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mjb11
Jan 31, 2011, 07:08 PM
I did not do the disconnection and am totally confused. I have two wires. One black and white is coming from a light. The white is hot and when connected to a switch or together the light works. The problem comes in because my other wire somehow controls the kitchen light, bathroom light, bed room ceiling fan. Not directly, indirectly. If I connect power to either the white or the black the power carries all the way around like it is completing a circuit. I don't understand how I need to connect the wires to make this work. It was on a single switch and I just need to connect them back. Please help!

hkstroud
Jan 31, 2011, 07:27 PM
Assuming you made no changes to anything else, tell us how many wires and what color are in the switch box. Or post a picture.

mjb11
Jan 31, 2011, 08:15 PM
There are two white and two black. The white coming from the hall light has power on it. When connected to the switch or directly to the black wire (same wire) the light comes on and works good. The other white and black wire go to a light in the kitchen. It was not a switch for the light, but after checking it out it does go to the light. As I stated earlier, if you connect either side of it it will make a complete circuit and send power down the other side. I don't understand why it is even in this switch when it has nothing to do with it.

donf
Jan 31, 2011, 08:33 PM
Let's start with a definition so I can better understand you, please.

A cable is defined as containing one or more conductors.

When you say you have wires, do you actually mean that you have two cables, each containing a Black/White pair along with a bare copper wire?
Next, "White" is the Neutral conductor, it provides the return path for the electrical circuit. It is not a "Hot" conductor, ever!

What I suspect you have is a main feed or supply cable in the ceiling. I also suspect that you have a switch loop.

If you remove everything from the ceiling (meaning the light fixture) you should be left with at least two cables, is that what you have?

If yes, one cable will be the supply cable and if you have a multimeter and put the black probe on the white conductor and the red probe on the Black conductor you should see 120 VAC +/-.

Find that supply wire.

Once you have the cable isolated, then turn off the breaker for that circuit and do the following.

The White conductor from the second cable (switch) is connected to the Black conductor. The white conductor must now be re identified to show that it is being used as an ungrounded (Hot) conductor. You do that with either black electrician's tape or a black sharpie.

This re identified conductor will now carry the supply from the supply cable to the switch.

The Black conductor from the switch will connect to the Black conductor from the light fixture.

The White conductor from the light fixture will connect to the white conductor from the supply cable.

Turn on the breaker and let's see if it works.

Next step would be to send us some pictures.

mjb11
Jan 31, 2011, 08:53 PM
I do have 2 cables each containing black, white and ground.
First cable comes from a hall light. White wire is hot and when connected to same black wire light works.
Second cable goes to a kitchen light but does not work the light, by this switch. It is simpling feeding the light. It in turns effects the bathroom and bedroom lights. When the black or white wire has power put to it, the kitchen light and bed room lights come on but dim. I have to leave the other wire (according to weather I put power in the black or white bare (wire nutted) or it will cause the light bulbs to blow.

hkstroud
Jan 31, 2011, 09:29 PM
Are you saying that you have two cables and only two cables, each with a black and a white wire in the switch box?

Is this a single switch box or a two gang switch box?

Have you done any other electrical work?

Do you have a meter?

Can you post a picture?

mjb11
Feb 1, 2011, 04:27 AM
Yes to all questions. It is a single switch box. Only the wires going to the hall light is controlled by the switch. The other 2 wires is were I am having touble figuring out how they hook up.

hkstroud
Feb 1, 2011, 09:59 AM
Two cables in a switch box can only be one of two things.

It could be two switch loops controlling two fixtures. That would be totally illogical in a single switch box.

It therefore must be a switched light circuit, feeding the switch. Meaning that a power cable (black and white) is brought to the switch box. The black hot is interrupted by the switch and the white neutral simply reconnected with a wire nut. Every thing else beyond that point will be controlled by the switch.

Note that you said that you did not do the disconnection. To me that means someone else did some work to the light, did it incorrectly, couldn't figure out what was wrong and in the process remove the switch. They left you the mess to figure out.

You will have to remove the light fixture and tell us how many wires and what color are in the light fixture box.