The ceiling fan light in my dads room shorted out. He said it rained sparks and everything. I took off the light and saw a small burn mark coming from it. Went to Home Depot and bought a replacement light kit for the fan. It still doesnt work and now my dad says that the hall light and out door light on the same circuit is also not working. I am no electrician but I am sincerely trying. Bought a multimeter as well and though I dont know how to work it I am getting readings from all the circuit breakers so I am guessing it is not that. Besides, none of the breakers tripped originally. I dont know what to do next? Buy a new fan or replace the switch? My dad know less about electricity than I and at 74 is grumpy as hell. Help me fix this so I dont blow a fuse in my head. Please!
2006-12-27 06:12:55 · 6 answers · asked by Modern Day Macedonian 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
all of the other answers are very good, but i think the trouble is in the box that the fan is mounted to. after buying the house from my in laws we have found many electrical problems that dad or his knowledgeable friends really messed up. it sounds like the circuit is good up to the ceiling fan junction box. start by turning the breaker off and on, it might not have fully tripped. if it still doesn't work then take the fan apart from the ceiling box and inspect the wiring hook up. if that is where your dad saw the sparks from your problem might be in the fan hook up. just because it is simple to install a wire nut doesn't mean the person who installed the fan could. if you feel that the connections are good, and correct maybe then it is time to call the pro. i hope all of the answers you got help you fix the problem. good luck, and i'll trade you my father and mother in law for your dad!!! happy new year!!
2006-12-27 07:18:26 · answer #1 · answered by car dude 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yupers. It sounds like you have fried a wire up in the condiut somewhere. I'd look a little further back into the ceiling fan. Turn off the breaker, unhook and drop down the fan assembly so you can see the junction box. Code says that there'll be a bunch of wires all tied together. Some will run to the other use points in the circut, one will be to the celing fan, and one will run to the breaker box. From what you describe, the one that runs to the breaker box has found a way to short and melt through or come undone. Without this wire being intact and connected, the whole circut stays open. meaning no lights no fan no nothing. Look for breaks or burns in this wire. Could have come undone right there and you just need to reconnect it to the rest of the circut. You may also have to re run that wire if it's burnt way up inside. Check it for current first to be sure it's the culprit.
Hope this helps. IM me if you have any questions and I'll guide you through it.
2006-12-27 06:35:54 · answer #2 · answered by Ricky J. 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First, keep in mind that the voltages you are working with are very dangerous. Touching them can easily be fatal. You need to weigh the financial savings with that danger.
That said, IF you are correct that there is voltage out of every breaker, it must be a wire that burned through. I have seen that happen. The wire can burn through before the breaker blows. That is not typical, but under some conditions, can happen.
Becuase of the multiple circuits that are down and the breaker is okay, my guess is that at one point in the line leading from the breaker box to the lights the wire has melted. It is more likely to have done this at the junction of two wires.
The tough job is to find that burned through point. It can be next to impossible. You can visually inspect in the basement and attic, but I would be totally surprised if you can even find where the wires run. In most houses, they are burried inside the walls or under insulation.
Since there are two other lights that are not working, replacing the fan and/or light and/or switch would be a waste of time. Perhaps the problem was originally in the fan/light, but it has gone way beyond that now.
My advice is to hire a professional electrician. This is outside the skill level of even most professional handy men. Actually, it is outside the scope of an electrical professional who only does new installations.
P.S. sorry about your situation with your father. Been there, done that. Not to discourage you, but it got worse with age, in my case. I'm sure you have heard "I don't know how to do it, but the way you are doing it is wrong. I don't know why, but I know you are wrong."
2006-12-27 06:32:25 · answer #3 · answered by DSM Handyman 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is the switch a dimmer?
We had the same problem recently and found it was our dimmer switch.
I Guess the light is OK on the dimmer switch but the ceiling fans seem to short out.
hope this helps & good luck.
2006-12-27 06:39:38 · answer #4 · answered by mvantryfle 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If sounds like you have tried everything that you should attempt doing yourself. I suggest that you should now get someone with more electrical experience to help you make the repairs.
If you do not know someone that is good with electrical problems than contact a reliable company in your area.
Good luck
2006-12-27 06:33:17 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
1
2017-02-09 02:16:58 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋