Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans - Light Fixture Installation
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OQadir77
05-02-07, 09:18 AM
I'm trying to install a light fixture into the ceiling box pre-wired for a ceiling fan (2 switches).
The fixture has three wires: Black, White and Ground
The ceiling box has four wires: Black, Red, White and Ground
I connected the black from the fixture to the black on the ceiling box, white to the white and ground to the ground and capped the red wire.
When i switched the light on it tripped the breaker.
Then i tried connecting the wires again. This time i cappped the black wire and connected the black wire from the fixture to the red wire on the ceiling box, white to white and ground to ground.
When i switched the light on, it did not come on. I checked the breaker and it was not tripped.
What am i doing wrong here?
The fixture has three wires: Black, White and Ground
The ceiling box has four wires: Black, Red, White and Ground
I connected the black from the fixture to the black on the ceiling box, white to the white and ground to the ground and capped the red wire.
When i switched the light on it tripped the breaker.
Then i tried connecting the wires again. This time i cappped the black wire and connected the black wire from the fixture to the red wire on the ceiling box, white to white and ground to ground.
When i switched the light on, it did not come on. I checked the breaker and it was not tripped.
What am i doing wrong here?
joed
05-02-07, 12:07 PM
You did nothing wrong. I think it should have worked.
Did you try the other switch and see if the light comes on?
Are there any other wires in the fixture box? If none then it should have worked.
Did this setup ever work or is new instal?
Open the switch box and tell us the wires in there.
Could be a cable clamp at one of the boxes is too tight and pinching/shorting the cable.
Did you try the other switch and see if the light comes on?
Are there any other wires in the fixture box? If none then it should have worked.
Did this setup ever work or is new instal?
Open the switch box and tell us the wires in there.
Could be a cable clamp at one of the boxes is too tight and pinching/shorting the cable.
racraft
05-02-07, 01:02 PM
It sounds like you were right. I suspect improper wiring at the switch box.
OQadir77
05-02-07, 03:02 PM
Thanks for the quick responses!!!!
I just moved into a new home, so there was nothing there. The builder told me that the ceiling box is wired for a fan.
The fixture has three wires only:black, white and ground
The ceiling box has four wires only: black, red, white, ground
The switch box has three switches. A, B and C (right to left)
One (A) controls an outlet. I plugged a lamp in the outlet and tested the switch and it works fine
The other two (B anc C) are for a fan/light (i assume).
There are total of six set of wires comming in the switch box.
Four of them have black, white and ground and two of them have black, red, white and ground
All the ground wires are connected together, whites are connected 4 together and then 2 together and the black are also connected 4 and 2.
All there switches has the ground connected to them (on the green screw on the top-left)
One of the switches that controls the outlet (A) has the red wire on the top and the black wire on the bottom.
The other switch (B) has both black wires on the top and the bottom.
The last switch (C) has a red wire on the top and a short black wire at the bottom (which is not connected to any of the wires)
Shouldn't the black wire on switch (C) connected to something?
I just moved into a new home, so there was nothing there. The builder told me that the ceiling box is wired for a fan.
The fixture has three wires only:black, white and ground
The ceiling box has four wires only: black, red, white, ground
The switch box has three switches. A, B and C (right to left)
One (A) controls an outlet. I plugged a lamp in the outlet and tested the switch and it works fine
The other two (B anc C) are for a fan/light (i assume).
There are total of six set of wires comming in the switch box.
Four of them have black, white and ground and two of them have black, red, white and ground
All the ground wires are connected together, whites are connected 4 together and then 2 together and the black are also connected 4 and 2.
All there switches has the ground connected to them (on the green screw on the top-left)
One of the switches that controls the outlet (A) has the red wire on the top and the black wire on the bottom.
The other switch (B) has both black wires on the top and the bottom.
The last switch (C) has a red wire on the top and a short black wire at the bottom (which is not connected to any of the wires)
Shouldn't the black wire on switch (C) connected to something?
joed
05-02-07, 03:28 PM
If the switch with the two black has one of them from the same cable as the red the sounds like it is wired correct. There must be a problem with cable between the switch and the fixture. if this is a new house have the builder send the electrician back to repair it.
Does the breaker trip when you flip the switch if nothing is connected at the ceilng box?
Does the breaker trip when you flip the switch if nothing is connected at the ceilng box?
OQadir77
05-02-07, 04:30 PM
Thanks, i will contact the builder.
The breaker does not trip when nothing is connected.
The breaker does not trip when nothing is connected.
joed
05-02-07, 05:19 PM
If it does not trip with nothing connected then the cable is probably good. It now sounds like you might have a defective light or some wires got crossed when you affixed the fixture to the ceiling.
OQadir77
05-02-07, 06:17 PM
Once again thanks for all the help.
I switched the fixture in my living room with the new one that i was trying to install and works fine without tripping the breaker.
It's strange that it does not work in the other room! (one with the ceiling fan connection)
I switched the fixture in my living room with the new one that i was trying to install and works fine without tripping the breaker.
It's strange that it does not work in the other room! (one with the ceiling fan connection)
racraft
05-02-07, 07:57 PM
That short black wire on switch C needs to be connected to something. The fact that it is disconnected is why your fan does not work.
Unfortunately you did not supply enough detail on the switch box wiring for us to tell you what to do to fix the problem.
If you tell us in complete detail exactly how ALL the wires are connected and what cables they are connected to we can sort it out.
Unfortunately you did not supply enough detail on the switch box wiring for us to tell you what to do to fix the problem.
If you tell us in complete detail exactly how ALL the wires are connected and what cables they are connected to we can sort it out.