2018 at 1:00 | comment | added | Tyson | Awesome đź‘Ť glad you figured it out. | |
| May 24, 2018 at 0:52 | history | edited | John | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| May 24, 2018 at 0:52 | comment | added | John | @Tyson, all - turned out to be a switch controlling attic fan, but only when thermostat in the attic actually starts it. The pilot light is actually broken so it was impossible to correlate, but with the help here I was able to finally figure it out... now on to the next thing! :) | |
| May 23, 2018 at 12:01 | comment | added | Tyson | BTW— don’t forget to @ mention. You get notification of all replies because you own the question, I only get notified if you use @ | |
| May 23, 2018 at 11:59 | comment | added | Tyson | There are 2 reasons a white wire would connect to a device in the box: 1) the white wire is being used as a switch leg and is actually carrying the load. (This is less commonly done today because of a NEC change requiring neutral in all switch locations) 2) the white wire is neutral and connects to the device because the device NEEDS neutral (some lighted and most smart switches need neutral. If only two wires connect to the mystery switch then white is probably a switch leg, unless this device is not in fact a switch but only an indicator light (which is a possibility). | |
| May 23, 2018 at 5:19 | comment | added | John | Hmmm @Tyson - thinking about this some more, I think I got it wrong. I was calling white wires "neutrals" but there should be no neutrals connected at all, right? Given that this box only houses 3 switches, all black, white, and red wires connections should be "hot" - any real neutral wires in the box would only be passed through via nuts. Am I making better sense now? | |
| May 22, 2018 at 14:04 | comment | added | John | I don't think white it the switch leg because the white and black connecting into the mystery switch is from the cable where I drew the red arrow (plus another black from one of the other cables, presumably to continue the circuit). Now that I think about it, you are right how can this be a switch if there is only one black wire connection. I doubt a contactless probe will help, there are too many wires in that box and mine is too sensitive it would just go off I suspect. I can use a voltmeter, but what would that tell us? | |
| May 22, 2018 at 12:27 | comment | added | Tyson | Actually non-contact voltage detector is what’s really needed here, I never tell people to get one tho because they seem to vary greatly in quality (i.e. some seem to light too easily—false indication—making it hard to figure anything out). How many wires connect to the mystery switch indicator light? I assumed originally at least 3 since you state “hot and neutral” in the original question. I question now if the white is not in fact being used as neutral but is instead a switch leg. From what we see now I suspect switchleg but the other black in the orange wirenut doesn’t make sense. | |
| May 22, 2018 at 4:26 | comment | added | John | @Tyson, I can't take that picture now, but I can try to describe it. See those two orange wire nuts, and black and white wires pigtailing off to lower left? That goes directly to the red switch (the low cable b&w to switch, plus black from one of the upper cables to switch). I have a meter, but so far I resisted poking with the live circuit. Are you thinking of untangling the bottom cable and checking if it's hot (and therefore the red switch is first in chain?) Also wonder what the purpose of that thing would be then... I guess I've been wondering that ever since I saw it :) | |
| May 21, 2018 at 15:39 | comment | added | Tyson | Regarding new picture, can we see how wires are connected to the switch? Seeing that and re-reading original question, I’m confused, it’s possible that the bottom of the box wire is the feed tho. Do you have a meter? | |
| May 21, 2018 at 0:51 | comment | added | jsotola | find out which breaker supplies power to the switch .... there may be a label on the breaker panel | |
| May 20, 2018 at 22:43 | comment | added | John | Don't have outdoor receptacle anywhere near front door, the only one is accounted for and is on a different circuit. | |
| May 20, 2018 at 20:47 | comment | added | Mark | Do you have an outdoor plug near the front door? If so, check both outlets with the switch on and off. | |
| May 20, 2018 at 20:24 | history | edited | John | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| May 20, 2018 at 20:21 | comment | added | John | @Tyson -- three cables that go to normal switches come from the top, the red button one is going to the bottom. I know the other two switches control the lights - and also power another 3-pole switch elsewhere. Not sure what the one going down is (likely basement)? Could the cable coming from below into red button be the first wire in the chain - is there any sense in that? I've updated the main post with a photo of the wiring. | |
| May 20, 2018 at 17:02 | comment | added | Harper - Reinstate Monica | I have a feeling that on top of this, this circuit is also bootlegging ground as neutral. Need to see pix of both ends of this Romex. | |
| May 20, 2018 at 15:36 | comment | added | Tyson | @John exactly... also whether the wire leaving the switch leaves the top or bottom of the box might be a clue | |
| May 20, 2018 at 15:02 | comment | added | John | Based on what I am reading, the value of this button seems to be more as an indicator light that lights up on load than the actual push switch, is that right? So I should look for effects in remote areas (attic fan, basement lights, etc.) correct? | |
| May 20, 2018 at 14:36 | comment | added | Tyson | If homes in your neighborhood are similar sometimes asking neighbors about what switches are at their front doors can be helpful. | |
| May 20, 2018 at 14:35 | comment | added | Aloysius Defenestrate | Attic fan? Exterior outlet for xmas lights? | |
| May 20, 2018 at 14:34 | comment | added | Lee Sam | Light in basement...attic? | |
| May 20, 2018 at 14:31 | comment | added | Tyson | Is your home fitted with gutter heat? | |
| May 20, 2018 at 14:07 | comment | added | Tyson | The wiring is nothing surprising, it has a neutral for its own indicator light. It controls something that was getting left on and not obvious. For example, a switch like that exists in my garage for the attic light— when the attic pull down is closed it wouldn’t otherwise be noticeable the light is on. | |
| May 20, 2018 at 13:57 | history | asked | John | CC BY-SA 4.0 |