Do you have light switches that you don't know what they do?

[underpants]

Moved into a new house exactly a month ago. We have at least two or three light switches that don't seem to do anything. We thought they were for outlets in the room but we've tried plugging lamps in and still nothing. Yes I checked that the lamp was turned on.


“In my house there's this light switch that doesn't do anything. Every so often I would flick it on and off just to check. Yesterday, I got a call from a woman in Madagascar. She said, 'Cut it out.'”
― Steven Wright

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

1. Did you check BOTH plug-ins on each outlet? Sometimes the switch only turns on & off one.

[CentralMass]

3. In many cases it is the lower outlet that is switched.

[underpants]

5. I think we did.

Damn now I have to go check on that. It’s always something.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

7. haha! good luck!

[rampartc]

2. outside lights?

closet lights?

"under the cabinet" lights?

attic lights?

maybe an outside plug?

they go to something.

[underpants]

4. Nope nope etc.

[customerserviceguy]

23. We had one of those

when our seller came over for a visit (she still keeps contact with the neighbors) we asked her, and it was indeed an attic light switch. We've never been in the attic, so we didn't know that!

A switch can also be for an outside motion activated light that is also on a photocell that keeps it off during daylight. It will take some night investigation for that!

[Lars39]

6. Check the attic, crawl space, closets.

[ProudLib72]

8. Did you unscrew the plate and see if there are actually any wires in there?

I've had a few of those kind of switches in the past.

[underpants]

10. Uh....

No. Okay. Now that's ANOTHER thing to do.

(Walks off to find screwdriver in an angry old man way)

[ProudLib72]

12. I just love being helpful

[True Blue American]

14. :)

[rickford66]

9. If you unscrew the plate as suggested, check if it's a 3-way or 4-way switch

It could be controlling something out of view. If you get real brave, use a voltmeter to be sure the switch is actually working. The rest of these suggestions are right on.

[KPN]

11. You should check the receptacles in the room with the switches. The switches could have originally

been wired to just one of the outlets in the receptacle (as someone mentioned above, the lower one). When that is the case, the copper tab that connects the two screws on one side of the receptacle (the tab connects the two outlets in the receptacle) is broken or snipped off so that each outlet needs its own “hot” wire. If the tab between the two screws on the right side of the outlet is in place, the outlet may have been replaced at some point and the switch disconnected from the outlet in which case there should be either one disconnected “hot” wire in the outlet box (hot is usually black or, if white, will have black electrical tape wrapped around it to indicate it’s hot) or two disconnected wires (hot and neutral, I.e., black and white). So ... if this is the case, you can rewrite the switch functionality by rewiring it to the outlet (removing the tab btwn the 3 screws on the outlet) and then attaching the loose wires to the receptacle. There are plenty of how tos on line ... just google wiring switch to outlet. Be aware there are different ways to do this — one using 2 wire Romex and the other 3 wire Romex.

Safest thing to do though would be to hire an electrician or have a friend who is good at electrical come over and help you do it. If you do it yourself, remember to turn off the circuit (breaker switch) to kill the electricity before working on it!

[True Blue American]

17. Gee,thanks

I bet he will get on that right away, after he figures out what you posted.

[KPN]

20. LOL. Yeah, it was pretty bad wasn't it. Oh well. What are ya gonna do. I tried.

[True Blue American]

21. No, it was fine

For someone who knows anything about electric. after yesterday I will call in the experts.

[zanana1]

13. I just moved into an apartment.

One room has two switches. One turns the light on and the other de-activates my appliances. WTH?

[True Blue American]

16. Lived in the house we built

In 1972.

Thursday, Refrigerator went out. Called Repairman, coming Friday morning.
Friday, decided to make toast, dang, toaster is out,too.

Looked at the light on the mini pad charger,no blue light. Electric stove working fine.

Light bulb in head, breaker out! Turn on one that looks different than others.
Presto, Fridge fixed, call Serviceman not to come. Embrassed, but hey,not mechanically inclined.

All the men in my family, Engineers, not my fault I did not think. Then comes the uprorious laughter. Stove on 220. Well,duh, I do know that, just did not think!

End of story, except it will be told and repeated all over the family.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

25. That's hilarious!

And I can all too easily picture that happening to me.

[True Blue American]

27. Several friends admitted to the same thing!

[GeorgeGist]

15. No, but during a remodel ...

several live electrical wires were discovered, in the walls, that went to nothing. One was 220v.

[Hekate]

31. Homeowner's special. The house we bought in the 1980s needed an electrical look-see...

....shortly after we moved in. We called a professional and when he opened up the wall he exclaimed, "What is this shit?!" The prior owner did a lot of his own remodel...

The house we bought two years ago was beautifully designed and built. But in answer to the OP's question: there is one light switch that seems to have no purpose, near the window closest to the front door. OTT, There's a master switch by our bed that turns on all the many outdoor lights at once, which we thought was odd until we realized how often the coyotes come calling, and that flipping on the floodlights makes them back off.

[unc70]

18. Maybe separate circuit for ceiling fan

Some houses have separate wall switches for a ceiling light and a ceiling fan. If you don't currently have a fan installed then you have a phantom switch.

There can be switches associated with fireplace controls or blowers.

You might have a power outlet mounted in the floor instead of the wall. These are usually round plates that can hide under furniture or carpets.

In bathrooms, you might have a wall switch for a heated towel rack.

In what type of rooms are your switches? And how old is your house?

[nocoincidences]

19. The problem in my 70s era house

is all the keys I have that open nothing, and all the locks that have no keys!!! I'm afraid to throw out any keys since there might be a door somewhere that I didn't check well.

It did take me awhile to figure out the light switches, though.

[True Blue American]

22. I just threw out a bunch while purging! Did I make a mistake?:)

[dameatball]

24. If you have dimmer switches, they sometimes can affect a light switch as well. I have some kitchen

lights that are controlled by a light switch, but if a nearby dimmer switch is not activated the lights don't work.

If you have had any remodeling done, check to see if a contractor "borrowed" a switch for another application or rerouted it in some way. This could be unwittingly or intentional.

[True Dough]

26. My wife has figured out the light switches

but she can't determine what her husband does.

[ProudLib72]

29. I wish I came with a rheostat switch

Save my energy for the really important things in life. The rest of the time I could set myself on half power.

[True Dough]

30. Fuel up here, ProudLib

[cachukis]

28. Ceiling fan and separate switch for light. No remote control.

[elleng]

32. Glad you're in, and

having 'fun!'

[Tripper11]

33. maybe a switch for a former ceiling fan??? eom

[NotASurfer]

34. I've got the other problem-

All switches accounted for, but some exterior lights...

If someone put a shovel through a buried wire there ought to be a breaker that stays tripped. Probably just haven't found The Hidden Magic Switch yet that will power up the circuit.