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how to wire multiple lights with switch at end

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how to wire multiple lights with switch at end roberto 09-22-2007
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Posted by roberto on September 22, 2007, 6:00 pm
Hello,

I am trying to wire new lights in my basement and I'm having some
difficulties. The layout is as follows: circuit power ==> light #1 ==>
light #2 ==> light #3 ==> light #4 ==> switch (controls all). The
lights are all fluorescents and everything is new.

To wire the lights, I ran the hot (black) from the circuit *through*
all light fixture housings. That is, the hot line is not connected to
the light fixture wires at all. It is simply wire nutted to the next
fixture. The neutral from the power circuit is connected to the white
wire of the light fixture. Then the black wire of the fixture is
connected to the white wire of the next fixture, and so on.
Ultimately, a hot/neutral pair ends at a switch. This setup doesn't
work.

The switch does have power (which means my hot wires are ok). When i
place a tester across the switch when it's in the OFF position, my
tester lights up. When I turn the switch on, the tester light goes
out. In the OFF position, hot to ground lights up, and in the on
position, both hot and neutral to ground light up.

The circuit hasn't tripped nor has my house caught fire. :D What am I
doing wrong?

Thanks,
- Roberto


Posted by RBM on September 22, 2007, 6:08 pm
You just wired all your fixtures in series. They don't work that way.
Connect your power white to the white of each fixture. Run your power black
straight through all the fixtures and straight to the switch. Run another
wire back from the switch and connect it to the black wire of every fixture.
That'll work



> Hello,
>
> I am trying to wire new lights in my basement and I'm having some
> difficulties. The layout is as follows: circuit power ==> light #1 ==>
> light #2 ==> light #3 ==> light #4 ==> switch (controls all). The
> lights are all fluorescents and everything is new.
>
> To wire the lights, I ran the hot (black) from the circuit *through*
> all light fixture housings. That is, the hot line is not connected to
> the light fixture wires at all. It is simply wire nutted to the next
> fixture. The neutral from the power circuit is connected to the white
> wire of the light fixture. Then the black wire of the fixture is
> connected to the white wire of the next fixture, and so on.
> Ultimately, a hot/neutral pair ends at a switch. This setup doesn't
> work.
>
> The switch does have power (which means my hot wires are ok). When i
> place a tester across the switch when it's in the OFF position, my
> tester lights up. When I turn the switch on, the tester light goes
> out. In the OFF position, hot to ground lights up, and in the on
> position, both hot and neutral to ground light up.
>
> The circuit hasn't tripped nor has my house caught fire. :D What am I
> doing wrong?
>
> Thanks,
> - Roberto
>



Posted by Wayne Whitney on September 22, 2007, 6:26 pm

> I am trying to wire new lights in my basement and I'm having some
> difficulties. The layout is as follows: circuit power ==> light #1 ==>
> light #2 ==> light #3 ==> light #4 ==> switch (controls all).

To do this, you need to run 3 conductor cable (3 conductors plus
ground) after you hit the first light. Use the black wire for "always
hot" and the red wire for "switched hot". At each light, connect the
red to the fixture hot and the white to the fixture neutral. The
black wires just pass through each fixture box. At the end, you put
the switch between the black and red wires.

Cheers, Wayne




Posted by roberto on September 22, 2007, 6:41 pm
> To do this, you need to run 3 conductor cable (3 conductors plus
> ground) after you hit the first light. Use the black wire for "always
> hot" and the red wire for "switched hot". At each light, connect the
> red to the fixture hot and the white to the fixture neutral. The
> black wires just pass through each fixture box. At the end, you put
> the switch between the black and red wires.
>
> Cheers, Wayne

What you and RBM describe makes sense. Thanks both for the
clarifications. Time for more wiring... it's getting dark.

Is there any hope of doing this with 2-conductor (plus ground) wire?
Or will I have to use 3-conductor wire between the fixtures?

- Roberto


Posted by RBM on September 22, 2007, 6:50 pm
You could run the two conductor from the power to the switch first, then two
conductor from the switch to the group of fixtures



>> To do this, you need to run 3 conductor cable (3 conductors plus
>> ground) after you hit the first light. Use the black wire for "always
>> hot" and the red wire for "switched hot". At each light, connect the
>> red to the fixture hot and the white to the fixture neutral. The
>> black wires just pass through each fixture box. At the end, you put
>> the switch between the black and red wires.
>>
>> Cheers, Wayne
>
> What you and RBM describe makes sense. Thanks both for the
> clarifications. Time for more wiring... it's getting dark.
>
> Is there any hope of doing this with 2-conductor (plus ground) wire?
> Or will I have to use 3-conductor wire between the fixtures?
>
> - Roberto
>



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