Simple (To You) Wiring Question

[MoonRiver]

I'm replacing the light fixture in the bathroom. I've done it in other houses and the wiring was color for color. This one I can't figure out. The current one also has an a/c outlet and the new one doesn't.

Here's the current


And here's the new


Current one has 2 blacks, a white, and a green. The new one has a black, a white, and a bare ground.

What connects to what?

[DaleK]

I only see a black, green and white on the service side, then the black is split at the receptacle it looks like? If so match it up with the incoming wires and forget the old fixture.

[haypoint]

Hard to tell from photos. Green goes to the bare wire, it is your ground wire. White to white. I'll have to guess that there isn't two different wall switches for this light. Could be that the extra black wire goes on to another outlet in the series, so would still need to be kept connected to the other black wire. But I really cant see what is connected to what. Looks like a black wire is connected to a white. Spread them apart, dust them off and shoot another picture.

[Awnry Abe]

I am trying to figure out what you have coming out of the wall. Where is the switch for the light, and is the outlet switched or always hot? It looks like the old fixture has a pull chain. does the new one?

[MoonRiver]

Better picture. 1 black wire and then 2 more black wires twisted together.

3 white wires twisted together.

2 of the grounds are also twisted together.

Light is switched at the door. No pull chain on old or new.

Can I just take 1 black, 1 white, and 1 ground from one of the wire bundles and wire nut off everything else?

[arabian knight]

Originally Posted by MoonRiver

I'm replacing the light fixture in the bathroom. I've done it in other houses and the wiring was color for color. This one I can't figure out. The current one also has an a/c outlet and the new one doesn't.

Here's the current


And here's the new


Current one has 2 blacks, a white, and a green. The new one has a black, a white, and a bare ground.

What connects to what?

If you just disconnect the wires that go to the outlet that is in the old light you will then see where the three will go from the new one. Just eliminate the receptacle wires and the wires will come to light as to what goes where. The Bare is the Ground. The wht neutral, the black is for the hot in coming line.
What is getting you confused is the outlet that is hot when you have the light on. The new fixture does not have that outlet.

[DaleK]

Is there another receptacle in the room? Looks to me like they've got a switched line coming in for the light, another unswitched for the receptacle then feeding out to something else.

[MoonRiver]

Originally Posted by arabian knight

If you just disconnect the wires that go to the outlet that is in the old light you will then see where the three will go from the new one. Just eliminate the receptacle wires and the wires will come to light as to what goes where. The Bare is the Ground. The wht neutral, the black is for the hot in coming line.
What is getting you confused is the always hot outlet. The new fixture does not have that hot outlet.

So the black that is by itself is for the receptacle and not the light itself?

Why are there 3 sets of wires for the old light?

[MoonRiver]

Originally Posted by DaleK

Is there another receptacle in the room? Looks to me like they've got a switched line coming in for the light, another unswitched for the receptacle then feeding out to something else.

My original response was wrong. The wall outlet is not switched, but it is on the same breaker.

****Wrong*****
I am leaving the comment here just for continuity, but it is incorrect.

There is a wall outlet that is on the same switch. I think that explains why there are 3 sets of wires, which had me stumped. The easier wiring would have been from the switch to the wall outlet to the light, not switch to light and back to outlet.

[jwal10]

Looks like you have 3 romex in the box. 3 white all together. single black went to the receptacle in fixture, not switched. 1 romex goes on to another location, not switched? one in is switched for light fixture ....James

[jwal10]

You need the 1 black, switched, common white and ground....James

[DaleK]

Originally Posted by MoonRiver

There is a wall outlet that is on the same switch. I think that explains why there are 3 sets of wires, which had me stumped. The easier wiring would have been from the switch to the wall outlet to the light, not switch to light and back to outlet.

That would do it. Pop the switch plate off if you want to confirm that there's only one wire running out but I think that's it.

[jwal10]

The 2 black wires together are unswitched power,1 in and one out to another location. This also gave power to the outlet in the fixture....James

[jwal10]

The wall outlet was switched? MMMMM....James

[DaleK]

Now the question of whether you want your only remaining receptacle to remain on the switch, or be fed by the always live line (and give consideration that I'm betting it's not a GFCI) I'll leave between you and better electrical minds than mine.

[MoonRiver]

Now I've gone from kind of confused to real confused.

I took the 2 black wires that were twisted together, the 2 white that were twisted together, and 2 grounds and connected to new light. When I turned the breaker on, the light came on whether the switch was on or off.

So I tried connecting the light to the single black and single white and the light doesn't come on.

[DaleK]

What wires do you have at the switch?

[MoonRiver]

Originally Posted by DaleK

What wires do you have at the switch?

How would I know?

[DaleK]

Take the cover off

[jwal10]

I thought you had 3 white....James