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Light switch

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  • 27-03-2015 7:34pm
    #1
    Help!!!!
    Registered Users Posts: 2,965 ✭✭✭


    Was cleaning mould off a wall, some of the liquid ran down onto the light switch. It started smoking so turned off the power at the mains.
    Now switch wont turn on. Do I need an electrician to fix this? Could I just buy another switch & change it?


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    #2
    aido79
    Registered Users Posts: 5,374 ✭✭✭aido79


    Help!!!! wrote: »
    Was cleaning mould off a wall, some of the liquid ran down onto the light switch. It started smoking so turned off the power at the mains.
    Now switch wont turn on. Do I need an electrician to fix this? Could I just buy another switch & change it?

    You turned the power off at the mains and the switch won't turn on? I presume you mean that the switch won't work even when you turn the mains back on?
    What type of switch is it? I'm guessing its some type of dimmer switch. Changing a switch is pretty easy if you are feel it is something you do as long as you put all the wires in the right places. The best way to do it would be to buy a switch which is the exact same as the current one, turn off the power, unscrew it from the wall, take a picture of the connections at the back of the switch, disconnect old switch and then using the picture if necessary connect new switch.


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    #3
    Help!!!!
    Registered Users Posts: 2,965 ✭✭✭Help!!!!


    aido79 wrote: »
    You turned the power off at the mains and the switch won't turn on? I presume you mean that the switch won't work even when you turn the mains back on?
    What type of switch is it? I'm guessing its some type of dimmer switch. Changing a switch is pretty easy if you are feel it is something you do as long as you put all the wires in the right places. The best way to do it would be to buy a switch which is the exact same as the current one, turn off the power, unscrew it from the wall, take a picture of the connections at the back of the switch, disconnect old switch and then using the picture if necessary connect new switch.

    Yes I turned the mains back on. Its just a normal light switch but when I try to turn on the light it wont click on.....its feels like its stuck. I think I'll try changing it to see what happens.....thanks


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    #4
    FixitFelix
    Registered Users Posts: 3,057 ✭✭✭FixitFelix


    Help!!!! wrote: »
    Yes I turned the mains back on. Its just a normal light switch but when I try to turn on the light it wont click on.....its feels like its stuck. I think I'll try changing it to see what happens.....thanks

    Just turn the power off and change the switch,its a handy job


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    #5
    Help!!!!
    Registered Users Posts: 2,965 ✭✭✭Help!!!!


    FixitFelix wrote: »
    Just turn the power off and change the switch,its a handy job

    The only thing I was worried about was because of the smoke that came from the switch I thought maybe the wires inside might be burned so would need an electrician


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    #6
    confusedeire
    Registered Users Posts: 316 ✭✭confusedeire


    Help!!!! wrote: »
    The only thing I was worried about was because of the smoke that came from the switch I thought maybe the wires inside might be burned so would need an electrician

    Turn off the power and unscrew the switch If there was any burn it should be obvious.


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    #7
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    There is unlikely to be any burning of wires. The smoke is from liquid bridging the gap between switch contacts, and/or components. If the light had been on when it happened, there probably would not have been any smoke/vapour from it.


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