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    molly45's Avatar
    molly45 Posts: 6, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Jul 15, 2012, 11:06 AM
    How do I install a ceiling light when the outlet box has white, black, copper and red
    I am trying to instal a semi-flush ceiling light and the wires that are coming out of the ceiling wiring box are black, white, copper, and a red. All instuctions say white to white, black to black and green to the copper house wire. How to I wire this ceiling light? I also have a double switch.
    Thank you
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
    Home Improvement & Construction Expert
     
    #2

    Jul 15, 2012, 11:16 AM
    the ceiling wiring box are black, white, copper, and a red
    .
    If that is all the wires in the ceiling box and you have two switches and this is a light only;

    White to white, black to black, green to copper and cap the red with a wire nut.
    molly45's Avatar
    molly45 Posts: 6, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Jul 15, 2012, 12:19 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by hkstroud View Post
    .
    If that is all the wires in the ceiling box and you have two switches and this is a light only;

    White to white, black to black, green to copper and cap the red with a wire nut.
    There is no green wire. Just Black, White, Red and Copper. Yes I have a double toggle light switch.
    molly45's Avatar
    molly45 Posts: 6, Reputation: 1
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    #4

    Jul 15, 2012, 12:55 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by molly45 View Post
    There is no green wire. Just Black, White, Red and Copper. Yes I have a double toggle light switch.
    The red wire is connected to the light switch.
    I have have all the wires connected but the light will not turn off. The directions to light are as follows:
    White to white
    Black to black
    Bare or green (from grounded wire from supplier) to bare copper wire (from fixture grounded wire)
    I connected the white to the white, black to the black, and the red to the copper wire from the grounded fixture wire.
    Should I have connected the copper wire from the ceiling to the copper wire from the fixture?
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
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    #5

    Jul 15, 2012, 03:32 PM
    Do not connect the red to any thing.

    You have two switches. The power goes to both switches. From one switch the black takes power to the ceiling. From the other switch the red wire takes power to the ceiling.
    That is so you can have one switch for a fan and the other for a light.

    You said you have a green from the light and a bare from the house. Connect those together. If you have a bare wire from the light, connect that to the bare wire from the house. Do not connect anything other than bare or green wires to the bare wire from the house.

    Cap the red wire with a wire nut just in case some one turns the other switch on.
    molly45's Avatar
    molly45 Posts: 6, Reputation: 1
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    #6

    Jul 15, 2012, 04:18 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by hkstroud View Post
    Do not connect the red to any thing.

    You have two switches. The power goes to both switches. From one switch the black takes power to the ceiling. From the other switch the red wire takes power to the ceiling.
    That is so you can have one switch for a fan and the other for a light.

    You said you have a green from the light and a bare from the house. Connect those together. If you have a bare wire from the light, connect that to the bare wire from the house. Do not connect anything other than bare or green wires to the bare wire from the house.

    Cap the red wire with a wire nut just in case some one turns the other switch on.
    Thank you but, I DO NOT have a green wire, I only have a white, black, red, and a bare hard copper colored wire.
    molly45's Avatar
    molly45 Posts: 6, Reputation: 1
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    #7

    Jul 15, 2012, 04:20 PM
    Thank you but, I DO NOT have a green wire, I only have a white, black, red, and a bare hard copper colored wire
    stanfortyman's Avatar
    stanfortyman Posts: 5,598, Reputation: 279
    Electrical & Lighting Expert
     
    #8

    Jul 15, 2012, 04:46 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by molly45 View Post
    Thank you but, I DO NOT have a green wire, I only have a white, black, red, and a bare hard copper colored wire
    You need to read what HK wrote!

    Quote Originally Posted by hkstroud View Post

    You said you have a green from the light and a bare from the house. Connect those together. If you have a bare wire from the light, connect that to the bare wire from the house. Do not connect anything other than bare or green wires to the bare wire from the house.

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