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Comments
That’s what she said?
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
It would drive me nuts having to use my phone to turn on a light.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Not only your phone (still have wall switches) - but additional control, timers, themes etc
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart
Not a bad description for a novice.
Here’s another fun fact for ya’ll:
To control a light circuit from more and more locations, you just add one more 4-way switch to the circuit. So, to control a circuit from 4 locations you use one more 4-way switch (total of 2) than the one 4-way switch that was used in a circuit that was controlled from 3 locations.
As you pointed out, when using one 4-way switch (to control a circuit from 3 locations) you still use two 3-way switches but they must be connected electrically to the outside of the 4-way switch and this condition remains regardless of how many 4-way switches are added to the circuit.
I think we need to get back to talking about dishwashers since we all seem to understand that subject much better.
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
We just crossed 9 years in this house and still have switches that are a complete mystery to us.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I don't know.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
To confusing, I'll think I'll stick with these.

2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
That has to be a transplanted redneck.
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
Haha. My biggest mystery was my two hour investigation as to why all my outside outlets stopped working. Eventually tied it back to a single GFCI outlet in our storage room. I was ready to start replacing breakers or calling a pro.
Whatever knucklehead decided that??
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart
Do they have horizontal walls in Colorado?
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
That makes more sense than what @stickguy said.
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
If I had to guess, I’d say it was a guy plagued with forgetfulness who invented that gizmo.
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
Aren't horizontal walls called ceilings?
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
Notice his use of a 2x4 to brave the rolls against the wind.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Haha. My biggest mystery was my two hour investigation as to why all my outside outlets stopped working. Eventually tied it back to a single GFCI outlet in our storage room. I was ready to start replacing breakers or calling a pro.
Whatever knucklehead decided that??
————————————————I’m sure it was done to save money and there is nothing wrong or against the code to do that. It’s done all the time. What should have been done is the receptacles that are controlled by the downstream side of the GFCI receptacle, should have used the stickers (there has to be a dozen of them packed with the GFCI receptacle) that says something like “GFCI Receptacle Protected” and are to be stuck on the wall plate of those receptacles but almost nobody ever uses those stickers. FWIW, we use them in the flips we’ve done all the time.
I’d be willing to bet that your storage area is the closest point to the first outside receptacle and then it’s jumpered from there to the next receptacle and so on. Or the downstream side of the GFCI receptacle could have gone to a common junction box, then wired out to all the outside receptacles from there.
In any case the stickers should be used to eliminate chasing your tail to find out why a receptacle might not be working. After your 2 hour investigation, you’d probably be willing to kiss the electrician who wired your house on the lips if he did that.
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
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2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
To confusing, I'll think I'll stick with these.

————————————————I think I get your point but can you blow out all the other lights in that room when you blow out that one?
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
J - I knew it was most likely GFCI related. What I didn’t know was that there was a GFCi outlet behind a door in my storage room! I had never paid any attention to it.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2025 VW GTI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
If your house had a correct electrical inspection when it was built it would have failed because the code says you are not allowed to install any switch or receptacle behind a permanent or temporary covering like a door. However, there are a few exceptions like the receptacle for your micro wave having access in a closed cabinet above it. At least the code is like that in my hood.
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
90% of the wiring in my 1950s house is ungrounded 14/2, so I installed GFCIs almost everywhere so that I would have code-compliant grounded outlets (or at least it was code-complaint at the time). One thing that stinks is that GFCIs do not work well with powerline ethernet adapters, but that's less of a concern now that I have a relatively fast eero mesh wifi system.
https://www.amazon.com/Femitu-Assembled-Changer-Ceilings-Recessed/dp/B0BXDD8GQK/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=241DY4NDE8P9A&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Tyz_L30rc7UE8X01VDvhFzArUWyAfeNoyID2XVb204ksWiz-ACf1EAm0LTSq6IXYMzQHUpPVaEC7np_EDk3HaaF-s0Z18DCTFIn4gW69EOZldoOZgICT34IL60YznhsSkyFpVMB4VoTCtTzyftNSY9Y3OhI8EUgf0Wr7BehnRk1Yt2jTL-R9-t6dT2rq53eRm4KAZksgcZI7jqw608AYH-s9nEwzyH8RF6uls7-tT0apAnUU6MveVOIYUYCpUjPB2UYtJiL0-YioabGSlGYDxIQsCz0NXFbWQzhIYLVLTJI.uOOxB96J5qDepgVV5tIjHerFBhY0TM3VNJ5DNiZqeQk&dib_tag=se&keywords=can+light+bulb+changer+for+high+ceilings&qid=1731018911&sprefix=Can+light+bulb+chang,aps,455&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1
My parents built a house in 1956 and while it had the old 2 slot receptacles the wiring had a ground. Since the receptacle didn’t have the ground slot the ground wire was connected to the metal box (no plastic boxes back then). So, when the grounded receptacles came out it was relatively easy to replace the old receptacles by removing the ground wire from the box and adding 2 pigtails to that ground wire. Then connecting 1 pigtail to the metal box and the other pigtail to the ground point of the new style receptacle. Sorta easy peasy but not exactly.
FWIW, every house we’ve flipped was built before the new style receptacles were mandated so we have quite a bit of experience replacing the old style receptacles. BUT every house was wired with romex cable that had a ground wire (just like my parents house). If, in our search for homes to flip, we ever find a house that doesn’t have a ground wire we’re not going to touch that house.
Personally, I have never seen romex cable that didn’t have a ground wire but I’m told it existed and you just told me that too.
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2025 VW GTI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
I wish I could read the county name below the numbers on the license plate? Cuyahoga?
Guernsey?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
had to spend more time today chasing an electric problem. Fence guys came today to install and needed power to run battery chargers and their radio. So they used the outside outlet on the back of the house. Only issue, it was dead. So I also spend time running around looking for a tripped GFI (after making sure a breaker was not flipped). found one in the garage, and one in the upstairs hall bath. None in the kitchen oddly. Both fine. breaker was on, and label said it covered outside outlets and the front one was fine. Checked with electrician (since he was her yesterday taking my money). Did not seem like it could have been related, but never know! We don't think we ever used that outlet since we moved in, so could be a punch list warranty item. Electrician messaged back that the rear GFI is in the basement. so I looked harder down there. every GFI I found was fine but I cycled them anyway. no change. Ended up finding 5 down there (I assume the kitchen and powder room and other 1st floor stuff trips down there. )
reported all that to the guy. waiting for a response but I assume at some point he will stop back out to check. I assume they have ways to figure out what the issue is. I hope.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
I think I get your point but can you blow out all the other lights in that room when you blow out that one?
jmonroe
No but I can easily move it from room to room.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I’m surprised your new house has that many GFCI receptacles. Code around here is if you install new circuits they have be on a GFCI/Arc Fault Breaker in the panel and a new house would certainly satisfy that requirement.
Highly unlikely but maybe the receptacle giving you the problem wasn’t connected to the wires in the box. I saw that many years ago at a friends new house but have never seen that again.
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
————————————————
You’re not playing this game fairly.
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
I was surprised to see so many GFI outlets too. Must be some reason. Next time I see the electrician I will ask him why. Considering they cost more, I doubt it was for the heck of it.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
'24 Chevy Blazer EV 2LT
This may just be an Alaska thing.... but often our external outlets are connected to a switch on the wall inside. Sometimes nearby, but sometimes not so much!
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
2025 Forester Limited, 2024 Subaru Legacy Sport
Painting update, day 2. Kitchen is fully painted, including areas above the cabinets. Lots of detail work necessary.
Not sure when the next painting day will be. The girls have to go to the studio tomorrow, and up to 10" of snow is predicted between tonight and whenever it's supposed to stop (likely tomorrow or Saturday morning).
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
Congrats on the painting progress. Once you're living in the space, it is no easy task, though possibly not as torturous as deep cleaning carpets....
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
I tried turning on the lights outside. Outlet still dead.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
We thought that we were just being rebels but instead we actually learned something no book could tell you.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible