We removed an old ceiling fan. In the ceiling box, we have 3 white wires and 3 black wires. The room has only one light switch, but in the hallway, there is a light switch that operates the hallway light. We have tried different combinations. But what happens most of the time is that the light comes on but won't switch off or the hallway light won't work. We have identified the power wire (black) in the ceiling.

Were all the wire hooked to the ceiling fan? Are they all stripped? Capped?

Please purchase a Volt/Ohm meter so we can isolate switch loops from feed conductors.

It sounds like the Breaker feed is coming into the ceiling box. You should find one set of Black and White conductors that is "Hot". With the red probe from the meter on the Black conductor and the Black probe on the White conductor, you should see approximately 123 VAC.

Once you find that pair, turn the power off at the breaker and isolate the cable or Black/White conductors. Now set the meter for Ohms 1K value.

Now for the switches. Separate the remaining two pairs. Set the meter to Ohms (1K). Place the red probe on the Black conductor. Place the black probe on the White conductor. Check the meter, do you see zero (0) ohms or an open circuit?

If you now go to a switch, and move the handle, does the meter change?

Do you remember which black and white wires you pulled off the fan? Were there several groupings of wires that you took apart?

You have 3 cables ( a cable is two or more wires in an outer covering) in the ceiling box, each with a black and white wire. One of these cables brings power to the box, another takes power to the hall light. The third goes to the switch.

With the bedroom switch in the off position, Connect the black you have identified as hot to one of the other black wires. Connect the white wires of those two cables together. See if the hall light works. If not, disconnect those cables and connect the black of the other cable to the black hot. Connect the whites of those two cables together. The light should work.

When you have hall light working, connect the white wire of the remaining cable to the two black wires you have connected together. Connect the white wire of the light fixture to the two white wires you have connected together. Connect the black wire of the light fixture to the black wire you have remaining.

If you are replacing with another fan, connect the fan white to the two white wires you have connected together. Connect fan black to the two black wires you have connected together. Connect the light black (or what ever color it is) to the remaining black.

I concur. How was the fan you removed connected?

I also concur.

Hold up.

I seem to remember, not to long ago, getting slammed by TK for advocating working on live circuits.

If we are to follow TK's mandate, then the switch isolation's need to be accomplished using a meter with the circuit breaker off.

We have identified the hot wires and the pair of wires that operate the individual light switches using a meter. Now, how do we wire it all back together?

Congratulations!

One more piece of information and we can tell you the wiring plan.

Remove the Faceplate off the hall switch. Using a flash light, do you see a black conductor connected to the screw posts on the bottom and another black conductor on the top screw post. There should also be a White conductor that does not connect to the switch. Both the Black conductor on the top and the white conductor should be going to the hall light fixture.

Is this correct?

The bedroom wallplate has a black wire and a white wire. We have attached the black wire to black conductor on bottom. The wire is attached to the top and the ground is connected to the correct terminal.

Connect the white wire of the switch cable, the black wires of the other two cables and the fan black wire togeather.

Connect the other two white wires and the white of the fan/light togeather

Connect the black of the switch cable to the light hot wire.

It's the hallway that I need a description of, please.

We have removed the faceplate in the bedroom. The white wire is attached to top terminal, black wire is attached to black bottom terminal. Ground wire is connnected.

The hallway face plate: white wire attached to top terminal, black wire attached to bottom black terminal. Ground wire connected.

Cara Mia,

Okay, what you are describing sounds like one power source (Black/White w bare ground) cable and two separate switch loops.

A switch loop is made by connecting the white conductor to the switch and connecting the other end to the Black supply conductor. Also, if it is not already done, either put a black band of tape around each white conducted about an inch from each end of the white conductor. Or mark the conductor with MBlack Magic Marker. This is to re-identify the white conductor as being hot.

Pigtail the two re-identified white conductors to the Black line supply in the ceiling.

Connect the Black conductor returning from the bedroom wall switch to the black wire on the light fixture. Connect the white wire on the fixture to the White conductor in the Power Supply cable.

For the time being, please cap off the black return from the Hall switch. It is possible that it is an unused conductor.

Normally, I bring the white conductor to the bottom of the switch (enter) and use a Black conductor to leave the switch.

What troubles me, at this point is the circuit to the Hall light. Supply will be coming from the switch to the light. I don't know where the hall light is getting it's Neutral return connection from.

Please before you make any of these connections, turn power off, make the connections and then power on the circuits.