I installed a new fixture in my sons' room and when I turned the power back on at the breaker, it lit up before I flipped the switch in their room. What did I do wrong? I connected white to white, black to black and ground to ground. There was also a red wire in the ceiling, which i kept covered. Thanks!
2007-03-16 10:30:02 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Do you live on any ancient Indian Burial Grounds?
Be careful.
2007-03-16 10:39:59 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The power most likely comes from the panel to the box in the ceiling. The black wire from the box is connected to the wire going to the switch and back to the box in the ceiling. If you can determine which wires go to the switch, connect one of these wires [makes no difference which, but I would say connect the white wire to the switch to the black wire from the panel, Then connect the black wire from the switch to the black wire on the fixture to keep the color at the fixture correct. Normally the electrician will place a piece of black tape around the white wire to the switch to code it. Connect the white wire from the panel to the white wire on the fixture. Note: If the red wire was not connected to the fixture you removed, It could be a trailer wire abandoned or another load from the panel.
Depends on where the red wire comes from. Check the wires with a voltage tester.
Hisemiester.
2007-03-16 10:51:01 · answer #2 · answered by hisemiester 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you have multiple blacks in the ceiling box the likely hood is the red is the switch leg, connect all whites together, connect all blacks together after you do this check the red for voltage with and without switch on. If the power to red is controlled by the switch, then connect the white from the fixture to the whites in the box and connect the black to red.
2007-03-16 15:02:03 · answer #3 · answered by Eamonn S 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the red wire is probably the switch leg . Its the power sent to the fixture when the switch is on.. You hooked into the hot which is always on. Try hooking to the red wire. Its best to test it with a volt-meter, though.
2007-03-16 10:35:36 · answer #4 · answered by backyard_tire_biter 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have hooked onto a hot leg and not the switched leg. Try using the red wire and see if that works.
2007-03-16 11:15:15 · answer #5 · answered by Fordman 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋