Fixing lights and repairing an outlet

farmerjohn1324 · Feb 28, 2017

The bathroom lights are not working in a mobile home. The bulbs are fine. I don't know exactly which breaker controls it, but I turned all of them off, then back on.

There is a switch in the room that controls it. I don't know how to test this switch.

Similar problem with electrical outlet in other room. Perhaps it is an old style outlet, but I can't figure out how to disconnect the wires.

nealtw · Feb 28, 2017

It should open from the back somehow but if you have enough cable length you could just cut it off and install new.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNfCug586aQ[/ame]

user 4883 · Feb 28, 2017

dumb question but, did the outlet only work with the light switch on?
is the outlet on the opposite side of the wall with the light fixture?
are there any GFCI outlets that are not working or need to be reset?
are you getting power to the light switch?

farmerjohn1324 · Feb 28, 2017

kok328 said:
dumb question but, did the outlet only work with the light switch on?
is the outlet on the opposite side of the wall with the light fixture?
are there any GFCI outlets that are not working or need to be reset?
are you getting power to the light switch?

That might have been it, but it's too late now, I already cut the wires. I'm going to a mobile home supply store to get a new outlet tomorrow.

farmerjohn1324 · Feb 28, 2017

nealtw said:
It should open from the back somehow but if you have enough cable length you could just cut it off and install new.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNfCug586aQ

Those are not exactly what mine looked like, but you're saying I should replace them with more traditional equipment that is sold at Home Depot? I was looking for replacements that looked identical to what I removed.

nealtw · Feb 28, 2017

farmerjohn1324 said:
Those are not exactly what mine looked like, but you're saying I should replace them with more traditional equipment that is sold at Home Depot? I was looking for replacements that looked identical to what I removed.

You can get ones that look just like what you have but more regular stuff and likely cheaper than mobile stuff.

farmerjohn1324 · Feb 28, 2017

nealtw said:
You can get ones that look just like what you have but more regular stuff and likely cheaper than mobile stuff.

Okay I'll just go to Home Depot then.

I have a switch and an outlet. Each have two sheathings that contain a black, white, and ground.

Is this correct? Blacks go to separate brass/copper terminals, grounds get twined and attached to the green ground nut, the two white wires go to separate silver terminals?

nealtw · Feb 28, 2017

farmerjohn1324 said:
Okay I'll just go to Home Depot then.

I have a switch and an outlet. Each have two sheathings that contain a black, white, and ground.

Is this correct? Blacks go to separate brass/copper terminals, grounds get twined and attached to the green ground nut, the two white wires go to separate silver terminals?

That works for the outlet.
In the switch box, the two whites are nutted together and the two blacks go the the screws.

When you buy boxes, ask for old box, they fit in the hole and have flaps that swing out behind the drywall.

farmerjohn1324 · Feb 28, 2017

nealtw said:
That works for the outlet.
In the switch box, the two whites are nutted together and the two blacks go the the screws.

When you buy boxes, ask for old box, they fit in the hole and have flaps that swing out behind the drywall.

In the switch, the two whites are nutted together and attached to nothing?

nealtw · Feb 28, 2017

farmerjohn1324 said:
In the switch, the two whites are nutted together and attached to nothing?

Yes the power is on the black wire goes thru the switch to the light and the white and the black are connected to the light .

farmerjohn1324 · Feb 28, 2017

nealtw said:
Yes the power is on the black wire goes thru the switch to the light and the white and the black are connected to the light .

Not sure I followed that.

nealtw · Feb 28, 2017

There are a bunch of ways you might find them wired but yours looks like the most common. Hope this helps.

farmerjohn1324 · Feb 28, 2017

nealtw said:
There are a bunch of ways you might find them wired but yours looks like the most common. Hope this helps.

Now I get it.

This is making me think that the other is controlled by a switch since it has two sets of three wires in the box.

nealtw · Feb 28, 2017

farmerjohn1324 said:
Now I get it.

This is making me think that the other is controlled by a switch since it has two sets of three wires in the box.

Three wire can mean a few things, some times it is just a cheaper way to move two circuit thru a house and they both use the same white. You want to figure out how to get into the old outlet and see how it was wired.

farmerjohn1324 · Feb 28, 2017

nealtw said:
Three wire can mean a few things, some times it is just a cheaper way to move two circuit thru a house and they both use the same white. You want to figure out how to get into the old outlet and see how it was wired.

I already cut the wires.

nealtw · Feb 28, 2017

farmerjohn1324 said:
I already cut the wires.

But if you open the outlet you can see what is wired to what.
Did you have a fan that worked on the same circuit.

farmerjohn1324 · Feb 28, 2017

nealtw said:
But if you open the outlet you can see what is wired to what.
Did you have a fan that worked on the same circuit.

No, the fan was on a different circuit.

nealtw · Feb 28, 2017

this one looks like yours. it has instruction for opening it on the back
https://www.completemobilehomesupply.com/Outlet_Receptacle_p/outlet01.htm

When two circuits are together in one cable, the breakers should be tied together so they both turn off together.
Does the fan have a switch of it's own.

farmerjohn1324 · Feb 28, 2017

nealtw said:
this one looks like yours. it has instruction for opening it on the back
https://www.completemobilehomesupply.com/Outlet_Receptacle_p/outlet01.htm

When two circuits are together in one cable, the breakers should be tied together so they both turn off together.
Does the fan have a switch of it's own.

No, the fan has no switch.

nealtw · Feb 28, 2017

farmerjohn1324 said:
No, the fan has no switch.

When does it run?

Fixing lights and repairing an outlet

Help Support House Repair Talk:

Well-Known Member

Contractor retired

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Contractor retired

Well-Known Member

Contractor retired

Well-Known Member

Contractor retired

Well-Known Member

Contractor retired

Well-Known Member

Contractor retired

Well-Known Member

Contractor retired

Well-Known Member

Contractor retired

Well-Known Member

Contractor retired

Join the conversation!

Join today and get all the highlights of this community direct to your inbox. It's FREE!