Replacing a fan with a recessed light
#1
02-16-17, 12:45 PM
Replacing a fan with a recessed light
I removed a ceiling fan, replaced it with a recessed light and added another recessed light off of it. The light is controlled by a three way switch that has a ground, neutral (white), black (hot), and a red wire (hot). The previous fan was wired with the (2) red wires together, (2) white wires together and one black wire connected to the light and one connected to the fan. See pictured below:
So I figured I would leave the red connected as is, connect all of the whites together, grounds together and all of the black wires together and I would be okay... WRONG. The lights work until I turn the switch off to turn off the lights and it trips the breaker. What's the problem!? Thanks in advance.
So I figured I would leave the red connected as is, connect all of the whites together, grounds together and all of the black wires together and I would be okay... WRONG. The lights work until I turn the switch off to turn off the lights and it trips the breaker. What's the problem!? Thanks in advance.
This is how I have it wired now. The two wires coming in on the left are the pre existing wires and the one on the right is to the new added can.
#3
02-16-17, 01:00 PM
Here's a pic of the switch. I noticed that this switch has a ground but it's not connected to the switch.. it looks like the switch doesn't have a place for the ground.
#4
02-16-17, 02:12 PM
The switch in your second picture does not look like a 3-way switch. Unless it has three terminals plus ground it isn't. Do you have two switches in different locations?
Last edited by ray2047; 02-16-17 at 11:15 PM.
#5
02-16-17, 03:57 PM
Member
Hi, before you go any further with that install please install the correct connectors into that fixture for those cables.
Geo
Geo
#6
02-16-17, 09:05 PM
Group Moderator
Attachment 77304
There are 2) three wire cables in the picture.
The two wire cable goes to the second (new) light.
IF you have a three way circuit.... that would mean you have two switches that control the same exact thing.
If you have two switches controlling the same thing then one of those cables goes directly to the switch in the picture. That is a dead end switch connection.
The other three wire cable brings neutral to the light and the red and black are the traveling hot wires.
Based on that your wiring is definitely wrong.
We need to know exactly what you have for switching there.
There are 2) three wire cables in the picture.
The two wire cable goes to the second (new) light.
IF you have a three way circuit.... that would mean you have two switches that control the same exact thing.
If you have two switches controlling the same thing then one of those cables goes directly to the switch in the picture. That is a dead end switch connection.
The other three wire cable brings neutral to the light and the red and black are the traveling hot wires.
Based on that your wiring is definitely wrong.
We need to know exactly what you have for switching there.
