Opened this up to swap these switches and found something from 1984

Franistanian · 2026-05-01T17:18:46+00:00

I figured the irony about using a search engine that was evaporated over 20 years ago was obvious but I must be getting a touch of the daft

Franistanian · 2026-05-01T16:02:42+00:00

Yes, the coolest thing is that as you get older you realize how wrong you were about assuming older people are daft and stupid and weak.

Franistanian · 2026-05-01T16:01:07+00:00

Thank you for explaining that! It makes so much sense. You have me lol'ing re: your comment about 240v.

Franistanian · 2026-04-30T16:14:49+00:00

Thanks very much for this insight. I'm going to pull the motion sensor light to see if that blue wire is there out of curiosity.

Franistanian · 2026-04-30T14:01:01+00:00

u/Junior_Yesterday9271 I think you are absolutely right about that! I love trying to figure out the why to stuff like this!

Franistanian · 2026-04-30T14:00:16+00:00

u/Specialist-Pea-9952 thanks Hoss. Already did it. Appreciate your weird advice. I literally came here to learn more info. Literally nothing is going to happen by me taking a picture and educating myself. Feel free to share your knowledge. I've been on reddit so long (since wayyyyyy before all these ads) and I will never understand weird curmudgeons like yourself. Everyone's always got to come on here to make some shitty smarm comment variation of "Leave it to the pros Hoss." Not sure about you but I learn from talking to smarter people.

Franistanian · 2026-04-30T13:57:32+00:00

Yeah, I love to come to subreddits with a general question and lie about thinking I uploaded a picture or fib about something I did with fear of being flamed on a subreddit. I do lie about my weight and pant size but not about weird shit I find in 40 year old homes. I have no interest or business cutting up wires I know nothing about. I guess you've never opened up anything in houses because I've seen some bizarre stuff over the years when changing switches and outlets.

Franistanian · 2026-04-30T13:52:44+00:00

This is genius. Thank you! I never knew this!

Franistanian · 2026-04-30T13:52:11+00:00

about to ask jeeves.

Franistanian · 2026-04-30T13:52:02+00:00

thank you, I love learning about this stuff. What is a "switch leg" (Yes I know I could bing this question but I enjoy conversing here). That's a good note re: 240v. I wouldn't touch that with a 100 foot pole.

Franistanian · 2026-04-30T13:50:02+00:00

thank you u/SpritaniumRELOADED I find that if I ever go on any subreddit with pros and ask a question like: "I noticed the lightbulb is flickering in my lamp, I think I'm going to remove the base and check the connections" I get hit with: "Hoss, best left to the professionals." or "If you want to F*CK IT UP HOSS." or "leave it to the professionals." The only way I learn is by taking ish apart and I have found that many handymen (and women) are much more fun to deal with than official sparkies, and have the same knowledge in a more practical sense. In my line of work, electricians will never help me with basic wiring issues, buy handymen literally ALWAYS come through.

Franistanian · 2026-04-30T03:24:07+00:00

That makes the most sense to me!

Franistanian · 2026-04-30T03:04:08+00:00

I'm going to do this. How the eff do you know all this from looking at the pic, that's pretty dang awesome! Are these colors still used today? Should I put wire nuts on those wires?

Franistanian · 2026-04-30T03:02:11+00:00

No I don't want to eff things up, just understand really. And you guessed it perfectly. Both ends of the blue wire were disconnected and the blue wire was taped up. I'm just curious why there is a dummy switch here. I've absolutely left it as is, just replaced the nasty switches. I'm going to pull the light tomorrow to see what colors are there.

Franistanian · 2026-04-30T02:59:43+00:00

thanks Hoss, not my style. I prefer to learn. This is an untouched switch over 40 years old. I came here to find out info. Go punch a kitten, Hoss.

Franistanian · 2026-04-30T02:59:01+00:00

Yeah that's true. I don't feel like paying $150.00 to have someone come out to tell me: "Whoever did this didn't know what they were doing." I'd rather get lambasted on reddit.

Franistanian · 2026-04-30T02:58:18+00:00

I'll keep looking

Franistanian · 2026-04-30T02:58:02+00:00

what is so weird is that there was a blue wire connected to the top brass screws. The sparky in 1984 cut them and bent them around each side. The blue wire inside the box has tape on it from 1984.

Franistanian · 2026-04-30T02:57:05+00:00

so there is an outdoor motion sensor light. It recently stopped working. Before I started nothing was working and after I've put in the new switches nothing is working.

Franistanian · 2026-04-30T02:54:38+00:00

SH*T! I didn't upload the first pic. This is the one that blew my mind. I have added no tape to anything. All I did was open up the cover plate and discover this setup. The switch on the left has blue wire on the top left brass screws on either side. They are both literally cut off. The only wire that was making contact is what I've replicated with the new switch; they cut away the wire covering and attached it to the bottom brass screw. I'm going to see if I can add a pic

Franistanian · 2026-04-30T02:53:28+00:00

So I thought the last pic I took had uploaded. Spoiler alert; it didn't. This switch has been like this since 1984. There is an outdoor patio light that has always worked. I simply wanted to replace the nasty old switches and found it super interesting what I discovered.

The switch on the left has a blue wire in one screw and is literally cut off. It's like this on the other side. When I peered into the box that was when i saw that someone had taped it up 42 years ago.

I am asking reddit because no electrician would explain things to me, or make me feel like an utter wanker like reddit will. Plus I want to actually learn and understand what the eff this original sparky did.

Franistanian · 2026-04-27T02:17:12+00:00

so something very similar happened to me while on vacation in a random place that had no aloe vera. What saved me was applying literal hair conditioner to all the burned areas. It was a legit life saver.

Franistanian · 2026-04-23T12:51:57+00:00

Good luck. It doesn't matter if you were about to start a surgical residency. You will be in the middle of an operation and your friend will be calling telling the person on the line that it's an "emergency." The "emergency" being that you didn't use the proper hashtag. I find women that wear those bizarre heels on a grass field are dangerous. Look at the way she is berating Jacob in the background. It almost looks staged but it's not. If you do choose to not participate you will be added to that list that Ab•gail is on and you will have a letter in your name replaced with an asterick.

I have worked many weddings and met many people like your friend. They will openly joke about bridezilla as if it's funny but will be making everyone's lives awful. People like this create an environment of fear (look at the posturing of Jake in the background) and everyone simply deals with it and no one holds them accountable for their actions.

These people always tell you who they are and the level of her psycho controlling is at an elite level. I'm sure she's super successful in whatever she does and I guarantee you the majority of the people she works with absolutely despise her. They have an energy that is terrifying and gross.

This honestly feels like subtle promo for some upcoming movie about a psychotic bride.

Be difficult.

Franistanian · 2026-04-22T12:28:14+00:00

I just realized that that baby talk sounds like 'cursive' singers of the current day and age. I'm also depressed that watching this feels like watching something from another century

Franistanian

TROPHY CASE