black, white, white, black!

bamaranch · 07-03-2010, 10:39 PM

This is so rookie, I'm thankful for an anonomous discussion board to post it.

I need to hook up a light fixture, somebody else took it apart....

I have to lines of romex going to the light - i imagine one from the switch, one from the main.

How do I hook it up so the switch works again?????
- Obviously, black to black/white to white from the main works - but no switch...

- Black, black, black - white, white, white (and ground to ground) also leaves the switch dysfunctional.

Sorry - no electrical skills but need to get this fixture working!

nap · 07-03-2010, 11:54 PM

I am presuming you have a black a white and a bare to the switch; a black a white and a bare from the panel and a black a white and a bare or green on the fixture. Am I right? If so:

connect all the bare or green wires together. The white coming from the panel gets connected to the white on the fixture,

the black from the panel gets connected to the white that is going to the switch. The black from the switch connects to the black on the light fixture.

You need to mark the white from the switch with black tape or a marker to indicate it really isn't a neutral (typically what the white wire is used for)

bamaranch · 07-04-2010, 12:19 AM

correct - will try that now nap!

bamaranch · 07-04-2010, 12:46 AM

Hmm, still no functional switch.

you've described it right, my fixture has two cables (each containing white, black, ground)

The fixture, also has one of each.

I've gone white (panel) to white (fixture)
black (panel) to white (switch)

and then finally the two blacks (switch and fixture) connected.

Light works when the main is on - but there is no switch function.

nap · 07-04-2010, 12:54 AM

bad switch?

why did anybody take this apart to begin with? Maybe because something wasn't working?

Do you have any sort of voltage tester? If so, pull the switch from the wall and, with the circuit engergized, check for voltage on each of the terminal screws with the switch in both positions. If you have voltage on only one terminal at any time, the switch is bad. If you do not have voltage on either screw at any time, you have a problem with the wires going to the switch not getting fed or there is a broke wire.

If you have voltage on both screws with the switch in the on position, then you have a problem with the wire going back to the light.

Ron6519 · 07-04-2010, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bamaranch

Hmm, still no functional switch.

you've described it right, my fixture has two cables (each containing white, black, ground)

The fixture, also has one of each.

I've gone white (panel) to white (fixture)
black (panel) to white (switch)

and then finally the two blacks (switch and fixture) connected.

Light works when the main is on - but there is no switch function.

How did you decide which cable was from the switch and which cable was the power source? If you reverse them, the circuit will not work.
Ron

07-03-2010, 10:39 PM	#1
bamaranch Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 30	black, white, white, black! This is so rookie, I'm thankful for an anonomous discussion board to post it. I need to hook up a light fixture, somebody else took it apart.... I have to lines of romex going to the light - i imagine one from the switch, one from the main. How do I hook it up so the switch works again????? - Obviously, black to black/white to white from the main works - but no switch... - Black, black, black - white, white, white (and ground to ground) also leaves the switch dysfunctional. Sorry - no electrical skills but need to get this fixture working!

07-03-2010, 11:54 PM	#2
nap You talking to me? Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: sw mi Posts: 5,407	black, white, white, black! I am presuming you have a black a white and a bare to the switch; a black a white and a bare from the panel and a black a white and a bare or green on the fixture. Am I right? If so: connect all the bare or green wires together. The white coming from the panel gets connected to the white on the fixture, the black from the panel gets connected to the white that is going to the switch. The black from the switch connects to the black on the light fixture. You need to mark the white from the switch with black tape or a marker to indicate it really isn't a neutral (typically what the white wire is used for)

07-04-2010, 12:19 AM	#3
bamaranch Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 30	black, white, white, black! correct - will try that now nap!

07-04-2010, 12:46 AM	#4
bamaranch Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 30	black, white, white, black! Hmm, still no functional switch. you've described it right, my fixture has two cables (each containing white, black, ground) The fixture, also has one of each. I've gone white (panel) to white (fixture) black (panel) to white (switch) and then finally the two blacks (switch and fixture) connected. Light works when the main is on - but there is no switch function.

07-04-2010, 12:54 AM	#5
nap You talking to me? Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: sw mi Posts: 5,407	black, white, white, black! bad switch? why did anybody take this apart to begin with? Maybe because something wasn't working? Do you have any sort of voltage tester? If so, pull the switch from the wall and, with the circuit engergized, check for voltage on each of the terminal screws with the switch in both positions. If you have voltage on only one terminal at any time, the switch is bad. If you do not have voltage on either screw at any time, you have a problem with the wires going to the switch not getting fed or there is a broke wire. If you have voltage on both screws with the switch in the on position, then you have a problem with the wire going back to the light.

black, white, white, black!