[tisha911]

I'm replacing an old light above my dinning room table. I know black goes to black and white goes to white. I'm not sure if I just cap the red wire or not. This light is on a dimmer. Please help!

[Washington1]

How many wires do you have in the light box? Please be specific.

[tisha911]

3 white,3 black and one red!

[Washington1]

Ok, how about the switch box?
Seeing that this is in the dinning room, I'm sure your ceiling light box is not serving any other loads (Fixtures). If this is correct, then your current wiring may have power at the light box. Have you checked to see if current is at the light box?

[tisha911]

That is correct there are no other loads on this switch. No I haven't checked to see if the current is at the light box. How would I do that?

[Washington1]

U need a pen tester (Current indicator), or meter. If you do not have these items, then let me know how many wires you have in your switch box?

[tisha911]

Actually I answered your first question wrong. In the light box there is a ground, 2 white, 2 black and a red. In the switch box there are 3 white, 3 black and a red.

[tisha911]

And no I don't have a pen tester.

[Washington1]

The best way to go about this is to find the power. You will need a Current indicator to do this. I believe your power is at the fixture box, but I could be wrong. Are you sure there is no other loads being served from your ceiling box?

Anyway, you should go buy you a tester from one of your box stores (Lowes etc.).
See attachment on what you are looking for. The attachment is just an example. The one I'm attaching will cost you around $12-$18, yet you can get a different manufactures brand for around $8.


See: Greenlee tick tracer in this link.
meters and testers for electricians and lighting directors

[tisha911]

Yes I'm sure there are no other loads being served from my ceiling box. Let's just say that the power was at the fixture box how would the wires connect in that case?

[Washington1]

I notice they have a santronics AC sensor as well on the link I posted. This is the same thing. Yet, that brand would have to be obtained from an electrical supply house. Yet, it around $20

[Washington1]

At the ceiling box:
-Power in=Black wire from 14-2 (Black/white) wire nuts to black wire from 14-3 (Blk/wht/red).
-All whites wire nutted together (This includes the light fixtures white conductor)
-Red wire-wire nutted to fixtures black wire
-Wire nut all bare copper wires together--bonding the fixtures bracket using one of the bare copper wires to wrap around the green screw supplied on the bracket

Note: Assuming the power is at the fixture. Yet, lets not go on assumptions, lets go out, and get us a current indicator... or

You could also use your light fixture to find power. Just wire nut the black conductor from the light fixture to the 14-2's blk, then do the same with the white from the fixture and 14-2's what. If the light comes on, then this is your hot wire ;) You can go through and test each wire set, by doing the same thing as indicated above.

Note: Make sure you turn the power off when doing it this way--then back on once you have secured the fixture, and wire nutted your pairs

[tisha911]

Thanks,
I was able to cap the black light wires together,put the red light wire to the black fixture wire and put the white fixture wire to the white light wires and cap. Everything works!
I had installed it correctly the first time the problem was I was using the energy efficient bulbs and I have since found out unless they specifically say they shouldn't be used with a dimmer switch! Thanks for your help Washington1!

[Washington1]

Ur welcome!

[miamidolphin]

Thanks for the answer.

Ronnie