Installed recessed lighting when light switch is turned on the circuit pops, even with no bulbs in. Help!?

Question

5 lights installed with 60-watt bulbs. Power source comes from a fixture that has a light with 2 on off switches. I assume 1 switch was for use with a fan. Light was connected to a red wire so I connected the red wire again. Was I supposed to connect the black wire? Black is currently not connected to anything.

Answer 1

your correct if...

the switch box ( on the wall correct by a door .. correct ? ) had 2 switches, and you used only onf the the 2 for the new recessed can lights...
the other would be left on or wire capped.. unless you get a new switch / blank combo plate..

however...
can i assume you had white wire hok only to white wires?....
as these would be the nuetrals
and how did you know you did not nick a wire and it's grounding ( thus creating a dead short ) in one fo your 5 recessed lights?
double check all your connections, make sure none of the wires are nicked and touching ground / metal inside of the recessed can lighting junction boxes.

Answer 2

Not too hard. Turn off the circuit breaker that feeds the lights. remove the lights and install #12/2 w/grd Romex wiring to all of the new locations on one side. Start at the furthest light and let a foot of wiring hang out, then run the wiring to the next light and make a loop that hangs out about a foot, do the same for the 3rd light and run the wiring to the 4th light and cut the wiring with a foot or so hanging out. Wire the furthest light (black to black, white to white, grd to the bare wire) Use wire nuts to secure the connections. Install the light in the ceiling and go to the next one, take the loop of wiring hanging out and cut the loop in half with both sides being equal, strip the wires and hook the light up with the 3 blacks together and 3 whites together and grds tied together. Repeat the process on the next one. Now you can hook the power wires up when you tie in the last light. It doesn't matter which light has the feed wire, just be sure to get all the blacks together and all the whites together. Now you can do the same thing with the other side. After all this, it's time to replace the switch with a 20A switch as another answer has mentioned. Turn the breaker on and flip the switch. Wattage is figured on multiplying volts and current. So add up the total wattage of all the bulbs and then divide it by the voltage (120) and that will give you the current that the circuit will draw. Just in case, you need to know whether you need to get a 20A switch or the old one will still be good enough.

Answer 3

Both black and red are known as 'hot' wires. These are usually used for 3-way wiring, ceiling fans, etc. What you should really do is cap that black wire and then go to the box that it originates from and pull it from the pigtail that its getting its power from. Or vice versa with the red. Bottom line you only need one power wire. It sounds like its touching ground when you flip the switch hence the popping noise. Be careful.

Answer 4

You have obviously created a short. Without knowing all the colors you have coming together, I can't be sure what to tell you. But your black wire should be connected I am sure. If you don't get an answer, email me at [e-mail]