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-   -   Wiring a light fixture (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=722414)

  • Dec 13, 2012, 08:54 AM
    kdearman
    Wiring a light fixture
    Wiring a light fixture
  • Dec 13, 2012, 08:58 AM
    kdearman
    Light had two house wires involved, both had one white, one black. No ground wire. The two black wires were wired together, the two white went on both wires from the light. Took out light(temporarily) wired the whites together, left black together, breaker blows when the old switch is flipped.
  • Dec 13, 2012, 09:55 AM
    hfcarson
    Try separating the two white wires (insulate them separately) and test it again...
    Please let us know what happens.
    (As always, please be careful)
  • Dec 13, 2012, 10:02 AM
    donf
    Sounds like you wired the white (switch loop) to the Neutral.

    I need you to back up and start again.

    Disconnect all of the wires. Next determine which cable is the supply wire from the panelboard and which cable is goes to the switch.

    Once you isolate the two cables, connect the black wire from the supply cable to the white wire in the cable to the switch. I also want you to mark this white wire with a piece of black tape or use a sharpie.

    Next, take the black wire from the switch and connect it to the black wire on the light. Now connect the white wire from the supply cable to the white wire on the light.

    Finally, connect all of the bare ground wires together.
  • Dec 13, 2012, 10:08 AM
    hkstroud
    You have two CABLES coming into the ceiling box. Each cable has a black and a white WIRE. One cable brings a hot and a neutral to the ceiling box. The other cable takes power to the switch one one wire. Power is returned to the fixture on the other wire in the cable to the switch. The white wire of the cable to the switch should be used to take power to the switch. It should also be re-designated as a hot conductor by putting a piece of black electricians tape on the end of it.
    You task is to determine which cable brings power to the ceiling box and which cable goes to the switch.
    Do that by turning off the breaker. Disconnect all wires in the ceiling box. Put wire nuts on the black and white wires of one cable. Connect black and white wires of light fixture to black and white wires of the other cable. Turn breaker on. If light burns you have connected to the power cable. If light does not burn you have connected to the switch cable.

    Turn breaker off. Put a piece of black tape on the white wire of the cable going to the switch. Connect that white wire (with black tape) to the black of the power cable. Connect the white of the power cable to the white of the light fixture. Connect the black of the switch cable to the black of the light fixture.
  • Dec 13, 2012, 12:15 PM
    stanfortyman
    Wire it back exactly the way it was before.

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