Adding a Light Fixture
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Canada
Posts: 5
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Adding a Light Fixture
Hello,
Trying to wire a fixture but really cant figure this out. I opened the cover and found a million wires. Red , brown/blue , black are all live. The rest look like ground?
I believe Red is meant for the fixture, it was completely insulated when I found it and was tagged as live. I measure 120V from red to white (good) but when I toggle the light switch I measure 37V across. I still measure current with my electrical tester. This really confused me.
If I disconnect the 2 black wires so they're not making contact with each other, I will then be measuring 25V across red to white. The measurement goes to 0 when I toggle the switch. Also confirmed with electrical tester which no longer beeps.
Makes no sense!!! Help??
Trying to wire a fixture but really cant figure this out. I opened the cover and found a million wires. Red , brown/blue , black are all live. The rest look like ground?
I believe Red is meant for the fixture, it was completely insulated when I found it and was tagged as live. I measure 120V from red to white (good) but when I toggle the light switch I measure 37V across. I still measure current with my electrical tester. This really confused me.
If I disconnect the 2 black wires so they're not making contact with each other, I will then be measuring 25V across red to white. The measurement goes to 0 when I toggle the switch. Also confirmed with electrical tester which no longer beeps.
Makes no sense!!! Help??
Last edited by PJmax; 05-22-18 at 06:50 PM. Reason: enlarged/enhanced picture
#2
Welcome to the forums.
Don't randomly open or change any splices. There are way too many wires in that box.
Looks like at least six cables.
Red is your switched hot and the large white splice is your neutral connection.
Measuring 37v with the switch off using a digital meter is normal. It's a residual or ghost voltage read by sensitive meters when a tested dead wire is near a live wire.
Don't randomly open or change any splices. There are way too many wires in that box.
Looks like at least six cables.
Red is your switched hot and the large white splice is your neutral connection.
Measuring 37v with the switch off using a digital meter is normal. It's a residual or ghost voltage read by sensitive meters when a tested dead wire is near a live wire.
#3
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Canada
Posts: 5
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Hmm interesting. Thank you for the response.
So I should go ahead and use the red and the white?
I was worried that the light would be constantly consuming power with the red being 37V. That's not the case?
So I should go ahead and use the red and the white?
I was worried that the light would be constantly consuming power with the red being 37V. That's not the case?
Last edited by _rara_; 05-23-18 at 04:18 AM.
#4
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Canada
Posts: 5
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
The voltage detector beeps around the red wire regardless of the switch position as well. Is this normal? Will it beep around a ghost voltage?
I did some quick googling.. I don't have a low impedance setting on my multimeter to verify that it's a ghost voltage. Is there any other method I can use? Should the voltage go away if I connect the light fixture?
I did some quick googling.. I don't have a low impedance setting on my multimeter to verify that it's a ghost voltage. Is there any other method I can use? Should the voltage go away if I connect the light fixture?
#5
The voltage detector beeps around the red wire regardless of the switch position
I don't have a low impedance setting on my multimeter to verify that it's a ghost voltage. Is there any other method I can use?
#6
Hi,was there a fixture there that you removed ? If so use those 2 conductors for the new fixture. As mentioned DON’T OPEN ANY SPLICES!
Geo
Geo
#7
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Canada
Posts: 5
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
No fixtures before.
I heard you loud and clear won't open any splices anymore.
I'm going to try and connect a load between red and white and measure the voltage as I press the switch. I'll report back.
I heard you loud and clear won't open any splices anymore.
I'm going to try and connect a load between red and white and measure the voltage as I press the switch. I'll report back.