Troubleshooting a faulty light switch

 


The light bulb has been replaced and you are still in the dark. Naturally, you go through the usual scenarios to solve the problem. You check whether the circuit breaker on the switchboard is switched on - it is - now what? As a final check, you suspect that it could be the light switch itself. Switches should remain maintenance-free for many years. If they do fail, there are a few things you can test and change to see if that fixes the problem. 

Step 1

Always switch off the power to the panel before starting any electrical repairs. If you can find the appropriate circuit breaker for the light switch, switch it off, otherwise switch off the main switch and make sure you have broken the circuit. For safety reasons, lock the switch to prevent others from switching it on.

Step 2

Take a flat-blade screwdriver and remove the screws holding the cover plate of the light switch. Then take a Phillips screwdriver and unscrew the fixing screws at the top and bottom of the switch. Carefully pull the switch out of the switch box to expose the wire connections. Take a photo with your mobile phone for future reference. When you reattach the wiring, you may need to use this photo as a guide to ensure that the terminals are reconnected in the correct order. The correct order is to connect the wires in the correct colour to each terminal.

Step 3

Loosen the terminal screws with a Phillips screwdriver and remove the wires from the terminals.

Step 4

The next step is to determine whether an electrical path can be established between two points. For this, you will need a simple continuity tester or a continuity function on your multimeter. Make sure the switch is off and touch the two wire terminals with the tester. The tester should not make any noise and the light on the tester should not light up. Then switch on the switch and repeat the procedure. The switch works well when the continuity tester lights up or the multimeter makes a noise.

Step 5

The last step is to test the switch with a multimeter. First switch off the switch, touch each hot terminal with a probe and check that the reading is infinite. Then switch the switch on and repeat the procedure. Good switches always show zero or a value close to zero when switched on. Replace defective switches that indicate infinity in the ON position.

Call the Emergency Electrician in Croydon. We are 24 hours available. Contact us whenever you want, 02080897614.

Location: Croydon, UK

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