Need some help installing a light fixture

1318 Views 7 Replies 4 Participants Last post by NJMarine, Dec 9, 2012

19mquinn79

Discussion Starter · Dec 9, 2012 (Edited)

Hi,

I am installing my first light fixture. I could use some guidance about how to attach the wires. Specifically:

1. The first photo is of the wires from the light itself. Notice how they are frayed. How should I go about connecting these into the wire nuts, considering the amount of fraying?

2. The next photos are of the electrical box where the light will be installed. I am wondering how exactly I should connect the ground wire. Also, what are those two wires in the middle? What do I do with them?

3. Finally, here is the light switch. Notice that the white wires are not connected to the switch itself. Does that mean I should leave the white wires alone when installing the light?

Thanks!!

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mbryan

· #2 · Dec 9, 2012

19mquinn79 said:
Hi,

I am installing my first light fixture. I could use some guidance about how to attach the wires. Specifically:

1. The first photo is of the wires from the light itself. Notice how they are frayed. How should I go about connecting these into the wire nuts, considering the amount of fraying?

2. The next photos are of the electrical box where the light will be installed. I am wondering how exactly I should connect the ground wire. Also, what are those two wires in the middle? What do I do with them?

3. Finally, here is the light switch. Notice that the white wires are not connected to the switch itself. Does that mean I should leave the white wires alone when installing the light?

Thanks!!

Grab the wires and twist the ends. That should fix the fraying.

It's very common for boxes to have junctions of other things in them. They could have power feeding the outlets passing through.

Switches allow power to pass through to the other wire. The hot wires need to be hooked to the switch but not the neutral or ground. Leave the white wires alone...

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NJMarine

· #3 · Dec 9, 2012

After making sure power is off, twist ends of wires and that will take care of the fraying.
At the ceiling box the ground wire can be connected to the ground screw on the fixture mounting bracket. If no bracket than remove green clip from box tie all ground together, pigtail a piece of ground wire and install wirenut, than reinstall green clip with ground wire.
The white {neutral] wire will connected to the white wire from the fixture and the white with black tape black will be connected to fixture black wire.
The switch wires would be left alone.

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19mquinn79

Discussion Starter · #4 · Dec 9, 2012

NJMarine said:
After making sure power is off, twist ends of wires and that will take care of the fraying.
At the ceiling box the ground wire can be connected to the ground screw on the fixture mounting bracket. If no bracket than remove green clip from box tie all ground together, pigtail a piece of ground wire and install wirenut, than reinstall green clip with ground wire.
The white {neutral] wire will connected to the white wire from the fixture and the white with black tape black will be connected to fixture black wire.
The switch wires would be left alone.

thanks!! just so i'm sure, you're saying the two "outer" pairs of wires in the 3rd picture, the red and black ones, should not be connected to the wires from the light? i should leave them alone?

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hammerlane

· #5 · Dec 9, 2012 (Edited)

The white wire that is taped black at the light fixture is part of the switch loop. Meaning when the switch is turned on, the white wire taped black becomes HOT.

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NJMarine

· #6 · Dec 9, 2012

At the switch if all 3 wires are connected to switch, hook them up to new switch the same way. The wire for power in or power to light goes on the common

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NJMarine

· #7 · Dec 9, 2012

At the switch if all 3 wires are connected to switch, hook them up to new switch the same way. The wire for power in or power to light goes on the common

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NJMarine

· #8 · Dec 9, 2012

At the switch if all 3 wires are connected to switch, hook them up to new switch the same way. The wire for power in or power to light goes on the common

Save

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Need some help installing a light fixture

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