Installing outdoor flood lights?

Question

My house was pre-wired by the builder for two floodlights on one switch. I have a box with two sets of wires and one ground on the eaves. I am trying to install a floodlight and everything I have looked at is only wired for one electrical connection. I installed the light but it does not work, I am assuming because the second set of wires are an open circuit. I capped both individually, however I am tryin to figure out a solution to this. Is there a way fora light wired this way to work with this set up?

Answer 1

Call the builder and ask him what he or his electrical contractor did. And why they did not connect the light fixture. My guess is that one set of wires is the feed and the other set is the switch leg. Email me if you want to try to work this out. You will need a voltage detector or volt meter.

Answer 2

It is hard to say without seeing the wires and knowing exactly what you are talking about. However, I'll try and help.

There should be one wire that is hot (120V) That wire is your feed. The black wire should go to the top of the switch. On the bottom of the switch you will need to connect the black wires going to the lights. All of the white wires need to be connected together. There should be a bare copper wire and they need to be tied together and connected to the ground on the light fixtures.

The contractor may have the breaker off in the fuse panel, since nothing was hooked to the wires, you can check it out.
The wires should be hooked to a 15A breaker.

Hope this helps. If you are confused, or don't feel comfortable with the work, then have an electrician do it for you, it shouldn't be too much money, since it is prewired. good luck.

Answer 3

You need to figure out which set of wires is going to the second light and disconnect it completely. I can only assume that you would connect your black to black and white to white wires (if that is how the electrician set up the circuit). You really ought to get someone to look at it that knows what they are doing so you can avoid a fire.