Hanging chain light in the kitchen; I'm need wiring advice.

fcwedd

I've installed 3 ceiling lights and two ceiling fans. However, I had good directions to work with as well as the typical wiring, e.g., white to white, black to black. It was pretty simple.

HOWEVER,

I had just purchased a hanging chain light. I'm trying to install this in my kitchen. My kitchen ceiling has two exposed wires: white & black (pretty basic for me and it's what I'm used to). However, the wire on my chain lamp appears to be a mere black "wall outlet" type cord with the two ends cut off. Nothing is labeled with no directions.

How can I wire this? What do I need?

Thanks.

HooKooDooKu

Either way will work ok. But for light sockets, the safest way to wire them is for which ever wire connects to the sides of the socket should go to white, while which ever wire connects to the tip at the bottom of the socket should go to black. The idea is that if you ever change out a lightbuld and the socket is "on", you shouldn't shock yourself as you screw in the light bulb should you be in contact with the metal base of the light bulb as it first touches the side of the socket.

If you have a multimeter, it's easy to figure out which wire is connected to the side of the lamp socket. If not, you'll have to find another way to test the wires (nothing is leaping to mind... but give me some time and I or others might come up with an idea).

Jupe Blue

Take a close look at the lamp cord. The "neutral" (white) wire should have some raised ribs on the jacket. The "hot" wire will be smooth.