Replaced fan with light - light stays on
#1
Replaced fan with light - light stays on
I got ****y after successfully replacing 3 light fixtures.
Removed the ceiling fan no problem but did not pay attention to how wires were attached.
The ceiling fan had 2 light switches and was controlled by a wall switch.
The ceiling box has 4 wires -- red, black, white, and bare copper
Talked to a friend who told me to connect black-to-black, white-to-white, and ground to ground.
Did that and light turns on but will not turn off.
the switch had a red wire on bottom, black wire on top, and ground. White was not connected to switch.
Can I do this or should I call an electrician?
Removed the ceiling fan no problem but did not pay attention to how wires were attached.
The ceiling fan had 2 light switches and was controlled by a wall switch.
The ceiling box has 4 wires -- red, black, white, and bare copper
Talked to a friend who told me to connect black-to-black, white-to-white, and ground to ground.
Did that and light turns on but will not turn off.
the switch had a red wire on bottom, black wire on top, and ground. White was not connected to switch.
Can I do this or should I call an electrician?
#2
At any point in all of this did you trip the breaker? If so, was it when you turned the wall switch on?
Black to black, white to white, ground to ground is not always right.
Black to black, white to white, ground to ground is not always right.
#3
Yes -- I did all of the work with the breaker turned off. I then made all of the connections, installed the light, and then turned the breaker back on.
The light came on but, as I said, does not go off.
I think I now know that white to white, black to black, and g to g does not always work. As I said, 3 successful jobs made me arrogant
The light came on but, as I said, does not go off.
I think I now know that white to white, black to black, and g to g does not always work. As I said, 3 successful jobs made me arrogant
#6
Okay, there goes the easy answer. We'll have to dig deeper. Here are some questions for you:
- You say the "ceiling fan had 2 light switches and was controlled by a wall switch". Exactly how many wall switches is this all together? If multiple wall switches, are these multiple switches for doing the same thing from more than one place, or for controlling more than one aspect of the fan? If only one wall switch, then where are the "2 light switches" to which you refer?
- You say the "ceiling box has 4 wires -- red, black, white, and bare copper." Is this a complete inventory of all the wires in the box? There are one and only one wire of each color? No more wires tucked into the back of the box?
- You say "the switch had a red wire on bottom, black wire on top, and ground. White was not connected to switch." How many wires of each color are in the switch box?
- Describe the wires that come from the fan itself.
- Exactly what did you connect to what at the ceiling?
- Did you make any changes at the wall switch{es}?
- Is there a remote control involved?
#7
Okay, there goes the easy answer. We'll have to dig deeper. Here are some questions for you:
You say the "ceiling fan had 2 light switches and was controlled by a wall switch". Exactly how many wall switches is this all together?
There was one wall swirch
If multiple wall switches, are these multiple switches for doing the same thing from more than one place, or for controlling more than one aspect of the fan? If only one wall switch, then where are the "2 light switches" to which you refer?
The other switches were on the ceiling fan itself -- 2 pull chains, 1 for a central light, and one for a set of 4 other lights
You say the "ceiling box has 4 wires -- red, black, white, and bare copper." Is this a complete inventory of all the wires in the box?
I believe so
There are one and only one wire of each color? No more wires tucked into the back of the box?
The box is fairly flush to the ceiling and I cannot see any other wires. Each of the 4 wires comes out of one larger white insulated wire
You say "the switch had a red wire on bottom, black wire on top, and ground. White was not connected to switch." How many wires of each color are in the switch box?
There is 1 red wire
There 2 wires each of black, white and ground
The 2 black wires are attached to a single black wire with a wire nut; this single black line connects to the wall switch
the 2 ground are attached to a single copper wire with a piece copper sheet (? small, flat piece of copper); this single copper wire attaches to the ground screw on the switch
The single red wire was connected to the bottom of the switch
The 2 white wires are connected together with a wire nut but are not attached to the switch
Describe the wires that come from the fan itself.
The fan itself has 2 black and 1 white wire -- I do not remember how they were attached.
Exactly what did you connect to what at the ceiling?
I connected:
- the white wire from the fixture to the white wire from the ceiling box
- I connected the black wire from the fixture to the black wire from the ceiling box
- I connected the ground from the ceiling box to the ground from the fixture
I used a wire nut to cap off the red wire, leaving it unconnected to anything at the ceiling box
I used wire nuts for all connections
Did you make any changes at the wall switch{es}?
Again, only 1 wall switch.
Initially, I made no changes. After seeing that it did not turn off, I removed the red wire from the switch and capped it with a wire nut
Is there a remote control involved?
No remote
You say the "ceiling fan had 2 light switches and was controlled by a wall switch". Exactly how many wall switches is this all together?
There was one wall swirch
If multiple wall switches, are these multiple switches for doing the same thing from more than one place, or for controlling more than one aspect of the fan? If only one wall switch, then where are the "2 light switches" to which you refer?
The other switches were on the ceiling fan itself -- 2 pull chains, 1 for a central light, and one for a set of 4 other lights
You say the "ceiling box has 4 wires -- red, black, white, and bare copper." Is this a complete inventory of all the wires in the box?
I believe so
There are one and only one wire of each color? No more wires tucked into the back of the box?
The box is fairly flush to the ceiling and I cannot see any other wires. Each of the 4 wires comes out of one larger white insulated wire
You say "the switch had a red wire on bottom, black wire on top, and ground. White was not connected to switch." How many wires of each color are in the switch box?
There is 1 red wire
There 2 wires each of black, white and ground
The 2 black wires are attached to a single black wire with a wire nut; this single black line connects to the wall switch
the 2 ground are attached to a single copper wire with a piece copper sheet (? small, flat piece of copper); this single copper wire attaches to the ground screw on the switch
The single red wire was connected to the bottom of the switch
The 2 white wires are connected together with a wire nut but are not attached to the switch
Describe the wires that come from the fan itself.
The fan itself has 2 black and 1 white wire -- I do not remember how they were attached.
Exactly what did you connect to what at the ceiling?
I connected:
- the white wire from the fixture to the white wire from the ceiling box
- I connected the black wire from the fixture to the black wire from the ceiling box
- I connected the ground from the ceiling box to the ground from the fixture
I used a wire nut to cap off the red wire, leaving it unconnected to anything at the ceiling box
I used wire nuts for all connections
Did you make any changes at the wall switch{es}?
Again, only 1 wall switch.
Initially, I made no changes. After seeing that it did not turn off, I removed the red wire from the switch and capped it with a wire nut
Is there a remote control involved?
No remote
#8
I used a wire nut to cap off the red wire, leaving it unconnected to anything at the ceiling box.
If you look closely, you'll see that those two black wires from the fan are not identical. One of those two black wires has a white stripe on it.
First, restore the switch to the way it was. Put the red wire back on where it was on the switch.
Now connect the wires at the ceiling as follows:
- Black from fan to black from ceiling.
- Black with white stripe to red from ceiling.
- White from fan to white from ceiling.
- Green from fan to bare from ceiling.
Now a guess just for fun. Is this a Hampton Bay fan?
#9
Well, I'm glad tou have all of the info, but I apparently miscommunicated something.
I took the fan down and got rid of it (Hunter fan by the way) and replaced it with a plain old light fixture.
It is the light that stays on -- the fan is no loger in the picture (want to buy a fan?;-)
I took the fan down and got rid of it (Hunter fan by the way) and replaced it with a plain old light fixture.
It is the light that stays on -- the fan is no loger in the picture (want to buy a fan?;-)
#10
Oops.
Anyway, the solution is still simple.
Connect the black wire(s) from the light fixture to the red wire in the ceiling. Connect the white wire(s) from the light fixture to the white wire in the ceiling. Ground to ground. Securely cap off the black wire in the ceiling to ensure that it doesn't touch anything (it is continuously hot).
And still restore that switch to the way it was before.
And I still guarantee it!
Anyway, the solution is still simple.
Connect the black wire(s) from the light fixture to the red wire in the ceiling. Connect the white wire(s) from the light fixture to the white wire in the ceiling. Ground to ground. Securely cap off the black wire in the ceiling to ensure that it doesn't touch anything (it is continuously hot).
And still restore that switch to the way it was before.
And I still guarantee it!