I want to add another light to a ceiling mounted pull string switch light. The pull string switch light has two white leads to one side and a black lead on the other. How do I wire the two leads from my new light to activate when the string is pulled?

Disconnect the white wires and sert saide. Connect a new black to that now open screw and run this wire lead to the second light. Attach a white to the other side of the second light and run it back to the two old white wires, that should do it. Be sure to use good wire nuts on this final connection.

Disconnect the white wires and sert saide. connect a new black to that now open screw and run this wire lead to the second light. Attach a white to the other side of the second light and run it back to the two old white wires, that should do it. Be sure to use good wire nuts on this final connection.

That worked great for the second light, but now the original bulb doesn't light. Any ideas?

Switch the two bulbs and see if the problem follows the bulb or the socket

switch the two bulbs and see if the problem follows the bulb or the socket


Interesting... it followed the bulb. Now the new light doesn't work.

Interesting...it followed the bulb. Now the new light doesn't work.


Do you think the switch can't handle the wattage of both bulbs?

You have a burned out bulb, replace it and you should be good to go. If the switch could not handle the wattage, it can, it would heat up and likely short. It's the bulb.

John, thanks for the rating but what was the end solution?

I think the pull switch couldn't handle the voltage draw of two lights. I put in two 25 watt bulbs and they both lit, but dimly. When I put in one 40 watt bulb, it lit and the other one went dark. So I ended up wiring my new light into another switch box on the other side of the room (wall mounted switch verses pull cord) and both lights lite brightly and are controlled by one switch. It wasn't my original hope, but it ended up OK.
Thanks for your help.

John,

That is a better install anyway... Always better to have a switch on a wall than a pull switch. Safer too

Sounds like you had them wired in series there for a while.

You can't control more than one light from the pullchain of a porcelin fixture. Sorry.

Yea, I tried for awhile, before giving up and wiring it into a wall switch.