my porch light and a receptacle on a controlled swith stopped working. Changed the switches, nothing. Changed all my breakers, still nothing. I tested the wires and they are hot. Even my porch light is hot but when i bypass the switch and connect the wires i get nothing. When i bypass the wires for the receptacle (which i did replace) i get a spark and humming noise. I'm fresh out of ideas. Can anyone suggest anything? Thanks.

Jason, November 2009

Do you mean you have a light switch controlling a designated socket (recepticle) for a free-standing lamp?

There will be 2 wires at the switch. Remember one will look like a live (hot) and the other a neutral (cold) but they are effectively both live - one permanent and the other becomes live when the switch is closed.

Either in the recepticle or in a junction box you should have the SWITCHED hot (I think you use white wires there) wire going to the hot connection on the recepticle - If you have it going to the cold connection with another white wire then yes, the breaker will operate.

Adam, November 2009

Your question is difficult for me to follow - I assume you are in the US because you use the word "hot".

Recepacle presumably meansd power socket - the Lights and Power socket are on different circuits I assume.

The lights don't work despite changing the Breaker and The Switch - you have seen and measured hot/live - perhaps you have a fault on the neutral conductor?

The spark and humming noise sound scary - perhaps it's time to call in an electrician.

Good luck...

Peccavi, November 2009