We are trying to replace a ceiling fan with an overhead light. We took down the fan and now have 3 white wires and 3 black wires in the ceiling and are not sure how to wire the light which has 3 white wires and 3 black wires. We tried to connect all whites together and all blacks together. The switch was backwards and we blew a fuse when we tried to turn it off. No red or blue or striped wires (as we have seen described on the web) Greatly appreciate any help.

One cable (one pair of black and white wires) brings power to the ceiling box. Another cables take power to another location, such as another light or an outlet. The third cable takes power to the switch and brings it back.

Remove the light fixture. Separate all the wires. You will see that you have 3 cables, each with a black and white wire. Connect the all the black wires from the light to the black wire of one cable. Connect all of the white wires from the light to the white wire of that same cable. Put a wire nut on all other wires. Turn power on. If the light burns you have found the cable bringing power to the ceiling box. If the light does not burn move to another cable and do the same thing. If the light still does not burn move to the third cable.

After you have found the cable bring power to the ceiling box, remove the black wires from the light. Connect the black wire of one off the other cables to the black wire of the power cable. Connect the black wires from the light to the white wire of that cable. Turn the power on. If the switch makes the light go on and off you have found the cable going to the switch. If the switch does not make the light go on and off, then the other cable is the cable going to the switch.

Disconnect everything. Wrap a piece of black tape around the white wire that goes to the switch.

Connect all the black wires from the light to the black wire going to the switch. Connect the white wire going to the switch (with the black tape) to the other two black wires. Connect the two remaining white wires and all of the white wires from the light together.

Harold, it worked! Thank you!

Hi,
Sorry, I'm doing the same thing but I don't really get it. Could you explain further? Maybe a diagram?

How many cables in ceiling box?

Hi,

It's 3 black wires and 3 white wires. I've identified the switch cable and the power cable but I'm not sure how to connect them for the end. I'm having trouble with the last paragraph.
Thank you for your help and time.

Connect the black of the power coming in cable to the black of the power going out cable and to the white of the switch cable.
Connect the white of the power in cable to the white of the power going out cable and to the white of the light fixture.
Connect the black of the switch cable to the black of the light fixture.

Thank you so much for the diagram and the explanation. My light works now! You are a genious.

What if I just wire all three black and all three white together?

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what if I just wire all three black and all three white together?

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If your wiring is as described in the previous post, as soon as you turn the switch on the breaker will trip.

I followed these instructions to install a ceiling fan. I could only test the fan motor and everything seemed to work correctly. I completed the installation. When I used the switch the fan worked but no light. When I pulled the cord for the light I got sparks & smoke. Disassembled and my 2 white wires from cables & 1 white wire from light were burned. I had a hard time with this connection. Would a loose connection cause this or something else?

Something else, like incorrect wiring to switch. Describe house wiring.

Same situation replacing light with ceiling fan. Following above instructions, I've identified power-in cable, and I think I could continue with the rest of the instructions... but what about a ground wire? Nothing green or bare coming from ceiling box. Just 3 pairs of black/white. Fan installation instructions want green on green. Do I just attach green from fan support to a metal screw? Hesitant to continue.

Changing light to fan/light. Similar situation with 6 wires. Using above info I've IDd which cable brings power to box, but not which cable runs to/from switch. What was I supposed to do with white wire from light in this process (nothing specifically listed, so I capped it). Not sure what else I could have missed.
Also concerned that there is no ground wire from box. Do I just wrap green from fan around screw?

If you have an extra white, something is not properly connected. If it is the house neutral wire, it needs to be connected to the white of the fan or it will never work. In order to get a switch operated system, you will need to use a continuity tester to find the wire pair from the switch. After you find them, connect the switch white to the ceiling hot black and then the switch black to the fan black and blue. Put black tape or a black magic marker to make the white wires black. You are over emoting on the green, it serves no operational function. If you have no house ground, just screw it to the box.

Following hkstroud's suggestion: "

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After you have found the cable bring power to the ceiling box, remove the black wires from the light. Connect the black wire of one off the other cables to the black wire of the power cable. Connect the black wires from the light to the white wire of that cable. Turn the power on. If the switch makes the light go on and off you have found the cable going to the switch. If the switch does not make the light go on and off, then the other cable is the cable going to the switch."

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So, if my black fan wires are connected to white house, and my black house is connected to power-in black house, where does my white fan wire go? I'm not actually trying to connect the fan yet, just establish switch wires first. I found Power-in wires without a continuity tester. Trying to do same with switch wires.

Update: White wire was still to be attached to white power in in ceiling. Now I've ID'd all 3 cables (power in, power to next, power to/from switch. Now I am trying to reconcile hkstroud's:

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Connect the black of the power coming in cable to the black of the power going out cable and to the white of the switch cable.
Connect the white of the power in cable to the white of the power going out cable and to the white of the light fixture.
Connect the black of the switch cable to the black of the light fixture.

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with fan (with remote control) instructions:
REceiver to outlet:

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Connect black (hot) from ceiling to black marked "AC in L" from receiver. Connect the white (neutral) from ceiling to white marked "AC in N" from receiver.

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1st says to connect black hot from ceiling to power out and white switch. 2nd says blk hot from ceiling to black from fan. Tried to do 1st, didn't work. Tried to do 2nd, but then I don't know what do to with switch and power out cables.

Now I am totally confused. After we tell you how to wire with a switch, you mention a remote. WHAT DO YOU HAVE PLEASE? With a wall switch only, white house feed is ONLY connected to the white on the fan. Black house feed is connected to wall switch white and wall switch black is connected to fan black and also blue. If you use a remote, you need to follow the manufacturers notes. Typically, the hot black from the wall switch goes to the receiver and the black from the receiver goes to the fan black and blue. The house white goes to the receiver white and the receiver white goes to the fan white.

Update: Light and fan work, and I've installed a second one, also working. I do have a remote, and a wall switch that needs to be on for the remote to work. I've retraced my steps and found that everything I had done in my #1 scenario was correct, but a connection had come loose when pushing wires into box. Redid it and all is well x2. Thanks for your time ma0641 and thanks hkstroud for posting a helpful way to identify cables.

1. Wrap the end of the white wire to the wall switch with some black electrician's tape.
2. Put a wire nut on the green wire(s) from the fan
3. Connect the white of the power in cable to the white of the power out cable and to the white of the receiver, (A/C in N).

If you want the switch to be operational:
4a. Connect the black of the power in cable to the black of the power out cable and to white (with the black tape) of the wall switch .
4b. Connect the black from the wall switch to the black to the receiver (A/C in L).

The wall switch will have to be in the "ON" position for anything to work. When in the off position the fan and light will turn off. So will the remote receiver.

If you don't want the wall to be operational:
5a. Connect the black of the power in cable to the black of the power out cable and to the black of the receiver (A/C in L).
5b. Put a wire nut on the black to the switch.
5c. Put a wire nut on the white (with the black tape) to the wall switch .

The wall switch will not be functional. All control will be with the remote.

Thanks hkstroud. I have done what you described to have switch operational. Other rooms in my house work with this arrangement. Seemed odd when we moved in, but we're all used to it now, so I've done the same. I will keep the second set of instructions on file, though, in case we ever decide that it would be easier to just use remote without worrying about switch.