newbie questions

I am a pretty handy girl, but have never tackled any projects involving electricity for fear of getting zapped. I have a light fixture that needs to be replaced, so I went out and bought a new one, as well as an "electrical tester". You know, red wire, black wire, and a little light. I have no idea what to do with it! The fixture I'm replacing has one black wire and one white wire, which color do I touch with which color probe to find out if it's live? Thanks in advance for any insight. I'll just wait here in the dark for now

 

Easiest way to test is with the fixture if it works, turn off breakers until the light goes out. With tester one lead of tester to each wire.

 

Well, the problem is that the fixture doesn't work at all, so I'll be guessing if I flipped the correct breaker. Does it matter which lead I touch to which wire?

 

You have two probes and two wires. Touch the two probes to the two wires. Which probe goes to which wire doesn't matter.

 

With that tester it wont matter which lead. If you have dropped the fixture so it hangs down test it with the breaker on, you may have to probe in the wire nuts, test it this way so you know the test works, then turn off breakers until it goes out. Then for added saftey turn the switch off after the fact while changing the fixture. I take it that there are only 2 feed wires in the junction box with the fixture?

 

Is the fixture switch-controlled?

As for a voltage-testing instrument, I recomend an in-expensive needle-indicating multi-tester with an AC voltage range to 240 volts, probably available at Radio Shack. It's best if one of the test leads has an "alligator-clip" at the end which can be clipped to one of the wires, and the other lead has a "probe" which is touched to other wires.The meter-readings are far more reliable than a neon-lamp voltage indication.If thre's only 80 volts across the wires, the VM will indicate this value.

If the meter is correctly set to the "AC Volts" scale you can test safely across any 2 wires in you house, presuming the VM can test 240 volts. I have the impression that trying to touch the ends of the very short leads of a neon-tester to 2 loose wires is difficult.A meter-type VM if far more useful and flexible for a home-owner than a neon tester. For example, you may at sometime may have to test-for-voltage inside your CB panel to determine the condition of the CB's.

Good Luck & Enjoy the Experience!!!!

 

Let there be light!

Thank you for all your help, everything went well, everything works, AND I didn't get zapped. What more could I ask for?! I'll be back with more questions soon, as I have other projects to tackle. Thanks again! Jen