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The new fixture only has two black and two white wires and a ground.

I connected both the black and white wires and the ground with the screw but there is a lone white wire in the ceiling. Then I put a connector on it but the light will not come on.

What do I do with this left over white wire?

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  • You should also have a black and white feeding the light. All three blacks need to be connected together and using a seperate conector all the white should be connected together. If that does not work post a picture.
    – Gil
    Commented Feb 19, 2022 at 20:50
  • How is the fixture turned on and off? By one switch or more on the walls of just a pull string from the fixture. How many and colours of wires/cable from ceiling and from the fixture? Usually have a pair of wires, just one not common.
    – crip659
    Commented Feb 19, 2022 at 20:51
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    Please post a picture of the wires and connections in the ceiling box. And a "tip" for future reference: Always take a picture or two of the wires/connections before you start so that you have something to refer back to.
    – gnicko
    Commented Feb 19, 2022 at 20:56
  • @gil if this was a switch leg and properly wired tying white to white and black to black could trip the breaker
    – Ed Beal
    Commented Feb 19, 2022 at 21:14
  • Thanks. I posted a picture. Bear with me. I'm new to this.
    – Christine Taylor
    Commented Feb 19, 2022 at 22:14

1 Answer 1

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Connect the two white wires on the fixture to the white wire from the ceiling.

There are many ways to wire a switched light but in this case you want the three white wires connected together and the three black wires connected together.

Don't neglect to turn off the power to this circuit at the service panel before working on it.

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  • 1
    Thank you so much. It worked! I'm 68 years old and recently widowed. Trying to do things myself.
    – Christine Taylor
    Commented Feb 19, 2022 at 22:22
  • Well done, @ChristineTaylor. If this is the answer don't forget to click the checkmark to accept it.
    – gnicko
    Commented Feb 20, 2022 at 1:30

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