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Converting existing 3-way switches to smart switches

I have an existing 3-way switch setup that I'm trying to convert to "smart" switches and I'm feeling "not smart" after mapping out where I think the wires are going. Unfortunately ...
Justin Randall's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
2k views

How do I install a light socket in the middle of a power line with a switch?

I am replacing a light fixture in the middle of a circuit. Power flows into the fixture from the circuit breaker and out of the fixture to other lights and whatnot. There's also a switch attached. I ...
Big McLargeHuge's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
1k views

How to wire a double wall light

I would like to install a double wall light where I'm told there used to be one previously. However, the wires in the wall and the wires of the light are both confusing me, and I'm not sure the best ...
Nemon27's user avatar
  • 223
3 votes
1 answer
931 views

White neutral wire wirenutted to black hot

I have three 14/2 wires coming in to a box. The wire on the left goes to the garage door opener outlet. The bottom right goes to a single light switch and connects to the light as well. The other wire ...
Irish Redneck's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
296 views

How to debug a light fixture that is no longer working

I changed out the switch on the light fixture in my bathroom, and the fixture no longer works. Prior to my changing the switch, both the old switch and the fixture worked fine. I'm trying to figure ...
HotDogWater's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
2k views

Why are their connected pairs of black and white wires in my light and switch boxes?

I'm looking to replace (what I thought would be) a simple light fixture and switch. Upon opening up the box, replacing the cables and doing some testing I have found some strange results. I do believe ...
Timothy Plaza's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
788 views

Should I be concerned about a ceiling light fixture that was installed without the mounting bracket?

The last piece of my move was to install my new light fixtures from my last place and I finally hired a general contractor to do so. After he left, I realized that I had not given him the mounting ...
Taylor's user avatar
  • 7
0 votes
1 answer
372 views

Is there an "inside box" switch (for smart lighting)

I recently bought some smart recessed lights (with smart dimmer) for the kitchen. The smart lighting system requires the power supply to the lights always remain on. Rather than placing the smart ...
yroc's user avatar
  • 125
1 vote
1 answer
3k views

Can I use a 18AWG wire to connect a low current (LED) light to the ceiling?

I bought a LED ceiling light with the following specifications: Wattage: 15W Voltage: 100-240V AC Current: 73mA The product doesn't come with cables, and the instructions say "use a cable that ...
Nelson's user avatar
  • 21
1 vote
0 answers
134 views

Convert Single Gang to Dual Gang for Ceiling Light/Fan Fixture

I’m resurrecting a question I asked a couple months back, but now I have pictures that should hopefully help illustrate what I’m asking. Thank you for the preliminary responses, hopefully now this ...
Matt's user avatar
  • 21
0 votes
1 answer
90 views

Best Light for Reading, Computer Office: Flat Panel or Dome/Global Light [closed]

We are thinking of installing new ceiling lights, in Standard 10 feet ceiling. We originally have 4 inch diameter light in the hallway. My son would keep the door open to prevent getting hot, however ...
earlwaltonluv3462's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
752 views

5W LEDs on a 4W rated ceiling lamp

I recently purchased a ceiling lamp with 4 LED bulb slots. The specs mention that 4W bulbs should be used. Is it okay to use a 5W bulb in place of the 4W? The lamp runs on mains, and the bulbs are ...
jamie's user avatar
  • 1
1 vote
2 answers
2k views

Help replacing fluorescent light fixture - 2 sets of black and 2 sets of white

I am replacing fluorescent light fixture. The previous owner had 2 fluorescent light fixtures connected with a single switch. Those lights stopped working. I checked its not the tubes that were just ...
NabSh's user avatar
  • 11
2 votes
1 answer
317 views

Does my light switch have a ground?

I just bought my first house and I want to replace this switch with This smart switch. The smart switch says it needs a ground wire, but when I opened the box up, it looks like there are only two ...
J. Hoff's user avatar
  • 23
1 vote
1 answer
60 views

How to correctly wire two lamps to 2 way switch

I messed up! I was replacing two light fittings that are both controlled from 2 two way switches. I did not make a note of the existing connections before I removed the old fittings (noob mistake I ...
Cursive's user avatar
  • 21
0 votes
2 answers
531 views

California Title 24 implications for bypassing ballasts in my 4-pin (GX24Q) fixtures

I've gotten fed up with the recessed 4-pin GX24Q fixtures in my kitchen that were required by California Title 24, after removing a burned out (and relatively expensive) CFL, cracking it in the ...
jamesdlin's user avatar
  • 165
2 votes
1 answer
451 views

Calculate box volume needed with light

I think I know the calculation for this gang box, but I want to double check. Specifically, does the light count as a "yoke"? This is a 15A circuit. Per my other question (Calculate ...
Mike's user avatar
  • 355
0 votes
2 answers
264 views

Integrated LED sconce turns on and then immediately turns off

I just moved into a new home which has two bathrooms with identical LED vanity lights, https://www.minkagroup.net/p5217-077-l.html. In each bathroom, when you flip the switch for the vanity light, it ...
user126296's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
559 views

Can I split ceiling light wire to create a receptacle on ceiling?

I'm trying to install LED string lights (2 Watt x 15 bulbs) around the porch covered by permanent roof. But, it looks ugly if I run an extension cord on the wall from the outlet to the ceiling. There ...
Steve DEU's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
256 views

Which are the hot wires and is there a ground present in my recessed light?

This light fixture was capped and has two white lines pigged tailed together with a single orange line wrapped around, two orange lines pigged tailed together, two yellow lines pigged tailed together. ...
GShannon's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
371 views

Can you run a 15 amp light circuit off of a 20 amp outlet

Need an extra light in the garage, but separately switched. Any reason why I couldn't add a pigtail from the outlet and connect the light and switch with 14 gauge using an inline 15 amp fuse inside ...
sapinva's user avatar
  • 11
0 votes
1 answer
470 views

2 out of 5 ceiling lights in basement won't work

2 out of 5 ceiling lights in basement won't work. The fuse never tripped. The lights never flickered. They worked perfectly before. The house was built in 1997. The basement is unfinished so I can see ...
Brian Netzel's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
248 views

Do I need to use dielectric grease or another type of water proofing in c9 christmas sockets?

I went ahead and took the plunge and ordered the supplies to build my own christmas light strand this year using this guide. I built a test strip, and I'm realizing that water intrusion into the c9 ...
Sidney's user avatar
  • 1,645
4 votes
2 answers
571 views

Is this 3 switch wiring arrangement allowed by code?

I have a hallway light fixture with three switches. When the circuit is off, a small voltage persists to the fixture causing LED and CFL bulbs to stop working prematurely. It is believed that the ...
psaxton's user avatar
  • 555
0 votes
0 answers
34 views

Blew a bulb, not the breaker, but now there's no power to the ceiling box

I installed a new chandelier that worked initially, then a loose wire in the socket blew the bulb. I re-wired the socket, but now there seems to be no power. I have a current tester, not a meter and ...
Korey Cieslinski's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
1k views

Can you extend electrical wires from a junction box as long as the splices are contained?

I have an electrical box that ideally I would get moved, but I'm trying to work with what I've got. From what I can tell, it has already been moved/replaced twice before, as there is a round patched ...
Bzrs's user avatar
  • 334
2 votes
1 answer
372 views

Selecting the correct lighting transformer

This is related to a separate question I posted here: LED chandelier lights permanently dim. I have an LED chandelier that it appears that I need to replace my transformer in as per the comments in my ...
Ryan Griffith's user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
5k views

Light bulb sockets in ceiling fan damaged due to corrosion or arcing: Can clean to repair or must replace?

My ceiling fan has 3 light bulb sockets of roughly candelabra bulb size E12 For many years the lights have been unreliable even with new bulbs, frequently flickering on and off spontaneously or when ...
JohnC's user avatar
  • 209
0 votes
1 answer
646 views

Old light fixture has 3 sets of black, white and copper. It keeps tripping breaker when installed. Not sure what to do

I’m installing a new light fixture to replace an old ceiling fan light fixture. When I removed the old fixture there are 3 sets of black, white, and copper wires in white casings. My new fixture does ...
Shane Nardi-Williams's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
3k views

How to replace a CFL recessed light with LED fixture

I bought a few LED new light fixtures and was able to replace them in bedroom in 5-10 minutes each. But the ones in kitchen had a weird CFL format and not the usual lightbulb screw kind of holder so ...
Gaurav's user avatar
  • 101
1 vote
1 answer
2k views

Single pole/single throw switch turns one light on and one light off

I have a single pole, single throw switch which controls a ceiling light, no pull chain (light A) and (unnecessarily) a wall light, with pull chain (light B). When the switch is in the OFF position, ...
Ivan G.'s user avatar
  • 245
1 vote
1 answer
28 views

Test light wiring

I'm renovating a pantry. There was a light in there that didn't work. We were told after purchase that it had been "deactivated". Before I moved the box I tested the wire and it in fact had ...
fullerm's user avatar
  • 233
1 vote
1 answer
5k views

How to wire lighting fixture with two sets of hot, neutral, and ground?

I'm installing a light fixture in my crawl space. The fixture has a set of hot, neutral, and ground wires coming into the fixture from utilities as well as a set of hot, neutral, and ground wires ...
aaron-boranian's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
30 views

Wiring question - 3 lights

Trying to get a really precise answer about what to do with each wire. I got some answers before but they were not specific enough and had run on sentences I could not make sense of. I am very handy, ...
Sam K's user avatar
  • 1
1 vote
1 answer
653 views

Light fixture on new condo wiring question

Ok so my wife and I bought our first condo. It was built over 100 years ago but has some modern renovations and some early 90s renovations. There were two light fixtures we hated so we shut the ...
Robert E Klosak's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
906 views

Change Bulb Socket in Light Fixture?

I have a lighting fixture that uses CF13DT bulbs. How can I replace just the socket to use Edison screw in bulbs or the bi-pin GU24 bulbs?
Merlin -they-them-'s user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
1k views

Light switch to quickly toggle power on and off for LED control

I installed an led chandelier that is controlled by a remote, which can change the color temperature and dim it. The light came with a 120VAC/24VDC driver. The device came with little instruction, but ...
Michael Jarret's user avatar
12 votes
2 answers
31k views

Should there be insulation inside a light fixture?

I recently moved into a new home, and I was replacing a light bulb when I found this after removing the glass cover. Now, I don't know much about codes and regulations, and I'm new to working on my ...
Graham Harper's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
251 views

Remove 1 Light/Switch to Operate on It's Own

I have 7 lights in my kitchen going into my butler's pantry. There are five light switches that controls the lights. 1 switch in the butler's pantry, 3 switches in the kitchen and 1 switch outside of ...
I_AmVirgo's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
2k views

LED chandelier lights permanently dim

Our LED chandelier has 20 1.5w G4 bi-pin bulbs. About a month ago, all of the bulbs, in unison became very dim. We do not have a dimmer on this chandelier. I noticed that sometimes when I'd turn on ...
Ryan Griffith's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
95 views

Converting a Chandalier Hard wire to an outlet

we just moved in to a new apt in New Jersey and the previous tenant had this really nice string light fixture with colorful lampshades etc (pictured below). Unfortunately, he took them with him when ...
Waleed Aly's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
188 views

After installing GFCI outlet in bathroom, why won't my light fixture turn on?

I recently installed an updated light fixture in my bathroom and swapped a standard outlet for a GFCI. Both are seemingly running through a single light switch. Once everything was installed the light ...
Tim's user avatar
  • 11
2 votes
2 answers
5k views

Three way switch circuit leaking voltage

I have a hallway light fixture controlled by three switches (panel -> 3 way -> 4 way -> 3 way -> fixture). Lights in this fixture routinely burn out within 6 months (incandescent, cfl and ...
psaxton's user avatar
  • 555
4 votes
1 answer
602 views

Do European/Italian light fixtures & boxes use metric threads?

I installed a fancy light fixture in a US single wall box, and had a terrible time with the mount and trim until I tapped out the fixture's mounting caps with a 8-24 tap and replaced the mounting ...
Dave X's user avatar
  • 418
0 votes
0 answers
2k views

Exterior light fixture: White wire hot, black wire not,

I have an outdoor flood light fixture that stopped working. I don’t use it often so it could have stopped working at any time. I changed the bulbs and that didn’t work, so I got a new fixture. I took ...
Matt Benzing's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
1k views

What is this brown material in my 1950s-era ceiling light's electrical box?

I'm planning to re-wire a ceiling light fixture in order to bring a neutral line down to the switch box. I've identified where all of the lines go in the attic, it's easily accessible and there's no ...
Jason's user avatar
  • 451
1 vote
1 answer
2k views

Rewiring light fixture and switch to bring neutral line to the switch: one 12/3 switch-leg vs two 12/2 wire to bring power to switch?

I'm looking at rewiring a ceiling-mounted light fixture (a basic light bulb mount) and the accompanying switch in my utility room. It's in a very accessible part of my attic, and I'd like to do it in ...
Jason's user avatar
  • 451
0 votes
2 answers
62 views

Finding a switch for dining room ceiling wires

I bought a house and there is a spot in the dining room for a ceiling light (it was capped off) and I installed a chandelier after determining the wires were not live and there is no switch that I can ...
Herbert Haak's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
134 views

Can't get my keyless bulb socket working

I have an old country home. I'm trying to get a porch lite to work. The old porcelain fixture was cracked and had electrical tape holding it so I replaced with a porcelain keyless. There are 2 sets ...
Jason's user avatar
  • 1
2 votes
1 answer
2k views

What is this extra wire in my light fixture box?

House built in the early 70's. Yesterday, I had to unmount a few light fixtures in my hall. The three lights are all controlled (as a single group) by three different wall switches. The fixtures are ...
drewns's user avatar
  • 41

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