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Existing light fixture is connected to 2 white wires, black wires are capped
How should I connect this new ceiling light?Installing an insignia connect smart switch to three black wires and a bundle of three white wiresI'm trying to replace a ceiling light fixture but the wires are differentHow to wire a light with multiple black/white/green wires from the ceiling?Ceiling box has 2 black and white wires but fan/ light only has 1 of each3 wires hanging from fixtureSwitch with 2 black, 2 white, 2 ground and 1 red wire connected to ceiling light and a receptacle?Why is a white electrical wire connected to 2 black wires?My light wiring has 2 white wires & one black wire
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I started to replace a light fixture in a closet and discovered that although 2 wires (each containing a black, white, and ground wire) come into the box, only the white wires are connected to the fixture (one on each side). Black and ground wires are connected separately, but not attached to the fixture. See picture.
The light is controlled by a single switch. How can the light work (it does if the switch is turned on) without a black wire?
light
asked 8 hours ago
Melanie HankinsMelanie Hankins
63 bronze badges
New contributor
Melanie Hankins is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
I started to replace a light fixture in a closet and discovered that although 2 wires (each containing a black, white, and ground wire) come into the box, only the white wires are connected to the fixture (one on each side). Black and ground wires are connected separately, but not attached to the fixture. See picture.
The light is controlled by a single switch. How can the light work (it does if the switch is turned on) without a black wire?
light
asked 8 hours ago
Melanie HankinsMelanie Hankins
63 bronze badges
New contributor
Melanie Hankins is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Hello, and welcome to Home Improvement. If that picture shows the original setup, then my complements: most people take everything apart before start to think about documenting. And, you should probably take our tour so you'll know how best to participate here.
– Daniel Griscom
8 hours ago
add a comment |
I started to replace a light fixture in a closet and discovered that although 2 wires (each containing a black, white, and ground wire) come into the box, only the white wires are connected to the fixture (one on each side). Black and ground wires are connected separately, but not attached to the fixture. See picture.
The light is controlled by a single switch. How can the light work (it does if the switch is turned on) without a black wire?
light
asked 8 hours ago
Melanie HankinsMelanie Hankins
63 bronze badges
New contributor
Melanie Hankins is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I started to replace a light fixture in a closet and discovered that although 2 wires (each containing a black, white, and ground wire) come into the box, only the white wires are connected to the fixture (one on each side). Black and ground wires are connected separately, but not attached to the fixture. See picture.
The light is controlled by a single switch. How can the light work (it does if the switch is turned on) without a black wire?
light
light
asked 8 hours ago
Melanie HankinsMelanie Hankins
63 bronze badges
New contributor
Melanie Hankins is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 8 hours ago
Melanie HankinsMelanie Hankins
63 bronze badges
New contributor
Melanie Hankins is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 5 hours ago
Melanie Hankins
asked 8 hours ago
Melanie HankinsMelanie Hankins
63 bronze badges
New contributor
Melanie Hankins is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 8 hours ago
Melanie HankinsMelanie Hankins
63 bronze badges
asked 8 hours ago
Melanie HankinsMelanie Hankins
63 bronze badges
63 bronze badges
New contributor
Melanie Hankins is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Melanie Hankins is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Hello, and welcome to Home Improvement. If that picture shows the original setup, then my complements: most people take everything apart before start to think about documenting. And, you should probably take our tour so you'll know how best to participate here.
– Daniel Griscom
8 hours ago
add a comment |
1
Hello, and welcome to Home Improvement. If that picture shows the original setup, then my complements: most people take everything apart before start to think about documenting. And, you should probably take our tour so you'll know how best to participate here.
– Daniel Griscom
8 hours ago
1
1
Hello, and welcome to Home Improvement. If that picture shows the original setup, then my complements: most people take everything apart before start to think about documenting. And, you should probably take our tour so you'll know how best to participate here.
– Daniel Griscom
8 hours ago
Hello, and welcome to Home Improvement. If that picture shows the original setup, then my complements: most people take everything apart before start to think about documenting. And, you should probably take our tour so you'll know how best to participate here.
– Daniel Griscom
8 hours ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
It looks like a switch loop that was wired backwards. The always hot of a switch loop should be white and the switched hot should be black with a marking on the white always hot to identify it as a hot. I have seen this many times, it is easy to fix by swapping the white and black at each end and then marking the white wire with a black sharpie or black tape (any color other than green, gray or white would meet code)
answered 8 hours ago
Ed BealEd Beal
39.2k1 gold badge26 silver badges56 bronze badges
You don't have to reverse the white and black on switch, right? Just at the ceiling box for the light, right?
– Jim Stewart
5 hours ago
Always hot has to be the same at both ends , changing the white and black at each end would be the only way it would work and be in compliance with code, I don’t remember the year it changed but it was a long time back.
– Ed Beal
2 hours ago
add a comment |
One of the white wires is a neutral, and the other white wire is a "switched hot" coming from the wall switch. [EDIT: This was formerly an acceptable practice if the white was marked black, but is not now.]
(Of the two black wires one is the line hot (always hot) and the other black wire carries the always hot to one side of the wall switch.)
When a white is used as a switched hot (or an always hot) it is supposed to be marked with a ring of black tape to indicate that it is sometimes (or always) hot.
IMPORTANT FOR SAFETY
Notice that the two contact screws are different colors--one is brass (gold) colored and one is silver colored. When you connect the wires the neutral is to be connected to the silver colored screw and the switched hot to the brass colored screw. This specification is so that the switched hot is connected to the center contact in the screw base and the neutral is connected to the outer threaded section.
Before you remove the white wires from the existing fixture use a black marker on the white wire connected to the gold screw on the old fixture. Connect this marked wire to the gold screw on the new fixture. It would be best if you had a non contact voltage tester to confirm which wire is switched hot, but if you don't have one one could assume the existing fixture is wired correctly.
answered 8 hours ago
Jim StewartJim Stewart
13.1k1 gold badge14 silver badges32 bronze badges
2
Not anymore. You've been obliged to use the white for always-hot for quite some years.
– Harper
5 hours ago
I agree it has been a long time , on vacation do you have a code ref? Don’t have my books until next week+
– Ed Beal
2 hours ago
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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active
oldest
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
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active
oldest
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active
oldest
votes
It looks like a switch loop that was wired backwards. The always hot of a switch loop should be white and the switched hot should be black with a marking on the white always hot to identify it as a hot. I have seen this many times, it is easy to fix by swapping the white and black at each end and then marking the white wire with a black sharpie or black tape (any color other than green, gray or white would meet code)
answered 8 hours ago
Ed BealEd Beal
39.2k1 gold badge26 silver badges56 bronze badges
You don't have to reverse the white and black on switch, right? Just at the ceiling box for the light, right?
– Jim Stewart
5 hours ago
Always hot has to be the same at both ends , changing the white and black at each end would be the only way it would work and be in compliance with code, I don’t remember the year it changed but it was a long time back.
– Ed Beal
2 hours ago
add a comment |
It looks like a switch loop that was wired backwards. The always hot of a switch loop should be white and the switched hot should be black with a marking on the white always hot to identify it as a hot. I have seen this many times, it is easy to fix by swapping the white and black at each end and then marking the white wire with a black sharpie or black tape (any color other than green, gray or white would meet code)
answered 8 hours ago
Ed BealEd Beal
39.2k1 gold badge26 silver badges56 bronze badges
You don't have to reverse the white and black on switch, right? Just at the ceiling box for the light, right?
– Jim Stewart
5 hours ago
Always hot has to be the same at both ends , changing the white and black at each end would be the only way it would work and be in compliance with code, I don’t remember the year it changed but it was a long time back.
– Ed Beal
2 hours ago
add a comment |
It looks like a switch loop that was wired backwards. The always hot of a switch loop should be white and the switched hot should be black with a marking on the white always hot to identify it as a hot. I have seen this many times, it is easy to fix by swapping the white and black at each end and then marking the white wire with a black sharpie or black tape (any color other than green, gray or white would meet code)
answered 8 hours ago
Ed BealEd Beal
39.2k1 gold badge26 silver badges56 bronze badges
It looks like a switch loop that was wired backwards. The always hot of a switch loop should be white and the switched hot should be black with a marking on the white always hot to identify it as a hot. I have seen this many times, it is easy to fix by swapping the white and black at each end and then marking the white wire with a black sharpie or black tape (any color other than green, gray or white would meet code)
answered 8 hours ago
Ed BealEd Beal
39.2k1 gold badge26 silver badges56 bronze badges
answered 8 hours ago
Ed BealEd Beal
39.2k1 gold badge26 silver badges56 bronze badges
answered 8 hours ago
Ed BealEd Beal
39.2k1 gold badge26 silver badges56 bronze badges
answered 8 hours ago
Ed BealEd Beal
39.2k1 gold badge26 silver badges56 bronze badges
39.2k1 gold badge26 silver badges56 bronze badges
You don't have to reverse the white and black on switch, right? Just at the ceiling box for the light, right?
– Jim Stewart
5 hours ago
Always hot has to be the same at both ends , changing the white and black at each end would be the only way it would work and be in compliance with code, I don’t remember the year it changed but it was a long time back.
– Ed Beal
2 hours ago
add a comment |
You don't have to reverse the white and black on switch, right? Just at the ceiling box for the light, right?
– Jim Stewart
5 hours ago
Always hot has to be the same at both ends , changing the white and black at each end would be the only way it would work and be in compliance with code, I don’t remember the year it changed but it was a long time back.
– Ed Beal
2 hours ago
You don't have to reverse the white and black on switch, right? Just at the ceiling box for the light, right?
– Jim Stewart
5 hours ago
You don't have to reverse the white and black on switch, right? Just at the ceiling box for the light, right?
– Jim Stewart
5 hours ago
Always hot has to be the same at both ends , changing the white and black at each end would be the only way it would work and be in compliance with code, I don’t remember the year it changed but it was a long time back.
– Ed Beal
2 hours ago
Always hot has to be the same at both ends , changing the white and black at each end would be the only way it would work and be in compliance with code, I don’t remember the year it changed but it was a long time back.
– Ed Beal
2 hours ago
add a comment |
One of the white wires is a neutral, and the other white wire is a "switched hot" coming from the wall switch. [EDIT: This was formerly an acceptable practice if the white was marked black, but is not now.]
(Of the two black wires one is the line hot (always hot) and the other black wire carries the always hot to one side of the wall switch.)
When a white is used as a switched hot (or an always hot) it is supposed to be marked with a ring of black tape to indicate that it is sometimes (or always) hot.
IMPORTANT FOR SAFETY
Notice that the two contact screws are different colors--one is brass (gold) colored and one is silver colored. When you connect the wires the neutral is to be connected to the silver colored screw and the switched hot to the brass colored screw. This specification is so that the switched hot is connected to the center contact in the screw base and the neutral is connected to the outer threaded section.
Before you remove the white wires from the existing fixture use a black marker on the white wire connected to the gold screw on the old fixture. Connect this marked wire to the gold screw on the new fixture. It would be best if you had a non contact voltage tester to confirm which wire is switched hot, but if you don't have one one could assume the existing fixture is wired correctly.
answered 8 hours ago
Jim StewartJim Stewart
13.1k1 gold badge14 silver badges32 bronze badges
2
Not anymore. You've been obliged to use the white for always-hot for quite some years.
– Harper
5 hours ago
I agree it has been a long time , on vacation do you have a code ref? Don’t have my books until next week+
– Ed Beal
2 hours ago
add a comment |
One of the white wires is a neutral, and the other white wire is a "switched hot" coming from the wall switch. [EDIT: This was formerly an acceptable practice if the white was marked black, but is not now.]
(Of the two black wires one is the line hot (always hot) and the other black wire carries the always hot to one side of the wall switch.)
When a white is used as a switched hot (or an always hot) it is supposed to be marked with a ring of black tape to indicate that it is sometimes (or always) hot.
IMPORTANT FOR SAFETY
Notice that the two contact screws are different colors--one is brass (gold) colored and one is silver colored. When you connect the wires the neutral is to be connected to the silver colored screw and the switched hot to the brass colored screw. This specification is so that the switched hot is connected to the center contact in the screw base and the neutral is connected to the outer threaded section.
Before you remove the white wires from the existing fixture use a black marker on the white wire connected to the gold screw on the old fixture. Connect this marked wire to the gold screw on the new fixture. It would be best if you had a non contact voltage tester to confirm which wire is switched hot, but if you don't have one one could assume the existing fixture is wired correctly.
answered 8 hours ago
Jim StewartJim Stewart
13.1k1 gold badge14 silver badges32 bronze badges
2
Not anymore. You've been obliged to use the white for always-hot for quite some years.
– Harper
5 hours ago
I agree it has been a long time , on vacation do you have a code ref? Don’t have my books until next week+
– Ed Beal
2 hours ago
add a comment |
One of the white wires is a neutral, and the other white wire is a "switched hot" coming from the wall switch. [EDIT: This was formerly an acceptable practice if the white was marked black, but is not now.]
(Of the two black wires one is the line hot (always hot) and the other black wire carries the always hot to one side of the wall switch.)
When a white is used as a switched hot (or an always hot) it is supposed to be marked with a ring of black tape to indicate that it is sometimes (or always) hot.
IMPORTANT FOR SAFETY
Notice that the two contact screws are different colors--one is brass (gold) colored and one is silver colored. When you connect the wires the neutral is to be connected to the silver colored screw and the switched hot to the brass colored screw. This specification is so that the switched hot is connected to the center contact in the screw base and the neutral is connected to the outer threaded section.
Before you remove the white wires from the existing fixture use a black marker on the white wire connected to the gold screw on the old fixture. Connect this marked wire to the gold screw on the new fixture. It would be best if you had a non contact voltage tester to confirm which wire is switched hot, but if you don't have one one could assume the existing fixture is wired correctly.
answered 8 hours ago
Jim StewartJim Stewart
13.1k1 gold badge14 silver badges32 bronze badges
One of the white wires is a neutral, and the other white wire is a "switched hot" coming from the wall switch. [EDIT: This was formerly an acceptable practice if the white was marked black, but is not now.]
(Of the two black wires one is the line hot (always hot) and the other black wire carries the always hot to one side of the wall switch.)
When a white is used as a switched hot (or an always hot) it is supposed to be marked with a ring of black tape to indicate that it is sometimes (or always) hot.
IMPORTANT FOR SAFETY
Notice that the two contact screws are different colors--one is brass (gold) colored and one is silver colored. When you connect the wires the neutral is to be connected to the silver colored screw and the switched hot to the brass colored screw. This specification is so that the switched hot is connected to the center contact in the screw base and the neutral is connected to the outer threaded section.
Before you remove the white wires from the existing fixture use a black marker on the white wire connected to the gold screw on the old fixture. Connect this marked wire to the gold screw on the new fixture. It would be best if you had a non contact voltage tester to confirm which wire is switched hot, but if you don't have one one could assume the existing fixture is wired correctly.
answered 8 hours ago
Jim StewartJim Stewart
13.1k1 gold badge14 silver badges32 bronze badges
edited 5 hours ago
answered 8 hours ago
Jim StewartJim Stewart
13.1k1 gold badge14 silver badges32 bronze badges
answered 8 hours ago
Jim StewartJim Stewart
13.1k1 gold badge14 silver badges32 bronze badges
answered 8 hours ago
Jim StewartJim Stewart
13.1k1 gold badge14 silver badges32 bronze badges
13.1k1 gold badge14 silver badges32 bronze badges
2
Not anymore. You've been obliged to use the white for always-hot for quite some years.
– Harper
5 hours ago
I agree it has been a long time , on vacation do you have a code ref? Don’t have my books until next week+
– Ed Beal
2 hours ago
add a comment |
2
Not anymore. You've been obliged to use the white for always-hot for quite some years.
– Harper
5 hours ago
I agree it has been a long time , on vacation do you have a code ref? Don’t have my books until next week+
– Ed Beal
2 hours ago
2
2
Not anymore. You've been obliged to use the white for always-hot for quite some years.
– Harper
5 hours ago
Not anymore. You've been obliged to use the white for always-hot for quite some years.
– Harper
5 hours ago
I agree it has been a long time , on vacation do you have a code ref? Don’t have my books until next week+
– Ed Beal
2 hours ago
I agree it has been a long time , on vacation do you have a code ref? Don’t have my books until next week+
– Ed Beal
2 hours ago
add a comment |
Melanie Hankins is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Melanie Hankins is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Melanie Hankins is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Melanie Hankins is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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Hello, and welcome to Home Improvement. If that picture shows the original setup, then my complements: most people take everything apart before start to think about documenting. And, you should probably take our tour so you'll know how best to participate here.
– Daniel Griscom
8 hours ago