Ok, so now more weirdness.....
I've not had time to check into the connection to the fan and the run from it.
I told the family to leave that switch turned off until I have time.
Well, yesterday my wife had a bridal shower her and someone turned that switch
on. (it is right next to the dining room switch so must have been an
accident.) Anyway, when we got home last night, the porch light was working. I
had her turn it off since I am overly paranoid already and I don't want to
take any chances with a fire.
So now what the heck?
even more confused now...
tim
> > if I can be more clear on my description....
> >
> >
> >
> > (From what I remember when
> > we did the roof above this porch) it is knob and
> > tube to the fan--I didn't open
> > up the fan to verify the connection but the
> > only wires above the
> > ceiling were knob and tube and the only electrical on the
> > porch is this: I can
> > see Romex from the fan to a junction box. From the
> > junction box there
> > is a (romex) split to the outside porch light and another
> > romex
> > split to the inside outlet. The inside outlet is the type where the
> > wires screw
> > into the side. From the inside outlet is a set of wires that are
> > run to the
> > outside weather proof outlet, again romex.
> >
> >
> >
> > Some have mentioned having
> > a light plugged into the outlet while trying to
> > test the circuit. Let me
> > ask this: If I have the wall switch (the wall switch
> > is inside the house)
> > turned on and the ceiling fan running, then there (used
> > to be) should
> > be power running to the outside light so there should be a draw
> > on
> > the circuit while I am trying to determine voltage. Is this correct? I
> > also
> > had plugged in a small shop vac into the inside outlet and then tested
the
> > wires again and got what appeared to be a low voltage reading. Again, all
this
> > time the ceiling fan was running and its light worked as well.
> >
> >
>
> If the fan works, you know the wire up to the fan is good. The fault
> is somewhere downstream of it, including the connection at the fan's
> box. Given the description before, the likely failure is between the
> fan (again, including the connections at its box) and the junction
> box. If you're lucky, it's loose at the fan, and replacing a wire nut
> solves your problem, but it could well be a broken (or varmint
> chewed...) wire in the wall. Taking the fan apart to get at its
> wiring is clearly the next step. After that I'd start checking the
> continuity of the wires. In the absence of sufficiently long test
> leads, you can short the hot and neutral together at one point, and
> then test that there's low resistance between them at other points.
> If there's not, then you know what segment has the problem, and work
> out what the best way to run new wire is. If there is, then you have
> something stranger going on, but give the topography, I'm betting on
> loose connection or broken wire.
>
> Another thought: do you have an outlet tester? They're cheap, and
> well worth the money, and might tell you something before you starting
> taking things apart. (I'm talking about the ones you plug in with
> three lights. depding on how the lights light up, it says "good", "bad
> ground" "open neutral" etc. cost about five bucks.)
>
> --
> David Scheidt
> dmscheidt@gmail.com
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