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skylined · Aug 10, 2009, 08:05 PM

I picked up a voltmeter and a 2-way dual switch today - before I was using a 3way and I think that was part of the problem. Been extremely busy today, but will try all of this tomorrow. Thanks for all the help, and I'll keep you updated.

skylined · Aug 11, 2009, 06:20 AM

"Pick two black wires. Connect one to one side of the switch. Connect the other to the other side of the switch. "

Are you telling me to connect one black wire to the 'common' side of the switch and the other black to the other side, or one black wire on each switch?

hkstroud · Aug 11, 2009, 07:10 AM

That was just a way of determining which wire was the hot, using a process of observation and elimination.

You now have a meter. Set to AC voltage. Set dial to the setting greater than 120V.
With power on, touch one lead to ground wire and one lead to a black wire. When you get a reading between 115 to 125V you have the hot wire.

Connect that hot wire to the side of the switch that has the tab connecting the two screws. Connect the other two black wires to the other side of the switch.

skylined · Aug 11, 2009, 09:01 AM

What about the second white wire in the ceiling? The instructions for the fixture call for both whites from the fixture to be tied with one white in the ceiling, but I have 2 whites in the ceiling.

skylined · Aug 11, 2009, 09:14 AM

I sort of mis-explained a bit here too. I have a simple 2-range voltage tester. It worked fine to find the live wire however - one black caused it to light up, the other didn't.

There is one black wire in the box that is capped, and was capped when I uninstalled the old fixture. That should be fixed with the other non-hot wire to the switch, even though it wasn't in use before..

hkstroud · Aug 11, 2009, 09:15 AM

Yes, that's correct. That way you will have a neutral in the same cable that the hot is running in regardless of whether the fan is being used or the light is being used.

OK, you have a current or voltage sensor. That's fine, the wire that lights up the sensor is the hot, as long as other wires are not to close.

hkstroud · Aug 11, 2009, 09:18 AM

You have a total of 3 cables in the box, each with a black, a white and a ground. Correct?

skylined · Aug 11, 2009, 09:36 AM

There are 2 grounds, or tripped wires that I'm assuming are grounds, intertwined, as well as 3 groupings of one black and one white wire.

In the ceiling there are 2 whites, 2 blacks and one ground. The instructions for the fixture only calls for one white to be wire nutted with the 2 whites from the fixture.

skylined · Aug 11, 2009, 09:37 AM

By tripped, I meant stripped. Sorry.

skylined · Aug 11, 2009, 09:42 AM

And sorry, there are 2 grounds in the ceiling as well.

skylined · Aug 11, 2009, 10:03 AM

OK! I nutted off the 2 whites in the ceiling with the 2 whites to the box in the unit and the fan now comes on. Don't have time to throw the light on and test it really, but it's progress.

skylined · Aug 11, 2009, 10:08 AM

Plugged the light in real fast and it works.

So, both parts of the fixture work as intended, switches are fine, etc. is there anything I should do to 'wrap up' and make sure everything is sound?

hkstroud · Aug 11, 2009, 10:10 AM

That's all fine. As previously stated you one cable bring power to the switch box. You have two cables caring power to the fan/light . All the whites wire nuted together in the switch box. The hot black to the side of the switch that has the tabs connecting the two screws. The other two blacks to the other side of the switch. All the whites, including the fan/light white wire nuted together in the fan/light box. One black to the fan black and the other black to the light black.

skylined · Aug 11, 2009, 10:16 AM

It's wired exactly like that now and works like a charm! Thank you so much, I really really appreciate the help. Now we just need to patch up the ceiling from the excess hole the old fixture left, repaint it and finish installing! WE HAVE LIGHT IN OUR BATHROOM!

hkstroud · Aug 11, 2009, 10:19 AM

You did put a wire nut or crimp sleave on the ground in the switch box.

With power off, form and push the ground wires to the back of the box, using as little room as possible. Then do the same with the white wires. Then bend the blacks in the same general direction and push the switch into the box.

Congrats.