Old house's ceiling box.... too many wires ??

[deman]

Hi,

I want to put a nice modern light on my ceiling, but the ceiling 'box' is a very old one with a niple in the middle (actually not a 'box'). I found a solution to the putting up the light itself, but the wires are my problem....

My light only has a white/black/grounding wire, but from the ceiling box a white, black wire and 3 sets of other (fabric covered) wires come out. What do I do with these. When I hooked up only white/white and black/black, the light didn't work.

I am at a loss what to do with those other wires.

Does anybody know anything about this?

Thanks, Patrick.

[Wgoodrich]

The three sets of fabric coverd wires prabably was the original wiring. The black and white wire in the box probably is a newer wire installed to install a switch or tap power to go feed something else.

You need to identify where that black and white wire goes and what wires go to your switch.

Open you switch and see if it has the newer black and white wire or if it has the older fabric covered wires. This will tell us the a closer shot what is the switch wires.

Teh switch wires coming from the switch will need to be wired differently.

If the switch has older cloth covered then you will need a voltage tester to find power coming in. Then you will need to use a continuity tester to find the switch wires. Turn off you power and use a continuity tester and find the two wires coming from teh switch that will open and close for continuity.

Once you know the switch wires bend them back. Connect one wire from each of the other cables together adding in one wire going to the switch. Then wire nut the remaining wire coming from the switch to the light fixture. Then wire nut all remaining insulated wires in that light box under a wire nut. Test the light.

Let us know how you come out.

Wg

[deman]

Hi,

My switch is connected to the (newer) black and white wires.
The same for my other (successfully installed) light.

What is not clear from your reply is what to do with the black and white wire from the lamp.

My other light (that does work) has the black lamp wire connected to the black switch wire, and white lamp wire connected to the white switch wire. The black on black are alone. The whites are connected with one wire from each of the 3 sets. The remaining 3 wires are wire nutted (isolated from the rest).

?????

[Wgoodrich]

If you second light you talk of is working then you need to confirm what I suspect. The power for this second light that is working with black and white of fixture connected ot the black and white of the swtich leg then there has to be a power source at the light switch.

This may be the case in your first light.

Possible explaination to second light working is that the second light was in the past separated from the old wiring left in the box that used to power the light. Same scenerio may be true in your first light. Way to confirm is to make sure the new black and white switch leg wires are haning in the air. Then turn on power. TEst for voltage between that black and white switch leg wire. If you read 120 volts then a new power source was installed at the switch box eliminating the old wiring still left in the box from supplying power as it used to do.

If you read with the new black and white wires disconnected from any other wiring in that old light box then connect the black of the light fixture to the black of the switch leg and connect the white of the switch leg wire to the white of the switch leg. If the light works then you have a new power source installed at the switch to remove load from the old wires in the past.

Check and let us know.

If the above does not work the the power is in the light box off the old wires then the white of the light fixture would connect to the white of the old white wires. The black of the light fixture would connect to the black of the switch leg. The white of the switch leg would connect to the black of the old wires.

Hope this helps

Wg