Light switch problem

[cdchamp]

My son-in-law replaced the "innards" of 2 of the 3 switches in a wall receptacle. The next week, the third switch quit working. I ended up having to call an electrician. He said something in the fixture had been "pushed down", he "fixed it". He never looked at the receptacle although I told him about my son-in-law's fix. The service call took 5 minutes and cost me $125. At any rate, many of the switches feel "empty" to me and I wonder if it would be best to have all receptacles inspected in my 20 year old house. Don't need them to continue to stop working one at a time. (Should I call the electrician back to fix the light he thought he'd fixed? Been about 2 weeks)?

 

[geochurchi]

Hi, is the fixture still working, he probably pulled the terminal in the bottom of the socket down a bit to make a better connection with the bulb base.
Replaced the innards, that needs a explanation, he must have replaced the whole switch, what is this empty feeling? is it with receptacles or switches?

 

[afjes_2016]

I'm a little in the dark here with your descriptions. Not your fault but the terminology is throwing me a bit.. Until we can fully understand what you are describing as the problem we really can't give you accurate information on how to fix it.

You reference a "wall receptacle" - this would mean to me a receptacle on the wall where you put a plug into like from a radio etc. I assume you mean where the three switches are located on the wall.

I am not quite sure what you mean by "innards". Do you mean the actual individual switches.

Switch feeling "empty" - sorry, really don't know what you mean by this. Please elaborate.

 

[cdchamp]

I'm so sorry, guys. I don't speak "electricity" very well. Let me try again. There is an "electrical box" on the wall that has 3 switches; two of these switches have been replaced solving a issue with a light that did not work. The third switch does not work now. The electrician did his "thing" which lasted until the bulb blew. I replaced the bulb and the light will not come on. I don't understand why the electrician did not look at the "box" based on the information I gave him regarding the other two and what was done to fix these.

The "innards" I am referring to are the switches; so much easier to explain when you know the terms. The "empty" feeling is the feel of the switch when I flip it to turn on light. It is "firm" "tight"(??) when it works an loose when there could be a problem.

I think I'm calling the electrician and asking him to come back and do his job.

 

[geochurchi]

Hi, are you comfortable around electricity? You could turn the circuit breaker off for that circuit, pull the suspected switch out of the box and remove the wires from the switch and wire nut them together and see if the light works.

 

[cdchamp]

That sounds like a wonderful plan!! I am not afraid of electricity; in fact, I'm not afraid of much since I raised my children by myself and could not afford repair men. I have prided myself on being able to understand how things work and fix them. I think maybe I'm getting too old to think clearly (and technology continues to change). I will try this experiment tomorrow!

 

[BuzzLOL]

New switches work easier than old switches if that's what you mean...
My house is 200 years old and has some old fashioned pushbutton switches instead of lever switches... I love them so I don't upgrade them until they quit working... I've been in this house for 41 years... it's a big 4 bedroom house that used to be a rectory for priests to live in... probably a lot of perverted stuff used to go on in it...

 

[cdchamp]

Sounds like a wonderful house. That is such a blessing (and work).

 

[cdchamp]

Geochurchi, the connection putting the 2 wires together indicates that the wiring is okay. So it is the switch. Can I change that myself?

 

[geochurchi]

Hi, sure you can, post a pic of the switch or take it to a big box store and match it.