Anyone who intends to do any electrical trouble shooting needs a volt-ohm meter. They are so inexpensive it's ridiculous not to own one.

Probing around with a jumper wire is a good way to create other problems. A test light can tell you that current is there but what voltage are you getting? How are your grounds?

There are no shortcuts to electrical trouble shooting. Get a meter and start checking everything. I'd start by checking the voltage in the wire going to the switch with it disconnected. If that's good, connect it and check voltage at each out terminal with the wires disconnected. And so on until you're sure you have voltage at the light sockets. Then start checking grounds.

As I said, there are no shortcuts. Start at the source and work your way down. There's no magic about electricity. It has to follow a physical path to do it's work. Follow that path and you'll find your problem.

"It's just a phase. He'll grow out of it." Mama, 1964

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