Any electricians here?

[Donutz]

I need some help understanding something. I swapped from a single pole dimmer switch to a single pole toggle switch. When I turned the breaker on after installing the switch the breaker kept blowing. With the light switched on the breaker is fine, but as soon as I turned the light off using the toggle the breaker blew.

When I started, the dimmer switch had 2 black wires running from the top of the dimmer (no top/bottom config). The dimmer was grounded with a green wire to the wall box. After installing the toggle I tried regrounding the green by tying it into the main ground wires; it kept blowing. I then proceeded to invert the black wires on the single pole toggle; top to bottom and bottom to top. I flipped the breaker back on and everything is fine. It no longer trips when I switch the lights off.

My understanding of a single pole switch is that it doesn't matter which wire is on top or bottom. So what gives; why was it tripping the breaker when I turned the light switch off? I'm no guru with residential electrical wiring. I'm comfortable changing fixtures, switches, and outlets, but this is beyond my knowledge. Can anyone tell me what might be happening here?

[Fuyuzora]

Sounds to me like when the switch is in the (supposedly) "off" position, it's completing a short, which obviously results in the breaker tripping due to the flood of current.

You could try taking the switch out and verify if there's any contact in the wiring or other components to cause such a short?

[Fuyuzora]

Rather, meant to say that such a contact may have been the problem in the first place, and if you set the wires back to their original positions you might be able to confirm this.

[Donutz]

Yeah, I did that and could not find any wires creating a short. Like I said, all I did was flip the black wire from the lower contact to the top contact, and vice versa, and the problem stopped. I'm wondering if there is something I don't know about; perhaps having to do with how the light is wired?

EDIT* Just saw your second post. I made sure everything was pushed back in the box; the white wires are on a different side of the box from the black; the ground is pushed into the center. I even made sure that all the wires tied together in the wire nuts are completely covered by the nuts. Really, everything looks good. I'm just confused as to how switching the wires around resolved the problem, given that this is a single pole switch.

[Fuyuzora]

Hmmm. Might be the light itself...

Also, don't some single pole switches have those little tabs which need to be broken off? Perhaps that was making the short? (although that doesn't explain why it was only when the switch was wired one way)

[Donutz]

I looked for one of those tabs and couldn't find it. My understanding is that if you have a double rocker switch you would have one of those tabs, but not on a single pole.

[Fuyuzora]

I looked for one of those tabs and couldn't find it. My understanding is that if you have a double rocker switch you would have one of those tabs, but not on a single pole.

That is what I would expect too.

Only guess I have left is that perhaps there was some internal flaw with it, connecting the one contact to the ground, and now that it's flipped it's not a problem.

Really, really weird since single pole switches are pretty simple... Guess the main thing is that it's working now though.

[Donutz]

Thanks man. I'll keep an eye on it. Hopefully it doesn't short.

[Rob23]

im an electrician apprentice. first thing is the ground wire insulated or is it bare? because sometimes with bare ground if you don't push it way back in the box then it can often hit other wires and short them out. you are correct a single pole switch doesn't matter what contact you put the hot to usually, otherwise it will be marked on the switch. from what you say it sounds like something was getting pushed back in the box while pushing in the dimmer switch (they take a lot of room in the box compared to normal single pole switches) usually its the ground wire. pull it out and make sure the ground is pushed way back in the box, also double check your connections, make sure there is no bare conductor visible from the Hot, Traveler and Neutral wires. if you have any problems feel free to send me a PM and i could probably come check it out for you.

[Donutz]

The ground wires are bare. I'll double check to make sure they are pushed far back. I found after flipping the hot wire to the top contact the problem stopped. After posting this thread I installed another toggle in place of a dimmer in another room using the same config and I didn't have any problems. I'll ask someone at homedepot tomorrow if these particular switches have to be wired in a specific config. I looked all over the switch before installing it and didn't notice any markings specific to wiring config.

[-cj-]

Try reversing it again and see if it happens? If it doesn't, then it's something you did the first time (Maybe something was shorting). If it happens again, then I'd replace that switch with another one and see if it continues to happen... It sounds like it might be defective.

[Noisy Crow]

I'd replace the switch either way. And double check you connections to make sure they are tight, and check wires for nicks / cuts form sharp edges inside the box. Even though it works okay now there could be a hot spot that, over time, will result in a fire.

[Rob23]

90% of the time its the ground touching a hot or neutral wire. if the hot was touching something then it will leave black burn marks on whatever its shorted out on. im guessing its either the ground or neutral. to be safest id replace the switch anyways as someone else mentioned it could be defective, but thats usually not the case. with the dimmer switches your wires have to be very neatly tucked into the box otherwise its difficult to push the switch in, witch can result in wires being pinched or having contact with other wires when your pushing in the switch. first tuck the ground way in the back, then the neutral, then fold the hot and traveler thats attached to the switch so they very neatly fold in behind the switch.

[ds2chan]

interesting read. I always thought that the source of the power (sorry, not sure of the correct term) has to go to the bottom screw of the light switch and the wire going to the light (or outlet) has to be wired to the top screw of the light switch.

[xxSlidewaysxx]

Did you install a 2-way switch instead of a single?????

[m_bisson]

Thread Hijack! : My parents have a set of lights that are controlled by 5 different switches. Why? I don't know, it was like that when they moved in. How can we set it so that when they walk in the front door and hit the switch, the lights on the top floor of the house don't turn on?

[xxSlidewaysxx]

could you please provide a wiring schematic:hijack smiley

[Donutz]

Wiring diagram for my switch?

[Rob23]

interesting read. I always thought that the source of the power (sorry, not sure of the correct term) has to go to the bottom screw of the light switch and the wire going to the light (or outlet) has to be wired to the top screw of the light switch.

i meant to say normal single pole switches do have a hot contact being the bottom screw. but single pole dimmer switches don't have a hot contact, you can attach the hot wire to any of the two wires unless marked on the switch.

[xxSlidewaysxx]

Wiring diagram for my switch?

5-switches for one light is absurd......whoever did it should be shot........

Does work properly, switch one the lights go on, switch another and the lights go off?

[m_bisson]

It all works fine. I can't figure out WHY it was done either. I'll have to take a closer look next time I go to visit to see how it's wired up. I'm sort of scared.

[Rob23]

It all works fine. I can't figure out WHY it was done either. I'll have to take a closer look next time I go to visit to see how it's wired up. I'm sort of scared.

its two 3way switches and three 4way switches. not usual to have so many switches on one light but depending on the set up of your house he may need them all.