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bdemond
Jul 29, 2009, 07:34 PM
I have wired a switch at the end of a circuit with three lights . One light turns on and off with the switch , the other two remain on all the time. How can I make all the lights turn on and off with the switch. I have already enclosed 14-2 wire in the ceiling between the lights. Is there any way to make the lights work properly without tearing out the ceiling and installing 14-3 wire between the lights.

ballengerb1
Jul 29, 2009, 09:04 PM
At the and of the circuit?/ The switch should be before the lights in the circuit. The switch interrupts the black hot, so tell us what you connected to what? Normally the black goes to the switch and then from the switch to a light, use pigtails to the light and the black continues on to the next light, by pigtail and so on. The white runs to each light and is also pigtailed to the light fixture. Your other two light have their own black from somewhere that is not running from the black on the fixture you can control

hkstroud
Jul 29, 2009, 09:14 PM
Tell us what you did as far a wiring and connections.

massplumber2008
Jul 30, 2009, 05:30 AM
Hi everyone...

First, bdemond.. answer the above questions from these guys... O.K.?

Then, I am no expert electrically for sure... heck, I'm not really even a plumbing expert, but I wanted to take a shot at answering this question based on my limited knowledge of electrical.

Please let me know if this would work for bdemond... OK? Bdemond, until an electrical expert reviews and approves or disapproves please do not attempt this work...O.K.??



DIAGRAM REMOVED...THANKS GUYS!!

tkrussell
Jul 30, 2009, 05:52 AM
Mass, pull that diagram, it is so wrong, you have the lights in series.

hkstroud
Jul 30, 2009, 06:01 AM
Yes, you will have water leaking every where.

massplumber2008
Jul 30, 2009, 06:07 AM
I will review my work and discuss with you guys a little later! Thanks for watchin' my back!

tkrussell
Jul 30, 2009, 06:08 AM
Yes,


Yes, you will have water leaking every where.

Water leaking from my eyes, from crying so hard from laughing.

Sorry Mass, having fun at your expense.

tkrussell
Jul 30, 2009, 06:09 AM
Yes,


I will review my work and discuss with you guys a little later!! Thanks for watchin' my back!

Back to the drawing board for you.

bdemond
Jul 30, 2009, 07:10 AM
The wiring is as follows:
Power>light3>light2>light1>switch.
All wire is 14-2/G. In light 3 black of power is hooked to black of light and black wire leading to light 2. In light 2 black from light 3 is hooked to light and black leading to light 1. In light 3 white from power is hooked to light and white leading to light 2. In light 2 white wire from light 3 is hooked to light 2 white wire and white wire leading to leading light 1. In light 1 white from light 2 is hooked light 1. Black from light 1 is hooked to brass post on the switch. Black from light 2 is hooked to white marked black from switch that is on the silver post.

hkstroud
Jul 30, 2009, 07:20 AM
If I am following your description correctly, power is coming to the light furtherest from the switch. In that situation you must use 3 wire cable between the lights. One wire to take the uninterrupted power through the boxes to the switch, one to bring the switched power back to the lights. One wire (white) for the neutral. Only other way is to bring the power to the switch or to the light closest to the switch. That's electrically closest. Can you change the switch loop to what is now the third light?

tkrussell
Jul 30, 2009, 07:29 AM
With wiring this way, as you state:

power>light3>light2>light1>switch

You need 3 wire cable, per my diagram.

ballengerb1
Jul 30, 2009, 08:10 AM
TBde, your description is very wrong if you have actually described what you have. With this set up there is a live hot at each light waiting to make a circuit when the switch is thrown. Maybe Harold or TK can post a better diagram. I stink with pics and diagrams. Wiring a Basic Light Switch Diagram (http://www.electrical-online.com/basiclightswitchwiring1.htm)

bdemond
Jul 30, 2009, 07:45 PM
I have the option of bringing the power to the switch . If I did this how would I wire the lights.I really appreciate the help I have received in trying to solve my problem. Thanks

hkstroud
Jul 30, 2009, 08:28 PM
If you can get power to the switch your wire would be this.

KISS
Jul 30, 2009, 09:16 PM
Hijack: HK need a nice pic over here: https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/electrical-lighting/multi-speed-motor-switch-381692.html

Can you do it?

electrecistarau
Nov 15, 2012, 01:54 AM
Can you email me a diagram of conecting multiple lights to one On-Off switc.
Please

electrecistarau
Nov 15, 2012, 01:56 AM
I need to connect 5 lights to the ceiling with one On-Off switch

donf
Nov 15, 2012, 03:14 PM
Please skroll upwards within this article. There are several circuits drawn out.

handymn
Mar 19, 2013, 09:54 AM
I am following the diagram posted on July 30, 2009, and have 2 of my 6 lights wired. The first light goes on without an issue, but the second does not come on when the switch is turned on. Is there something I am missing?

hkstroud
Mar 19, 2013, 10:31 AM
..

handymn
Mar 19, 2013, 11:11 AM
This is a remodel project where I am extending from the middle light to 6 additional recessed lights. I have the first recessed light in place and when I flip the switch, both it and the first recessed light turns on. The second recessed light does not come on. I have them all connected as you pictured above except I also have the ground connected at each light.

hkstroud
Mar 19, 2013, 12:53 PM
Is the power being fed to the switch or to the center fixture?

handymn
Mar 19, 2013, 01:25 PM
Is the power being fed to the switch or to the center fixture? To the switch and then to the first fixture

hkstroud
Mar 19, 2013, 01:29 PM
Then the connections at all fixtures should be all blacks together and all whites together. Grounds are not part of the circuitry.

Check you connections.

handymn
Mar 19, 2013, 01:48 PM
Then the connections at all fixtures should be all blacks together and all whites together. Grounds are not part of the circuitry.

Check you connections.
I have incoming black/black for light/outgoing black together for each light and the same with the whites. I will ensure all connections are tight (using push in connectors) and disconnect the grounds from the ongoing circuit and see if I can get that second light to come on!

hkstroud
Mar 19, 2013, 02:12 PM
using push in connectors

What are those? Describe please.
Better yet show a picture of wiring in fixture.

handymn
Mar 19, 2013, 02:24 PM
What are those? Describe please.
Better yet show a picture of wiring in fixture.

Here is the second recessed light fixture...

hkstroud
Mar 19, 2013, 02:35 PM
Never use those connectors.
If I understand correctly what you are doing and this is the second fixture where you are tying in the additional fixtures there should be 3 cables coming in to the fixture. There should be 3 black wires in that connector.

Move wires around and show another picture of wires and cables. You are a little too close.

handymn
Mar 19, 2013, 02:43 PM
Never use those connectors.
If I understand correctly what you are doing and this is the second fixture where you are tying in the additional fixtures there should be 3 cables coming in to the fixture. There should be 3 black wires in that connector.

Move wires around and show another picture of wires and cables. You are a little too close.

Maybe this is better? There are 3 black and 3 white in each connector. Oncoming from the previous light, one coming from this light and on outgoing to the next light.

hkstroud
Mar 19, 2013, 04:40 PM
OK where is your connection to the fixture. You have a cable for power and neutral in, you have a cable out to the original 3rd fixture and a cable out to the new fixtures. Where is the fixture wires at this (the second) location tied in.

handymn
Mar 19, 2013, 05:25 PM
The cables coming out the bottom (one black and one white) are coming out and are going towards the bottom of the photo. These are tied directly into the fixture (housing) that I bought.

hkstroud
Mar 19, 2013, 05:37 PM
Are these the fixture wires

Show me a wider view.

handymn
Mar 19, 2013, 05:45 PM
Are these the fixture wires

Show me a wider view.

Yes, these are the fixture wires. The next light looks the same. 3 white wires tied together and 3 black wirres tied together.

hkstroud
Mar 19, 2013, 06:10 PM
Show me how they are tied in.

Be back in about 30 min.

handymn
Mar 19, 2013, 07:29 PM
I took the push in connectors out (they came with the fixtures I bought) and put wire nuts on all connections and made sure they were solid. When I flipped the switch, all 3 lights came on. It is connected properly, I just trusted the connectors that came with the fixtures. Your first instinct was right... get rid of those connectors. I appreciate your help with this. I have 4 lights to go so I may be back!

hkstroud
Mar 19, 2013, 07:32 PM
Congrats