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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, 9:07 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

That's what I ended up doing. As I was wiring up the fixtures the
correct way, everything seemed much simpler. Thanks for helping me
out, my basement is no longer in the dark.

Thanks!!
- Roberto


Posted by tony on September 23, 2007, 9:43 am

>> 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
>
"doing this with 2-conductor (plus ground) wire?"
Defiantly yes how are wire it depend where are you picking power from.
If you power comes to switch area first, you brake hot line and
install switch there in line now you hot comes to switch and other side
going to your lights, the white "common leg or neutral continued to
your lights all of your lights are suppose to be hooked in parallel.

Now if you power comes first the lights your neutral is hooked up
same as above and it will terminate there, however your hot leg will
continued to the switch, to do that you will need separate peace of cable
which you will splice hot/black to black which will continue to the switch
the white wire that you will have in that separate piece of cable it will be
you return from the switch to your lights that will be hooked in parallel
remember this white wire coming back from the switch to raped with black
electrical tape to show that it is hot wire.
I hope this explanation will be of some help
Tony



Posted by Jim on September 23, 2007, 2:26 pm
wrote:

[snip]

>remember this white wire coming back from the switch to raped with black

Why rape the switch? :-)

[snip]

Posted by J.A. Michel on September 22, 2007, 6:52 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
>

You need to use 12-3 or 14-3 (depending weather it's a 15 or 20 amp circuit)
cable to make it work.

Hook up the 3 conductor cable in your fusebox, white wire in the neutral
buss, black wire on the breaker, and cap the red wire with a wire nut. Run
the cable from the fusebox, and through all your fixtures connecting the red
wire (switched hot) to the black wire in the fixture. Connect the white
wire to white, and applicable grounding wires. Leave the black wire
continuous through the fixtures. You may need to pigtail some connections
in the fixtures.

Once you've made it to the switch, connect the ground, and cap the neutral.
Connect the black wire to one side of the switch and red wire to the other.
Put in your light bulbs, flip the breaker and you're in business.


Posted by Doug Miller on September 22, 2007, 7:47 pm

>You need to use 12-3 or 14-3 (depending weather it's a 15 or 20 amp circuit)
>cable to make it work.
>
>Hook up the 3 conductor cable in your fusebox, white wire in the neutral
>buss, black wire on the breaker, and cap the red wire with a wire nut.

Nope.

Run a 2-conductor cable from the breaker box to the first fixture box, then
3-conductor cables between each fixture box, and finally a 2-conductor cable
from the last fixture box to the switch box.


> Run
>the cable from the fusebox, and through all your fixtures connecting the red
>wire (switched hot) to the black wire in the fixture. Connect the white
>wire to white, and applicable grounding wires. Leave the black wire
>continuous through the fixtures. You may need to pigtail some connections
>in the fixtures.
>
>Once you've made it to the switch, connect the ground, and cap the neutral.
>Connect the black wire to one side of the switch and red wire to the other.
>Put in your light bulbs, flip the breaker and you're in business.
>

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

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