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    foxad's Avatar
    foxad Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    Jul 17, 2009, 04:59 PM
    Replacing a ceiling fan with a light fixture?
    I'm replacing my ceiling fan with a light fixture. The ceiling fan was operated by 2 wall switches in the same wall box. One switch controlled the fan and the other switch controlled the lights. The pull chains were not used. In the ceiling box, there's one black wire, one white wire and one red wire. The red wire was connected to the blue wire from the ceiling fan I removed. So, I connected black to black, white to white and capped off the red and the new light did not work? I tried black (from light) to red and white to white and the light still did not work. Power was turned on, both switches were flipped up and down in both of my connection options, but nothing. Should I try connecting the black and red wire together from the ceiling box with the black wire from the light, keeping white to white? Any thought?
    jerro's Avatar
    jerro Posts: 172, Reputation: 5
    Junior Member
     
    #2

    Jul 17, 2009, 08:28 PM

    No, your first connections should have made the light come on. Your light fixture or bulbs sounds like the problem
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
    Home Improvement & Construction Expert
     
    #3

    Jul 17, 2009, 08:36 PM

    Why did you cap the red wire. The black wire brings power from one switch. The red wire brings power from the other switch. The black of the fan/light is for the fan. The blue wire of the fan/light is for the light. Connect white to white, black to black and red to blue.
    creahands's Avatar
    creahands Posts: 2,854, Reputation: 195
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    #4

    Jul 17, 2009, 10:19 PM

    Jerro is right.

    Black to black, white to white.

    With switch in on position, check to see if u have power at light box. Use a test light or volt meter.

    If no power open switch box and check wires in box to make sure u have power there.

    Let us know how u make out. If still problem will go from there.

    Chuck
    donf's Avatar
    donf Posts: 5,679, Reputation: 582
    Printers & Electronics Expert
     
    #5

    Jul 18, 2009, 04:29 AM
    STOP! You need to back up and start over. Make sure your connections are correct.

    First, you need to find the source of power to the device. You have to know whether the power is "Sourced" from the switches and then to the device. Or from a source in the ceiling then looped through the switches back to the fan.

    You will need to get a Multi meter if we can't solve the problem as described below.

    This is what you are looking for:

    If the power is being sourced via the switches, you will most likely find only one three wire cable in the device fixture. The wires will probably be Black, White and Red. Because your fan used both a light pack and a fan I would expect to find Black to the fan black, white to the fan white and red to the light's blue.

    If the power is sourced by a ceiling cable, I would expect you to find at least 2 cables. One being a Black/White pair and one containing Black, White and Red.

    This configuration is a little more tricky because the White from the three wire cable will be re designated to carry power. It should also have a black band around it to designate that wire as being a live wire. (NOTE: White or Gray can never be used to return power to a device through a switch. White can only be used to carry power away from the source to the switch)

    This configuration is configured as follows"

    Black from source to White (with black band) to the switches (Switches do not use Neutral (White) they carry power only,) The returning black connects to the black from the fan. The returning Red connects to the Blue for the light package.

    At the switch, you should find the one White, with a black band, pigtailed to two additional short black wires that feed both switches. Red will be the return for the Blue fan, Black will be the return for the fan.

    To install the light and disable the second switch, I would use the black return to feed the new light device. I would cap off the Red in the ceiling.

    To finish off the project I would remove the Red switch from the wall and cap off the Red wire. I would also replace the face plate on the switch box with a double gang face-pale that is blank on one side and has a switch handle opening on the other.

    Be careful/smart and open the breaker or unscrew the fuse for this circuit while you are handling the wires.
    foxad's Avatar
    foxad Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #6

    Jul 18, 2009, 05:47 AM
    Thanks Donf!
    I'm headed over today to work on the light again. It's in one of the apartments we own. I'll stop by Lowe's on the way and get the double wall plate with one switch hole and look at that wiring. Just so you know I play it safe, my wife turns the breaker off while I'm doing this. I'll let you know how I make out.
    Foxad
    donf's Avatar
    donf Posts: 5,679, Reputation: 582
    Printers & Electronics Expert
     
    #7

    Jul 18, 2009, 06:01 AM
    I've been married now going on 45 years and I trust my wife beyond mere words. That said, if I want to make absolutely sure that the correct breaker is off, I open the breaker myself, take a voltage test at the device and if it is off, I then tape over the breaker to make sure no unknown helper comes along and flicks it closed again. :D
    foxad's Avatar
    foxad Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #8

    Jul 18, 2009, 06:03 AM
    Creahands/Jerro/Hkstroud-
    Donf gave me some info to try dealing with the double wall switch, but wanted to answer you back.
    I'm installing a titty light, sorry, but that's what everyone around here calls them and, well maybe they should've altered the design before manufacturing them... soooo, when I disconnect the light from the black and white wires, flip the switch on, I show power to my light tester gaget, so I thought maybe the light fixture was bad. It was a 2 pack, so I tried the second light fixture and still nothing. I even bought new light bulbs, tried 2 of them each time, nothing.
    I'll remove the one light switch, figure out the correct black and white wires going to the ceiling box and let you know how I make out.
    Thanks again for the feedback. This should've been a simple job.

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