Please help! Ceiling Light fixture installed but switch will not turn it off.


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Old 02-08-13, 06:09 PM
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Question Please help! Ceiling Light fixture installed but switch will not turn it off.

I just installed a light fixture in my new condo and I cannot turn it off using the switch. The only way I can turn it off is by turning off the breaker switch.

The Ceiling connection had the following wires under the cover.
- bunch of Green wires twisted together in a Red wire nut
- bunch of White wires twisted together in a red wire nut
- bunch of White wires twisted together in a Black wire nut
- bunch of Yellow wires twisted together in a red wire nut

My Ikea light fixture had the following wires

- a green wire with yellow stripe on the plate mounting plate
- a black wire
- a white wire
- a green wire with yellow stripe connected to the lamp housing

I did some trial and error and got it to work by connecting the black to yellow wires, white to the white wires with red nut and the two green wires that came with Ikea lamp to the green bunch. I left the white wires with a black wire nut without any connection.

What am I doing wrong that I cannot get the lamp to switch off with the switch.

Please help!
 
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Old 02-08-13, 06:35 PM
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So far you have only looked at half the light circuit. The other half is at the switch. Tell us the wiring at the switch in the same detailed way you described the wires in the ceiling box and we can help you. This assumes you own don't rent. If you rent call your landlord.
 
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Old 02-08-13, 10:05 PM
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Yes I own the condo.

So I checked and there are two wires connected to the back of the switch - one green and one red. The back plate of the switch has a nail to which another wire is screwed in and that looks like the ground (copper like wire with green casing) coming in through the conduit.
 
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Old 02-08-13, 10:24 PM
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Red and green ? on the switch. Are you sure. I know Canadian wiring codes are different than ours but I didn't think anyone used green as a hot conductor.
 
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Old 02-08-13, 11:30 PM
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I also don't believe green. Can you post a picture? http://www.doityourself.com/forum/li...-pictures.html One common configuration I might expect to see is a yellow and black on the brass screws and a green wire on the ground screw.

Above assumes that you have conduit not NM-b since you mention yellow wires. In the past though we have had posters call discolored white wires yellow. In an earlier post you mentioned a bare wire at the switch. If conduit I would not expect to see a bare wire.
 

Last edited by ray2047; 02-09-13 at 05:25 AM.
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Old 02-11-13, 06:51 PM
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I was able to find the red wire hidden behind the bunch. I connected the black wire to it and it worked. Thanks guys! I appreciate your help.
 
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Old 02-11-13, 07:21 PM
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Glad you got it but you have left us with a mystery. How was the switch really wired?
 
 

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