3 wires into a box???
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3 wires into a box???
Hi all, I'm new here!
I'm in the middle of changing some sconces in my house and I've run into a problem. One of the boxes has 3 wires running into it. I'm assuming one goes to the switch, one to a duplex receptical and one from/ to?
Anyway, the 3 black wires are marreted together and two of the white are, with one free. Unfortunately I never saw the previous sconce setup as the wires pulled off before I could get a look.
I have tried white on the loose white and black mixed in with the 3: nothing. I reversed it to white with the black etc.: still nothing.
Can anyone help me out with this?
Thanks in advance!
I'm in the middle of changing some sconces in my house and I've run into a problem. One of the boxes has 3 wires running into it. I'm assuming one goes to the switch, one to a duplex receptical and one from/ to?
Anyway, the 3 black wires are marreted together and two of the white are, with one free. Unfortunately I never saw the previous sconce setup as the wires pulled off before I could get a look.
I have tried white on the loose white and black mixed in with the 3: nothing. I reversed it to white with the black etc.: still nothing.
Can anyone help me out with this?
Thanks in advance!
#2
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Location: Central New York State
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From the sounds of this the most likely setup is that the white wire already together are the neutral, and the loose white is the hot from a switch loop.
However, you shouldn't ever guess. That is foolish and can get you killed. Open the switch box and look at the wiring on the switch. Use a two wire tester and verify what the incoming wires are. This will tell you how to wire it.
However, you shouldn't ever guess. That is foolish and can get you killed. Open the switch box and look at the wiring on the switch. Use a two wire tester and verify what the incoming wires are. This will tell you how to wire it.
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Thanks Bob,
Wouldn't the fact that I connected both the white and black of the sconce to the loose white and got nothing indicate something? I can only assume the fact that if there was one marreted white wire with nothing attached to it, it should attach to either the white or black.
As my understanding of wiring begins and ends with 1 wire, I'm not sure what I would be looking for or what it would be telling me.
I do everything with the power off. Are you refering to a fire risk?
Thanks again!
Wouldn't the fact that I connected both the white and black of the sconce to the loose white and got nothing indicate something? I can only assume the fact that if there was one marreted white wire with nothing attached to it, it should attach to either the white or black.
Open the switch box and look at the wiring on the switch. Use a two wire tester and verify what the incoming wires are. This will tell you how to wire it.
That is foolish and can get you killed.
Thanks again!
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Originally Posted by mrjimmy
Wouldn't the fact that I connected both the white and black of the sconce to the loose white and got nothing indicate something? I can only assume the fact that if there was one marreted white wire with nothing attached to it, it should attach to either the white or black.
Originally Posted by mrjimmy
As my understanding of wiring begins and ends with 1 wire, I'm not sure what I would be looking for or what it would be telling me.
Originally Posted by mrjimmy
I do everything with the power off. Are you refering to a fire risk?