Why doesn't my light switch turn off the light?

Question

after I replaced the switch, it still doesn't work. The only way to shut off the light is to use the circuit breaker. What's up with that? How can I fix it?

Answer 1

Sounds to me like you mis-wired the circuit when you replaced the switch.

If you wired the white wires to the switch and the black ones together, it COULD create the conditions you describe. Same if you put both blacks on one terminal, but I think you're smarter than that. You could also have a bad switch, it ain't likely, but it does happen.

If you are in America, (don't know about other countries) the white wires should be spliced together and the black wires connected to the two terminals of the switch. This configureation allows the whites (common) to return one side of the circuit and the blacks (hot) to be switched.

Be sure to turn off the breaker before checking things out, we don't want any blackened fingers.

Answer 2

A switch creates a break in the current, cutting off the power to the lamp. etc. It looks to me that the two wires coming to the switch are being connected together above or before your switch, bringing power to your light! That may be a dangerous situation, if the wires are loose, broken and touching together. Check the wiring in the attic, from the light to the switch. You, with the breaker off, have to remove the wires from the switch and pull the wire up in the attic.As you are doing that connect a new wire to the old wire and pull it up as you pull the old wire out and up. Usually it is a two conductor wire, two wires. You may find the problem in the attic and able to fix the problem without changing the wire.Again, trace the wire from the lamp to where it goes down in the wall!

Answer 3

Chad, it would really help if we knew which light you are referring to and on what type of vehicle.  Any additional information would also be appreciated.