Mystery switch


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Old 04-18-16, 08:21 PM
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Mystery switch

I have a switch that is a mystery. I have confirmed that it is live, checked each plug outlet with the switch in both positions, and nothing.

The switch has red and black wires.Name:  Plug zap.jpg
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Last edited by pdxgresham; 04-18-16 at 08:51 PM.
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Old 04-18-16, 09:02 PM
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The device in your hand can not tell you if it is live. It can easily be fooled by induced charges that are meaningless. Show us all the wires in the box.
 
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Old 04-19-16, 03:59 AM
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The non-contact voltage tester is good for a quick test to see if there might be a hot wire in the box, but as Ray said, they tend to give false positives.
 
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Old 04-19-16, 04:22 AM
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...I was wondering why my living room lamp kept turning on and off by itself...

 
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Old 04-19-16, 05:20 AM
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What room is it in and what is it near (door ways, attic stairs, outside, garage, etc....)?
 
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Old 04-19-16, 08:36 PM
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Thanks for the replies guys, the switches in the living room to the side of the fireplace in the middle of the room. Please see the attached picturesName:  20160419_203053.jpg
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Size:  24.1 KBName:  20160419_203007.jpg
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I have opened up the fireplace mantel to confirm that there are no Outlets hidden in there and there are none. There is no track lighting nor exhaust fan for fireplace that the switch might be associated to, the switch in discussion is the upper switch left of the fireplace
 
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Old 04-19-16, 09:41 PM
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Is that a gas fireplace? It might be for an ignitor.
 
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Old 04-19-16, 09:56 PM
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The ignitor is the switch on the left hand side of the fireplace, I should have mentioned that! It is a gas fireplace, I thought maybe a circulating fan switch, but there is no fan. Super odd.
 
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Old 04-20-16, 12:04 AM
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Your picture of the switch box wasn't clear enough to see clearly. Was there a 3-conductor cable and a two conductor cable in the box? Are there more cables then that? Are there white wires connected together? If so how may?
 
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Old 04-20-16, 03:22 PM
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Has this always been a gas fireplace? Is it possible that at one time there was a wood burning Heatilator there....with heat circulating fans?
 
 

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