Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans - Wires from ceiling are not black and white
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erickmartinez
09-03-05, 08:18 AM
:confused:
I decided to replace my ceiling lamp last weekend in my apt. I live in NYC in an old building (built in the 30s or 40s). I thought the project should be failrly simple because I have done it before. However, after taking the old lamp out, I did not pay atention to the wires until it was time to install the new one. The wires from the ceiling were not black and white as the colors in the new ceiling lamp wires are. The wires were yellow and red. So the usual black with black and white with white did not work anymore. Now I am not sure how to proceed. Could you give me a good advise?
I want to test with a circuit tester and identify the positive and negative side but not sure if I should consider voltage... so I am quite confused.
Thanks!
I decided to replace my ceiling lamp last weekend in my apt. I live in NYC in an old building (built in the 30s or 40s). I thought the project should be failrly simple because I have done it before. However, after taking the old lamp out, I did not pay atention to the wires until it was time to install the new one. The wires from the ceiling were not black and white as the colors in the new ceiling lamp wires are. The wires were yellow and red. So the usual black with black and white with white did not work anymore. Now I am not sure how to proceed. Could you give me a good advise?
I want to test with a circuit tester and identify the positive and negative side but not sure if I should consider voltage... so I am quite confused.
Thanks!
joed
09-03-05, 12:22 PM
The yellow probably used to be white.
Connect white to yellow and black to red.
Connect white to yellow and black to red.
John Nelson
09-03-05, 03:22 PM
Only follow Joe's advice if you can accept his premise. If the wire is really yellow and couldn't have been white that discolored, then we'll need to think of something else. Let us know.
thezster
09-03-05, 07:56 PM
Joe is probably right. But "Probably" won't help when you short something out....
Do you have access to a circuit tester or voltage meter? Check the yellow against a ground and then the red against a ground.... One should complete a circuit - the other one should not..... The one that's live... is the "black one". If both of them complete a circuit - or neither of them complete a circuit... you've got another issue..
Do you have access to a circuit tester or voltage meter? Check the yellow against a ground and then the red against a ground.... One should complete a circuit - the other one should not..... The one that's live... is the "black one". If both of them complete a circuit - or neither of them complete a circuit... you've got another issue..