2 Wall Lights, 1 Switch

twak21 · 11-28-2011, 01:22 PM

I am replacing a bathroom vanity strip light with 2 wall lights that are controlled by one switch. The wiring for 2 lights was already in place. The set up is as follows -

Hole on left - standard white, black & copper wires

Hole on right - 2 bundles of wires, (white, black, copper) each in it's own sheath.

Switch - 2 bundles of wires, (white & black) each in it's own sheath. The switch is hooked up with a black wire from each sheath. The white wires are capped off.

New light fixtures - 2 lights per fixture, therefore there are 2 white wires & 2 black wires

The hookup -

Left hole is easy - 2 white fixture wires to white - 2 black fixture wires to black - ground to ground

I'm stumped on the right hole. I've feel like I've tried every wire combination and I can't get all 4 lights to work. I'm assuming one of the sheath sets on the right is the 'master' which will control both the left and right lights, but I have no idea which. Could it also be the wiring of the switch?

Jim Port · 11-28-2011, 01:58 PM

The box with two cable is simply power coming into and another cable continuing power to the second fixture.

Just make color to color connections. Splice all grounds.

twak21 · 11-28-2011, 02:50 PM

So, the setup of the switch is ok?

joed · 11-28-2011, 06:32 PM

Switch setup is correct.
At the light connect all the whites together and all the blacks together.
At all boxes connect all the grounds(bare or green wires) together.

twak21 · 11-28-2011, 07:46 PM

Are you saying connect all 4 whites together, (2 from the light fixture & 2 from the box) and 4 blacks together or are you saying to make 1-to-1 connections, (ex white light fixture wire to white box wire)? I did a 1-to-1 on the right box but that did not light up anything.

Sorry if I'm not grasping the obvious. This is all new to me.

jbfan · 11-28-2011, 07:59 PM

All white wires connect together and all black wires connect to each other.