Okay so here's my issue, I have a tenant whose kitchen light stopped working one day. It's operated by two switches so far as I know. One of the breakers was tripped and would not reset. The switches are wired in a way I've never seen before though. There are three sets of black and white wires coming into each switch, (There are no grounds for some reason) both of the upper corners and then the bottom left hand corner on one switch, and the bottom right hand corner of the second switch. On the first switch the left hand corners (top and bottom) are wire nutted together. White to white and black to Black, however there is 3rd bit of wire coming from the Black wire nut and that is connected to the switch. The top right hand corner has the black wire connected to the ground terminal on the switch and the white wire connected to the other terminal on the switch. The second switch has the white wires on the right hand side (top and bottom) wire nutted together, but the black wire on the bottom right hand corner is just cut and uncapped in the box. The black wire on the top right hand corner goes to one of the terminals on the switch. The top left hand corner white wire goes to the other terminal on the switch, and the black wire was connected to the ground. Both are single pole switches. I would have thought that a three-way switches would be needed for this type of run. I was also able to reset the breaker after a couple of tries, but the light still doesn't work. Can someone explain to me what in God's name is going on in these boxes? Thanks in advance.
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3It would be much easier if you provided pictures of the wiring of the switches and the wiring at the light.– RMDmanCommented May 4 at 21:33
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2As a tenant you do not touch electric stuff. Your landlord does not touch it either. You want/need a licensed electrician to check/work. From what you are saying, this is a mess, as possible red flag/condemned. Ground screws must only have bare or green wires. White wire can be used as hot/switched hot, but neutrals on non smart switches is bad. If you are the landlord, get a licensed electrician in there now.– crip659Commented May 4 at 21:43
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3I am the property manager's maintenance tech– Steven R ReedCommented May 4 at 21:48
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2Maintenance tech might or more likely does not mean licensed electrician. Most locals require the license to do more than change a light bulb/receptacle/switch in place. The wiring you described might not be legal/in code. You start touching it and lawyers will be after your behind. CYA and get a licensed electrician in.– crip659Commented May 4 at 22:21
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5The legal discussion is central to the discussion unless this guy pops up and says he’s a licensed electrician. And if he is, these aren’t questions he should be asking.– Aloysius DefenestrateCommented May 4 at 23:57
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Can someone explain to me what in God's name is going on in these boxes?
Previous slumlord unlicensed electrical work.
Multiple Dwelling Units require Licensed Electricians to work on the electrical, to reduce the risk of them burning down and killing tenants. As you're not a Licensed Electrician, don't.
[If your employer is not a slumlord, they will happily hire one to fix the mess when you report that it's not a simple broken switch. Perhaps there was a bad tenant that got into it, or they bought it from a prior slumlord. If they want you to fix it, sorry, they are a slumlord.]
