View Full Version : 3 wire lighting
LOFAT36
Mar 2, 2013, 07:03 PM
I have just removed a ceiling light/fan in the dining room (no dimmer switch) to replace with a Pendant light. The box wires are black 2, white 2 & one red and ground, as it's in conjunction with other lights. The new light has black, white & ground. When I hook up the 3 blacks with the Red & 3 whites together and flip the breaker (grounded of course) the light comes on but will not shut off with the wall switch. The switch has the Red wire on top & Black wire at the bottom. What could be the problem ? Thanks, Marty
ma0641
Mar 2, 2013, 07:10 PM
How was the old light wired? Are there 2 switches or 1? Leave the blacks alone and connect the red to the light black, white to white. Now what happens?
LOFAT36
Mar 2, 2013, 07:51 PM
Only one switch controlled the fan light although it`s in a 3 switch box. Wires from the junction box in the ceiling are 2 black, 2 white & 1 red & ground. The new fixture has 1 black , 1 white & ground. The switch has red wired to the top & black wired to the bottom. I`ve tried swapping blacks & red and capping each one off. Sometimes I have power sometimes not. But when I get power the switch won`t turn off the light.
LOFAT36
Mar 2, 2013, 07:53 PM
[QUOTE=LOFAT36;3409667]Only one switch controlled the fan light although it`s in a 3 switch box. Wires from the junction box in the ceiling are 2 black, 2 white & 1 red & ground. The new fixture has 1 black , 1 white & ground. The switch has red wired to the top & black wired to the bottom. I`ve tried swapping blacks & red and capping each one off. Sometimes I have power sometimes not. But when I get power the switch won`t turn off the light. The blacks are the same colour not lighter or darker.
hkstroud
Mar 3, 2013, 08:28 AM
The switch has red wired to the top & black wired to the bottom.
Are those wires in the same cable? If those wires are in the same cable, what is the white wire in that cable connected to?
LOFAT36
Mar 3, 2013, 08:59 AM
Thanks for your reply. Are you talking about the wires on the switch itself ? Thanks, Marty
LOFAT36
Mar 3, 2013, 09:20 AM
Thanks for your reply. Are you talking about the wires on the switch itself ?Currently at the fixture I have 1 black capped and the other black attached to the red. With the power on now if I turn the switch to off it puts out the power on my entry light & porch light. Thanks, Marty
LOFAT36
Mar 3, 2013, 02:50 PM
Okay my problem has been solved thanks to a neighbour. Suffice to say one of the white wires was hot ? Anyway I may be back when I go to install the light/fan in the spare bedroom. Thanks, Marty
ma0641
Mar 3, 2013, 03:40 PM
Okay my problem has been solved thanks to a neighbour. Suffice to say one of the white wires was hot ? Anyway I may be back when I go to install the light/fan in the spare bedroom. Thanks, Marty
Hot on a white is acceptable IF it is marked with black tape or a marker. Normally it is used in a switch loop and white is the hot to the switch.
LOFAT36
Mar 3, 2013, 06:27 PM
Hot on a white is acceptable IF it is marked with black tape or a marker. Normally it is used in a switch loop and white is the hot to the switch.
Thank you, Marty