Wiring Light Fixtures

[TheJeepWheeler]

I gotta problem. I unwired my fixture today to put in a new one. When I wired the new on in and turned to switch on it was flickering. So I shut off the breaker and took off the fixture. I then took the switch out of the wall to test it. I took my mutlimeter to the wires coming out where the fixture hooks in and it STILL has 120V. WITHOUT THE SWITCH!!!!!!!! What is my problem man?

[brentipi]

Great video, super helpful!

[tmichaelish]

Wow, thank you so very much! Us single women absolutely NEED your videos like this!! Cant thank you enough!! Forget the idiot remarks from "Commander!!" Your correct he is very unsecure!! Keep up the great work!!

[regal033]

Thank you so much for this video, its so common sense...electricians are so bloody expensive, this looks like something I can do myself. THANK YOU!!!!

[AsktheBuilder]

@regal033 You're welcome. Be sure you subscribe to my channel and watch the other free videos. Start with small projects to ensure success and build confidence.

[HSchwab777]

If Its that simple i am definatley gonna do this tomorrow thank you!!!!!

[Wheelin98]

thanks man you helped make it easy

[RockYourBody111]

bolth of the wires are white



[Serostern]

Ey, TIM!

It's AC.

It doesnt care if you wire that black-black or white-white.

[AsktheBuilder]

@Serostern Oh, you're so wrong..... You need to have the polarity correct so that the hot wire is NOT energizing the aluminum screw threads of the socket.

[Serostern]

@AsktheBuilder Neither the hot nor negative should touch anything that is not a part of the circuit.

[fl0r1svdk]

@Serostern your groud is the same "polarity" as nutral

[derekrsmith1]

@Serostern I love changing the light fixtures and it's really easy. I just don't want my husband to know that I can do it. The less he knows I can do the better off I am.

[aislinnrogue]

One of the only videos out there that actually shows how to actually connect a grounding wire. Seems basic enough, but to a 100% newbie..."connect the ground wire to the mounting bracket using a grounding screw" just aren't clear enough directions. Seeing it here cleared it up for me! Thanks!

[1982rf]

I love the tips these DIY fools give... Get an electrician in! It is safer and you can always get a quote for free...

Idiots like you that put people like me out of business and worse - get people shocked, burned or killed...

[AsktheBuilder]

@1982rf Commander, you just don't get it. Why are you and so many other tradesmen so unsecure? There will ALWAYS be a segment of the market that wants to do the job themselves either because they want to or they can't afford you. Videos like this are for them. And don't preach how high and mighty you are because on your first day on the job, you didn't know squat. You had to learn just like the folks watching these videos.

[1982rf]

@AsktheBuilder

I know how much it hurts to get electricuted. Not every installation is done by the book. Sadly many that arn't are done in a DIY fashion where best (uniformed) intentions led to an unsafe situation. When I was a self employed domestic electrician I charged £20.00(+the actual luminaire cost price) to change a luminare (light) fitting. That is a bargin!  Around 25% of these jobs were where the client (or some guy that "knew") had tried to do it themselves.

[frankduffy17]

@1982rf jesus man, get over urself! if people like him put u out of business, i think u should quit anyway!anyone who rings an electrician to come and change one light will wait for possibly several weeks to get it done. its a nixer for these people&they really dont care about u or ur discomfort in the majority of cases. they fob u off with "oh yeh, ill be down some time next week". this is Wiring 101. a week old apprentice can do it. y would we pay electrician rates for a job a chimp could do??

[Serostern]

@frankduffy17 Problem is that a lot of people do it when they have no or insuficcient knowledge about how to do it.

I've seen houses burn down over way WAY simpler shit than this.

[TheJailProductions]

@Serostern

(I'm just asking a question)

So would you say a person can do this as long as they know what they're doing and follow safety precautions? Granted, electricians are certified at knowing what they're doing, but an understanding of circuitry and common sense will support a DIY-er, correct?

[buffalobills91]

@1982rf YEAH...... I mean damn..... we wouldn't want anybody to be able to do anything themselves... everybody has to stay dependent on others for everything and spend ever penny they make right....

look dude- its not a video on how to upgrade your service panel -- then I could understand you talking about getting a professional--- its a flipping light fixture.....if somebody gets killed doing whats in this video than that's one less moron breeding in our gene pool.

[Techozek]

I would never go ahead and say that the "ground" wire is the only wire in which you can safely touch. Not always the case.

[alebb2]

what happens when there is no ground wire? or even if there is a ground wire, what happens if the chandelier doesn't have a 'ground screw'.

thanks

[billyg555]

i agree, your videos are always helpful. how do you tell the white from black wire in older homes where both wires are black?always seems to work by hooking up new fixtures to either one, the black or white on the fixture.

[AsktheBuilder]

@billyg555 You determine hot from neutral with electric testing meters. Better read up on this so you do it correctly.

[carwcc1234]

What if there are 2 black wires and 2 white wires from the fixture? Do you connect black on black on black and the same for white? Or do you just go with one set? Or do you connect one set of black and white to the house white and the other set to the house black?

[joseuonline]

Thanks - you just prevented me wiring the wrong cables together :)

I used white-white, and though i didn't have a black-black cable scenario, the remaining were red-black, it worked.

Thanks!

[craigadambennett]

Hello your videos are as helpful as any I have seen on youtube. You are excellent on the camera and keep everything interesting. I was wondering what motivates you to do such a good job making these videos? If i had money I would certainly donate some to you. The world certainly needs more people like you. Keep up the excellent work.

[AsktheBuilder]

@craigadambennett Thanks! Please spread the word about them. I'm getting ready to create MANY more that will be available for sale for just $1 or $2. They will be in-depth videos showing you how to do many other projects. Be SURE to subscribe to my FREE Newsletter at my AsktheBuilder website. When I create a new video, I"ll be announcing it there.

[eicontrol]

I'm a Register electrician & Electrical Contractor in AU, firstly it looks funny & totally illegal for a builder to attempt to wire up a light fitting, that's if it was in Australia, over here we would have to insulate the bare earth (ground) wire. and also thos twist on connectors are dodgey, use the screw type connectors they are much better, or better yet just call your local electrician to do it for you safely and easily.

[wrassell]

Wire nuts are very efficient way of making a connection. Screw terminals wouldn't work well in this application because of cost, time, and money.

[AUSteveo84]

@wrassell screw terminals might cost ya a few cents... lol they take seconds to install and give a much better termination, which = safety!

[ratty860997]

Eepp those wire nuts are well dodgy i'd never use them in my home. I also see you didnt sleeve up your earth either that could touch on any of the live terminal behind that cover.

You need to mention that at a ceiling rose you have perminant lives too or some people are gonna get confused and connect to the wrong points.

[facciaditosta]

ok I have a round fluorescent kitche light. I have the white wires from the ceiling into the box inside the fixture and the black ones that match BUT I HAVE WIRES FROM THE SWITCH INSIDE THE FIXTURE WHERE DO THEY GO?????

[molds9]

I have 2 white wires and 3 black wires on my fixture, but only 1 white and 1 black in the ceiling box. Should connect the 3 black wires together and the 3 white wires together?

Also the ground wire from the ceiling box is really short (only hangs about 1/2 inch). Can I attach a wire to this to extend the grounding wire so I can wrap it aaround the grounding screw?

[BiopticSniper]

@molds9 yes you are correct to connect the same colour wires together (white to white and black to black) and yes you can extend the ground wire in the junction box with another piece of wire but remember to join them with approved connectors ok? :-)

[MissouriBadboy]

so the white wire bypasses the light switch where the black wire goes, and the white wire goes to the light along with the black wire that comes from the light switch right?

[AsktheBuilder]

@MissouriBadboy Correct. You need to watch my Light Switch Wiring and 3 Way Switch videos.

[Sophisticat]

My wall only has 1 white, 1 black, and 1 ground. The fixture I found and want to install has 2 white, 2 black, and 1 ground. My grandmother told me to just put the 2 black on the black and the 2 white on the white and I did so. It works and it seems fine but I'm just afraid it's gonna blow up or something so I have the breaker off again. Is this set-up okay? Or should I find a fixture with 1 black and 1 white.

[vpbubbies]

@Sophisticat Eh Cat, no worries mate, job well done! Just hope you used proper wire connectors and threaded them on the right way.

[Dmitrytln]

Don't ever use this nuts, buy normal screw terminals. As I see, in America those nuts are popular.

In my country lot of electricians like to join old USSR aluminium wires with new copper ones in old apartment blocks, as the result it starts to melting in junction boxes.

I use this nuts only when have no possibility to turn off voltage to insulate hot wires from my body.

[AsktheBuilder]

@Dmitrytln Wire nuts are approved connectors here in the USA. Enough said.

[Dmitrytln]

@AsktheBuilder

But what about terminals with screw? Of course, this nut can pass 5A. But as for electric stove or water pump or other high current devices, it start to heat and then melting.

In my country those nuts are also approved; but when current is more than 8A, this nut begin to heat. That is why I ask, if there possible to use screw/clamp/self-clamp terminals in USA. I see only wire nuts.

Thanks!

[WaterFish22]

Should you put in the bulb before you turn the power back on???

[carolkuyable]

the box in the wall has 6 wires, 2 on one side are white. 3 on one side are black and one is white. I cap on 2 white wires 1 cap on 3 black wires and a cap on the one white wire on black side. wired up new light but it won't shut off. can you help?

[skullfoot]

if there is a bare wire with the new light fixture,do I tie it to the bare wire from the ceiling?

[AsktheBuilder]

@skullfoot If the bare wire in the box is the GROUND or earth wire, then Yes, you connect it to the bare wire in the fixture.

[TeNaCiOuSLeGeNd]

Those are QO Square D breakers. There just older. Thats why they look like that.

[jhonaxe1234]

white wire can go with black wire if it is switched loop. It should have black tape on it. Best bet call an electricain.

[je0p]

good job splicing the wires before screwing on the wire nuts

[raleboeuf]

I have a pull string light fixture that I want to change so that I can turn it on via a wall switch. It is in a closet so I don't care if the wire is visable and that the switch box is mounted on the outer wall. (As opposed to being hidden inside the dry wall.) How do I wire this up?

[lilc0051]

thanks this helped me!!!

[jsellers224]

What wires do I connect in the light to get the switch to work properly? The way I have it now when I turn the light off I trip the breaker. The switch seems to be at the end of the string the way it is set up. But it was able to control a socket. I want to control the light I installed now.

[babu111ca]

Hi I have a question, I want to install a light that i bought. It has black, white, and green/yellow wire. I connect white to white, black to black, and green/yellow with the copper wire from the ceiling. I thought it's right, but when I turn on the light it blows up, I can see dark burn outs in the light box and wires. What went wrong?

[sk8er4life411]

the green/yellow wire is ur ground wire. dont connect it to the other copper wire thats there. wrap it around a screw thats in the fixture like he did in the video

[BumbleBea84]

how many ground wires should there be? i only saw one in video..good video though

[tchhom]

if it has more than one bare ground copper wires, which is save to touch ?

[8OoO8]

I installed a dual bulb with black and white wires and ground. all wires were connected color coded and now they are always on. Any suggestions?

[Dedendwight]

We are replacing a ceiling fan with a chandelier. When we connected everything the wall light switch won't turn the light off. What did we do wrong, or miss?

[twoodaz]

I have the same issue. I can not get the light to turn off after removing a ceiling fan. Thoughts???...

[agricolae101]

did you get any suggestions on this?

[mattyice11]

those are counterfit breakers u showed! u gotta get them changed out, go on google and search square d counterfit circuit breakers and you will see.

[AsktheBuilder]

You are 100 percent wrong. Actually 150 percent wrong. The Square D breakers in this video were sent to me by the manufacturer.

[mattyice11]

ohh, ok. They looked like them cause Ive seen the counterfit ones, and the "D" part on them is not colored yellow like they are now, same as the amp rating, that is colored white now. . when where those installed?

[AsktheBuilder]

Those breakers were installed in 1986.

[mattyice11]

Ohh ok, thats why they looked counterfit, sorry for tha trouble haha.

[beau5757]

not twin+earth??? (metal light fitting)

[TarahKatherine]

The wires on my light fixture are yellow and the ones i am connecting to are black and white, how do i know which ones i am suppose to link them to?

[staistun]

have u guys ever heard of green and yellow sleeving for the earth wire how can u have bares cores showing irrespective of their function

[AsktheBuilder]

Direct this question to the National Fire Protection Association.

[thegalster1888]

drumboi doesnt matter if its a dimmer or a normal switch , only time u cant use a dimmer is with low volt lighting , doesnt concern which way its wired , my advice to u is to get a qualified electrician

[corleones84]

u can use a dimmer on low voltage downlights

[thegalster1888]

1. u didnt test ur tester to make sure it was still working . 2. Why not touch any bare copper if u know uve safely isolated the circuit ? if circuit is isolated its safe . 3. u make sure ur completely finnished before u reconnect the powewr ( insert the lamp ( not bulb they grow in gardens ) before u reconnect power . the outcome is dont ask the builder cos he doesnt know anymore than the average person off the street

[corleones84]

haha

[opothenew]

the red wire is just your switch leg. its just like the black. connect the black wire of the fixture to the red wire in the box. and white to white

[glornna]

I do have a red wire what is it ?

[larsandreassen2]

Is it allowed in america to do this kind of installations themselves?

[AsktheBuilder]

Yes and its recommended they get an inspection if necessary.

[drumboi6]

I'm trying to install a light fixture to the ceiling that has a dimmer switch on the wall.

On the ceiling there are 3 black wires in a bunch with a yellow cap covering all three, a black one with 3 wires joined together and capped as well,

then there's one red wire capped and a ground.

But it makes no mention of what to do if there's a dimmer switch? This wiring instruction assumes that I have a plain old switch.

What happens to the red wire?

Help!

[AsktheBuilder]

You should go read all of my past columns on switches at my website. Use that keyword in my search engine. switch or switches

[jeffsssimpala]

1. connect ground from fan to ground from ceiling.

2. connect white wire from fan to white wire from ceiling.

3. twist black and blue wires together from fan making a combined wire and connect to black wire from ceiling. easy pickens

[alfrediux1980]

i want to instal a fan but the fan has three wires blue, black, white and ground but my oulet box has just two wires black, white and ground what can i do?

[AsktheBuilder]

Contact the fan mfr's website for a pdf wiring diagram.

[jeffsssimpala]

all you have to do is twist the black and blue wires coming from the fan together connect the ground from fan to ground from ceiling, connect the white from fan to white from ceiling, then last connect the black and blue twisted together from fan to black from ceiling.

[edwina22]

Some fans have a permanent live and a switched live, the switched live connects via the light switch and operates the light on the fan and the permanent live operates the fan. the idea is that if you turn the light off at the wall the fan can still run on its own and wont have the power cut by the switch. If you connect both lives from the fan to the switch then it wont operate when the light switch is turned off.

[keoghconboy]

Mate you are a plumber giving electrical advice what gives, i am from australia and i have to say you would loose you license over here if you tried that, i have got to say that i find the term hot for your active conducotr a rather quaint term and man are your socket outlets and light switches Large

[AsktheBuilder]

Mate, I'm a builder that happens to have quite a bit of experience with electric and plumbing. No worries as I have no intention of coming to Australia to work. I'll leave all of that to you and your buddies.

[cookmydinner]

haha...I think thats checkmate! Keep doin what your doin Bob!

[jniekerk78]

I am installing a new bathroom light and there is a red wire coming in one side only, what do I connect it to

[AsktheBuilder]

Sorry, I'd have to be there with my voltage tester.

[krozzie303]

earth continuity test?

how do you know that the light circuit or fixture doesn't have a broken earth anywhere (general question).

Notice the light you replaced was double insulated and this factor is not so important.

[woodallaj]

Cool, helpful video's but I can't seem to find a video on 3 way ceiling lights. I did one with my future stepson & only one of the 2 lights work & same with the switches. HELP! My girlfriend thinks I'm the brains of the outfit & I'd like to keep it that way... ;o)

[humynism]

What do you do if your wires coming from the ceiling have only black and white and no ground?

[D10M0]

Hi mate. Excellent advice your giving.

Quick question, I am in the UK and would like to wire multiple lights together either directly or through a plug. In your opinion is this safe/possible to do?

No more than 30w each, 5 lights, 240v UK mains.

[AsktheBuilder]

My advice is to read many of the comments in my Switch videos. You will see many from UK electricians. Go to their channels and send them a message.

[sentrand]

i am going to hook up a bathroom light fixture. you said to put the ground (coming from the lightswitch) onto the green screw on the mounting piece for the fixture. what do i hook the ground wire from the light itself.

[AsktheBuilder]

Put it on the same screw.

[warrrp88]

im putting in a light fixture in a very old house and there is only a black(hot) and white wire. i see no visible ground wire. what should i do. the old light fixture had two wires from the fixture going to the white wire and then just the normal black to black.

[AsktheBuilder]

It depends on who you ask....... My guess is an inspector would tell you to run a ground wire to the location. Someone else might tell you to connect the fixture without one as there are millions of fixtures connected in the USA that have never been grounded.

[GR8racingfool]

My house is very old too, so when I installed new lights/ceiling fans I connected the lights ground wire to the junction box its self so it was not loose inside. It will be fine. Just make sure you use good wire nuts and not the cheap supplied nuts with the fixture. I prefer to use the red ones, with the "wings" for more grip and torque. Red colored nuts, will cover almost every wire project in your home.

[Lifesucksdie123]

what about a double light fixture my white mustached friend?

i need help

[AsktheBuilder]

Same principal. Just watch the color coding of the wires.

[laoislad]

I can't believe it's not regulation in your country to sleeve the earth(ground) wire

That just wouldn't be acceptable in Ireland.

Im a qualified Electrican with my own company and if one of my employees didn't sleeve the earth wire he would be in trouble.

What if the bare ground wire comes in contact with the live feed wire? the whole light fitting becomes live

Very bad practice not to sleeve the ground wire

[AsktheBuilder]

Think about it. If a hot wire does come into contact the breaker trips that much sooner. The people who wrote the NEC must have a reason. You might want to research this and see what is behind it.

[cindarjit]

everytime I start a video it stalls and I have to start again and again!

[AsktheBuilder]

You need a faster connection to the Internet.

[WoeYeah]

I installed a light fixture and now my light switch doesn't work any suggestion why?

[AsktheBuilder]

Perhaps you didn't connect the wires tightly......

[WoeYeah]

ok that could be i try that thanks

[IvanDirtysouth92]

I just wired my light. there is a red wire hanging out and i think its for the switch because my switch doesn't work.

[AsktheBuilder]

Oh well. Try again.

[IvanDirtysouth92]

do you have a spare red wire??

[vurs420]

the black wire isnt always power, it should have been stated because ppl could die.

[AsktheBuilder]

Which is *exactly* why I said early in the video to turn off the breaker *feeding* that circuit.

[doctorh2005]

aren'y you supposed to put a protective cover over the earth-wire? (the "ground" wire)???

I'm studying electrical installation myself. It's pretty interesting :)

[1uneek]

not necessary. Its also called THE BARE WIRE.

Check it out.