I tried to install a new light fixture. The old one was elementary - one black wire and one white. The new fixture has two bulbs, so has two black and to white wires. From the ceiling box there are two white wires entwined and two black. I connected all the black wires together and all the white wires together (making for of each). The new fixture did not work. In frustration I reconnected the old fixture, white seemed to be a simple task - but the fixture will not turn off. This is driving me nuts - any ideas out there?

You didn't say if the black were intertwined. If not, you may have a switch loop and 1 hot loop is bypassing the switch. 1 of the whites may be carrying power to the switch but is unmarked. Find out if there is 120V between 1 white and 1 black but not between the others. If so, connect the white from the power in to the light white, the hot black to the other white and then loose black to light black. See if the switch works now. If it all works, put some black markings on the hot white so the next person will know.

Thank you.Both the Black & White were intertwined. Does that affect your advice?

There is two ways of wiring a switch and light.

One way is to run the power to the light and then run a switch loop to the switch. This way means you have at least two or more cables in the light ceiling box.

The other way is to run the power to the switch and from there to the light. This way you would have only one cable in the ceiling box or if you have more than two cables, one of the cables would have more than two wires (black, white and red)

With two cables, each with a black and a white wire in the light fixture box, it sounds like you have a switch loop.

It is possible that you have power run to the switch and then to the light, with the second cable going to something else such as an outlet. But that would mean that the outlet is switched on and off at the same time as the light. That would be unusual.

Remove the switch and tell us what wires you have there and how they are connected and we can tell you how to wire the light.

I have photos - I am trying to figure out how to attach them for you - is this possible?

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Originally Posted by Menhuin

I tried to install a new light fixture. The old one was elementary - one black wire and one white. The new fixture has two bulbs, so has two black and to white wires. From the ceiling box there are two white wires entwined and two black. I connected all the black wires together and all the white wires together (making for of each). The new fixture did not work. In frustration I reconnected the old fixture, white seemed to be a simple task - but the fixture will not turn off. This is driving me nuts - any ideas out there?

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Double switch - (A) is for outside light (B) is for the light in question. B) has Red to top screw and a black "looped" wire to bottom. A) has Red at top, Looped Blackbelow then black. Ceiling has ground, two black and two white.

Double switch - (A) is for outside light (B) is for the light in question. B) has Red to top screw and a black "looped" wire to bottom. A) has Red at top, Looped Blackbelow then black. Ceiling has ground, two black and two white.

How do I add pictures and other file types to my post?

A. "Attach" files (including pictures) from your computer. This method puts the attached file below the text of the post.

1. Click on an Ask or Answer button to ask or answer a question
2. Compose your question or answer in the window.
3. Under the window where you composed your question or answer is a section called Additional Options.
4. Click on the Manage Attachments button: a pop-up dialog will open. NOTE: The Manage Attachments dialog lists the maximum sizes of the various types of files that may be attached.
5. Click the Browse button to navigate to the image on your computer and double click the file on your computer: this will return you to the dialog window.
6. Click the Upload button.
7. Click the link to close the dialog window OR repeat numbers 5 & 6 to attach another image.


There are two formats used by this site. If you do not see the Additional Options you should see a Go Advanced button. Click on that, scroll down and click on the Manage Attachment button. Browse to find picture, click Open then click on Upload.

Best to have pictures in JPG format.

What you describe does not sound like a switch loop. Are there white wires in switch box.

I tried to install a new light fixture. The old one was elementary - one black wire and one white. The new fixture has two bulbs, so has two black and to white wires. From the ceiling box there are two white wires entwined and two black. I connected all the black wires together and all the white wires together (making for of each). The new fixture did not work. In frustration I reconnected the old fixture, white seemed to be a simple task - but the fixture will not turn off. This is driving me nuts - any ideas out there.

You asked: are there any white wires in switch? There are white wires, see picrure, but they are not connected.

Which switch is for the light?

Assuming the one on the right. Connect the whites of the light to the whites of the ceiling box. Connect the blacks of the light to the red from the ceiling box.