| Electricity 101 [message #169377] |
Sat, 12 May 2012 19:37  |
SThornbg
Messages: 127
Registered: September 2011
Karma:
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Senior Member |
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First, I plead guilty to being easily confused by anything more than a simple two wire circuit. Third and fourth wires become totally cosmic.
Trying to verify 120 VAC at my water heater - measuring across the major black wire (jumpers to the thermostat) and the major white wire (tied to one side of the heating element). No voltage.
The switch toggle seemed flimsy but the outlet worked fine. I elected to replace the switch.
The old switch has three connect points - two black wires across the switch and one common white (plus the bare wire ground).
The new switch/outlet has one copper contact on each side - one adjacent to the switch and the other adjacent to the outlet. There are two black contacts side by side with no bonding tab. So, I think two independent circuits - white one side, black the other side.
I have two black wires and two white wires coming into the work box. One black/white pair powers the outlet. The remaining white wire shows continuity with the white wire at the heating element. The remaining black wire does not show continuity.
With the last two wires connected across the switch with the circuit breaker turned on and the switch turned on, there is no power at the water heater.
I am looking for help understanding where all my little electrons are coming from and where they are supposed to be going to put power at both sides of the water heater.
Thanks for any and all guidance.
Steve Thornburg
South Bend, IN
77 PB 455 "Tinker Toy"
Steve Thornburg
South Bend, IN
77 exPB 455 "Tinker Toy"
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