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Stop using push connectors on 3-way switches in old houses
Did a rewire on a 1950s house in Tacoma last month and kept getting intermittent flickering on a 3-way. Tried everything, new switches, new bulbs, checked neutrals. Finally swapped out the push connectors for backwired screw terminals and bam, problem solved. Those push connectors just don't hold tight enough on older wire that's got a bit of oxidation or stiffness. Anyone else run into this?
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keith9001mo ago
My buddy had the same issue in a 60s house, push connectors were the culprit.
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linda1141mo ago
My friend Jen had a house from the late 50s and kept getting flickering lights in the kitchen. An electrician friend of hers came over and found the same thing, push-in connectors on the back of the outlets. He said those things are a fire hazard waiting to happen, especially with older wiring. He swapped them all out for screw-down ones and the problem went away completely. She still calls him every time she has a weird electrical issue now.
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grays131mo ago
Screwing them down fixed the flickering in my place too!
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