Light fixture 2 sets of wires, box 2 sets of wires, need help
#1
02-27-12, 01:56 PM
Light fixture 2 sets of wires, box 2 sets of wires, need help
I am trying to replace a construction light fixture with a permanent one in my basement. When I took down the construction bulb, the box had 2 sets of wires and was wired to the bulb with whites connected from each wire source and both blacks connected from each source. My new fixture is a 2-bulb fixture with 2 sets of wires (black/white) and the ground. I determined one set of wires from the box goes to the switch. There are also several canned lights that run off of another switch but only come on after the main light is switched on. So what would be the correct wiring connection to maintain the chain here? I'm fumbling through this and tried to wire one set of wires from the light to one set from the box (black to black, white to white) so I have half the light fixture connected one set of wires in the box and the other half of the fixture to the other set of wires in the box but this only turns on one bulb and the canned lights do not come on (yeah, I know...I'm a girl). Basically I have 4 black wires and 4 white wires between the fixture and box (copper from both box wires are twisted together). I didn't realize the other lights were tied to the main light when I started this, so I could use some help! Thanks!
#2
02-27-12, 02:16 PM
Are you saying previously both whites were connected together and to one side of the work light and that both blacks were connected together and to the other side of the work light. Please tell us all the wires in the switch box for this light and how they are connected.
#3
02-27-12, 05:07 PM
Yes both whites were wired together on one side of the construction bulb and the blacks on the other. I don't know if the electrician did this so that the other lights could be used as a temporary thing or what?
#4
02-27-12, 05:14 PM
I checked another construction bulb in my basement that has 2 wires running to the box and it has whites on one side and blacks on the other. Would the correct way to do this be to take the black wire (box) that runs the switch (because this is the only one with power) and connect it to the white wire of the other box connection and then connect whites from light to remaining white and blacks from light to remaining black?
Last edited by Mamadubs; 02-27-12 at 06:14 PM.
#6
02-27-12, 06:26 PM
The switch wiring as in the actual wall switch? I looked at it and there's 2 black wires connected to the wall switch and 2 other sets nutted together (black to black and white to white).
#7
02-27-12, 10:06 PM
The switch wiring as in the actual wall switch? I looked at it and there's 2 black wires connected to the wall switch
#8
02-28-12, 08:20 AM
Ray, there are 2 sets of wires in the ceiling box and then 2 sets of wires on the light (2 bulb fixture). I took a pic of the box but I don't see a way to post it here except through a URL. If I connect all whites, then there would be 4 white wires (2 from the light and 1 from each box wire). I hope I'm making sense and appreciate your advice. Thanks!
#9
02-28-12, 08:50 AM
Yes, all four whites together and all four blacks together.
http://www.doityourself.com/forum/li...-pictures.html
http://www.doityourself.com/forum/li...-pictures.html
Last edited by ray2047; 02-28-12 at 09:09 AM.
#11
02-28-12, 09:17 AM
#13
02-28-12, 10:52 AM
Ray, I didn't try it yet but it doesn't make sense that it would need a new cable. All the lights were previously working correctly. The electrician wired everything knowing the temporary fixture would be replaced. I saw a similar problem on another forum and I believe they said to take the black wire in the ceiling box (the one with power to it) and connect it to the white wire of the other cable, then the black/white wires of the light could be hooked up to the remaining black/white of the box. Does this seem like a plausible solution? Thanks, Deb
#14
02-28-12, 10:59 AM
Was the old light you removed controlled by a switch? Would you please post a picture of the wiring in that switch. You said earlier one cable at the light went to a switch. Is that the switch that controlled the light?
#16
02-28-12, 04:55 PM
Ray, yes the light that I removed was controlled by the wall switch. I tested this out as I first hooked up the light by going with one set of black/white wires from the light to one set in box. This resulted in one bulb working and the other not. I tested the switch while the bulb was lit and the switch turns it off and on. I'll post a link for the wall switch wires here:
SwitchWiring.jpg picture by mamadubs12 - Photobucket
SwitchWiring.jpg picture by mamadubs12 - Photobucket
#17
02-28-12, 05:04 PM
pcboss, here's a better pic of the ceiling box. The long set of wires do operate the switch and are the ones with power going to them.
BoxWiring.jpg picture by mamadubs12 - Photobucket
BoxWiring.jpg picture by mamadubs12 - Photobucket
#18
02-28-12, 05:11 PM
Please don't hate me for the next request. Connect the two blacks together in the box and connect the two whites together and see if the other lights in the basement work correctly. correctly. I missed your edit to post #4.
#19
02-28-12, 05:27 PM
Ray I couldn't hate you...I think you're my only hope haha! Yes, when I wired the blacks together and the whites together, the recessed lights (3 of them) will come on--only after turning on the main light switch and the wall switch for those lights. The main light switch must be on first though. Does this sound normal?
#20
02-28-12, 06:03 PM
The main light switch must be on first though. Does this sound normal?
#21
02-28-12, 06:24 PM
Yes, that's the way the light operated beforehand. I don't need to change it but it would be nice if the canned lights worked once the new fixture is up. Would it be correct to connect all whites together and all blacks together then (4 wires in each nut)?
#25
02-29-12, 09:58 AM
Thanks for all the help! The light is installed and everything is working as it was before. Gotta changed my electrician hat into a carpenter one now and install some baseboard 
