Question
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Oct 1, 2006, 06:45 PM
| | New Member  | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: California
Posts: 7
| | | Chandelier Wiring
I am installing a Chandelier in the dining room in a place I just bought! There was no chandelier in when I bought the house, but it had had one there. The wires from the box in the ceiling are white, black and a ground. I have a switch on each two entrances into the room. They are threeway toggle switches that turn the chandelier on. I just purchased a threeway threeway dimmer switch. The dimmer switch has two reds, a black and a green wire.
What advise do you have for running the wires to install the chandlier?
I will follow instructions in the switch boxes!
Red to red, black to black, green to ground...how do the white and black wires in the ceiling box come into play.
My main question is: can I use the dimmer switch with the existing toggle that is there?
Any help is appreciated!
IK
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Answers
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Oct 2, 2006, 02:41 AM
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#2
| | | Senior Electrical & Lighting Expert
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,723
| The black, white, & ground at the light simply connects to the new light fixture.
Replacing one of the toggle 3 way switches with a dimmer is simple, as long as you note which one of the three wires is the common. This wire will be connected to a black or dark screw terminal on the 3 way switch.
This wire connects to the black on the dimmer, which should be the common on the dimmer. The two remaining reds from the dimmer connect to the two remaining wires in the switch box, does not matter which to which. |
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Oct 2, 2006, 03:33 PM
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#3
| | New Member
Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: California
Posts: 7
| TK, thanks for the information, my threeway switches have wires; two reds, a black and a green. I am going to attempt to install the unit this evening! I believe I have it all in my head now!
Thanks again,
IK | |
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Oct 2, 2006, 08:01 PM
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#4
| | New Member
Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: California
Posts: 7
| My new Chandelier, has a bare ground wire running with the fixture wires. The fixture wires are the same 2X in clear plastic casings. On the mounting bar there is a green ground screw and I have a bare copper wire in the ceiling box. Shall I connect the bare ground wire to the bare copper wire in the box or to the green screw on the mounting bar?
It shouldn't matter which wire I connect of the clear fixture to the black or white in the junction box, should it?
Help!
IK | |
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Oct 3, 2006, 02:52 AM
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#5
| | | Senior Electrical & Lighting Expert
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,723
| Connect any green, bare wires to the green screws and the bar, in any order you can. These are all grounds and everything needs to be grounded.
The two wires from the fixture does matter which is which. One of these wires is "identified". It usually is ribbed on one side, small ridges of plastic, or it can have white tics or marks of some sort along the length of the wire.
This "identified" wire should be the one that connects to each screw shell of the lamp sockets, and should connect to the white neutral in the junction box.
The other wire should be the hot to each of the eyelet contact at the bottom of each lamp socket.
Hope this helps. | |
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Oct 3, 2006, 09:50 AM
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#6
| | New Member
Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: California
Posts: 7
| TK.....the chandelier works now. I want to install the dimmer switch to one of the threeway toggle light switches....the new dimmer switch has (4 wires),2 reds, 1 green(ground) and 1 black. My threeway toggle switches have(4 wires), 2 blacks, 1 red and a bare copper(ground). How do I connect the dimmer?
On my dimmer the the top 2 wires are (green-on the left and red on the right) the bottom 2 wires are (black-on the left and red on the right)
My threeway toggle switches are (copper-on top left and red in slot on top left) on the right side are (2 black wires)
Any help would be appreciated!
IK | |
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Oct 3, 2006, 03:34 PM
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#7
| | | Senior Electrical & Lighting Expert
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,723
| As I stated before: Quote: |
Originally Posted by tkrussell The black, white, & ground at the light simply connects to the new light fixture.
Replacing one of the toggle 3 way switches with a dimmer is simple, as long as you note which one of the three wires is the common. This wire will be connected to a black or dark screw terminal on the 3 way switch.
This wire connects to the black on the dimmer, which should be the common on the dimmer. The two remaining reds from the dimmer connect to the two remaining wires in the switch box, does not matter which to which. | The bare connects to green, and vice versa.
If you lose track which the common is, you create a difficult mess to get out of, especially if you don't know how to use a tester to troubleshoot the wiring. | |
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Oct 3, 2006, 03:47 PM
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#8
| | New Member
Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: California
Posts: 7
| TK, thanks everything is working now. A bit of advice to the other "rookies"...look very carefully at the wires and the switches! The wires attached to the fixture looks the same, but, on the white, it does have a ridge, and the other one is smooth and round, even though they are on the same feed.
I also, found that on my switches, all of them, have a dark color screw, that shows they are the common.
I really appreciate what you have shown me and from now on, I will sturdy each piece carefully and use common sense and logic.
Again, I thank you!
God bless,
IK | |
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