switches

I bought a new switch to change it to a standard switch from a dimmer. There used to be a chandelier on the ceiling. I replaced that chandelier with a fan w/light kit. The fan is working, but I can't get the lights to work. When I hooked up the fan I attached the blue wire to a black wire for the light kit. That's when I replaced the switch. The new switch shows 2 screws the same color on one side, and a green screw on the other. My question is, what wire goes on top and what wire goes on the bottom? The wiring coming out of the wall is white and black. I attached the white wire on top and the black wire on the bottom. Also, facing the recepticle, what side do the two screws face?

Thanks for any assistance.

 

For standard switches...
green screws are associated with grounds and get connected to the bare ground and electrical box (if a metallic box).

The 2 main connection screws it doesn't matter which wire goes on those 2 screws, put the white on one and the black on the other. Note though the position of the switch determines if up is on and down is off, or the other way round , just turn the switch around is a different on position is desired. Please not in all circumstances a white gets connected to a switch , if it is the only cable entering your switch box, then the while was been used as a redesignated hot feed to the switch, and us a hot not a neutral. For more clarification on what is hot and what is neutral in cases where the circuit power is at the light, look part way down the following article link...

http://homewiring.tripod.com/fixonhotswitch.html

Now at the fan/light combo location...

From what you discribed , the circuit power source is at the light location. Therefore since there is only 1 switch involved , the hot from the light and the hot from the fan which I beleive you mentioned was the blue and a black, these connect to the switched hot coming back from the switch (black wire), the neutral from the fan and the neutral from the light (should be white) connect to the white from teh ciruit supply cable. The 2 neutrals (fan & light) may already be connected together by the manufacturer. Check you instructions that was supplied by the manufacturer.

For further info on a variety of switch seneroes involving fan/light combo units check the article link below which is also part of the site of the banner link at the bottom of this post.

http://homewiring.tripod.com/fanlight.html




[Edited by dkerr on 10-22-01 at 01:20]

 

Thanks for responding to my questions! I read and reread your reply and decided to try the following: I connected the 2 whites together that are coming from the ceiling and connected those to the white coming from the fan/light kit. I switched the blue wire to the other black wire. I hooked up the left over black wire to the remaining black wire from the ceiling. The result is I have lights! However I have no fan and I can't control the light at the switch. Please tell me what you think I should do!

 

Ok, I am going to make a couple of assumptions here, and if either one is different then repost before proceding...

(It may be better to remove the unit from the ceiling for less confusion, and more room to work.)

1. At the switch box, there is only one electical cable entering the box that has a black/white and bare wire.

2. At the ceiling box , there are 2 electrical cables entering that box, each cable having a black/white & bare wire. Ignore any wires from the fan/light combo unit, I am only interested first in the electrical cables coming out of the ceiling into the ceiling outlet box.

If those assumptions are correct then...

one of the cables entering the ceiling box is the circuit power supply cable, the other cable is going to the switch.

Now what we need to know is which one of the cables at te ceiling is the circuit power and which one is going to the switch. Now you either need a voltage tester with probes, or a very basic light socket to do this test. Look in the ceiling box and separate the 2 cables so you know the this black wire and this white wire is coming from cable 1, and that black wire and that white wire is coming from cable 2.

don't let any wires touch each other, now...

if you are using a voltage tester (either a basic tester or a multimeter set to AC 250 volt range), turn on power and hold the probes by the insulated handle only touch one probe on the white wire and the other probe on the black wire (of the same cable), now check the other cable , is there a voltage reading. Turn off power and mark the cable that gave you the voltage reading.

If you are using a basic light socket to test this with a known good light bulb in it. connect the white wire or silver color screw to the white wire in the ceiling and the black wire or brass color screw to the black wire in the ceiling (SAME CABLE YOU ARE CONNECTING TO IN THE CEILING), then test the other cable, only 1 cable should light the bulb. Turn off power to the circuit when connecting the wires and turn on to test. Mark the cable that lite the light.

Now that you know which cable is the circuit power supply,
do this...

At ceiling box connect the black wire from the circuit power supply cable to the white wire of the other cable. Put an insulated wire nut over the connection. Now you should be left with a white wire from the power supply cable and a black wire from the other cable.

The white wire from the power supply cable is the neutral for the fan/light combo unit. The black from the other cable is a switched hot, from the switch, these 2 wires connect to the fan/light combo unit. to be sure you have it right, test for power on the remaining 2 unconnected wires, it should only be powered when the switch is on.

Once you confirm that, you can install your fan/light combo unit, the white from the fan connect to the remaining white at the ceiling, and the blue & black wires of the fan/light combo unit both connect to the same remaining black wire coming out of the ceiling.

http://homewiring.tripod.com/fantolight.html

if you click on the above link, I beleive this is the wiring that have and is what I described above.

Still need further help , just ask again.

 

You are a genius!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP! I didn't understand everything you were trying to tell me but it was enough. The fan & light are working perfectly from the switch. Thanks again!