wiring chandelier problem

ljb · 07-05-2010, 05:28 PM

Installed porcelian chandelier with eight arms, center wires come down and each arm has set wires. Blue/Brown and a green wrie down the center each arm has blue/brown. Connected matching colors and the ground to the post at bottom of lamp. Still get a constant faint burning bulb any ideas?

nap · 07-05-2010, 05:43 PM

from the colors of the wires, I suspect you are not in the US. Am I correct?

Quote:

Still get a constant faint burning bulb any ideas?

do you mean with the switch turned off as well?

ljb · 07-05-2010, 05:46 PM

I am in the US and the 2 main wires at the box are white/black. The chandelier is from Italy(capodimonte)

ljb · 07-05-2010, 05:48 PM

yes with the light switch off, it seems to me a bad ground.

ljb · 07-05-2010, 05:55 PM

no I am in the US the colors at the box are white/black the posted colors came with the chandelier from Italy(capodimonte and the light switch is off. Thanks

nap · 07-05-2010, 06:20 PM

a bad ground will not cause a dim burning lamp.

First thing; make sure the lamps are 120 v rated (or there about) lamps. If this came frmo Italy and it has lamps already in it, they are probably not 120 v rated lamps (doesn't cause the problem you are having though)

so, for a lamp to burn partially, you have power leaking to the lamp somehow.

was there already a fixture in this place and it worked fine?

How many wires and what color are they in the box?

BTW: blue wire connects to white in the box. Black to black. Green, green w/ yellow stripe, bare all connect together.

is the switch a switch or is it a dimmer?

ljb · 07-05-2010, 06:35 PM

Bulbs are good just purchased those.

BTW I said blue and black on the chandelier but it is actually blue and brown.

There was a chandelier in its place before and worked fine. The wires at the box are white/black and the chandelier was regular lamp coard yellow clear one was silver the second gold with the ground.

There is a dimmer switch and now I think I just learned something. It is square with 5 push buttons that control the different levels of dim and at the bottom there is a slide switch from left to right. The old chandelier I never moved the switch because the last push button seemed to turn out the light(40W bulbs) but the little red power l.e.d. stays on. With this chandelier if I slide that switch at the base lights go out and when it is on the bottom button it starts to illuminate and I think that is because these are 7 watt bulbs. Is it possible that the switch is just fine and on my old light it was actually on the whole time just not drawing enough energy to light the bulbs? Thanks for all the help

nap · 07-05-2010, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Is it possible that the switch is just fine and on my old light it was actually on the whole time just not drawing enough energy to light the bulbs?

Um, ya

ljb · 07-05-2010, 06:47 PM

I just pulled the outlet cover off my dimmer switch and go figure, that little slide switch at the bottom was the on/off switch. Turns out this whole time I had it hooked up right and it works as advertised.

It just took you asking me about a dimmer switch and that sparked the curiosity. Thanks again for all the assistance I truely appreciate it.

nap · 07-05-2010, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljb

I just pulled the outlet cover off my dimmer switch and go figure, that little slide switch at the bottom was the on/off switch. Turns out this whole time I had it hooked up right and it works as advertised.

It just took you asking me about a dimmer switch and that sparked the curiosity. Thanks again for all the assistance I truely appreciate it.

You are welcome. Enjoy your lamp