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What to do if there is no ground wire in the ceiling box but the new light has one?
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
for USA, Canada and other countries running a 60 Hz supply service.
Always ask your local town's Building Standards office if a permit is required for this kind of work.
First thing to check carefully is this: do the wires already going to the light switch include a ground wire, and, if so, is it actually grounded?
If the answer is no then you can wire the switch as described in the manufacturer's instructions and just omit the ground wire step. This does not make the light switch any less safe than it was but it is not the preferred option. It can sometimes be done legally under the National Electrical Code (NEC) when using valid exceptions and/or any subsequent local jurisdictional approval.
If the answer is no and you want to add the ground, that is the preferred method of repair. You will need to pull new set of wires including a ground. If this is a single household fixture on a 15 amp breaker and you are replacing it with a 15/20 amp switch, use 14/2 romex and you should be good. If not get the advice of an electrician to help you.
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As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.
Before you do any work yourself,
on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,
always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.
IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB
SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY
REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoIf the light fixture has a ground connection, then it must be grounded. You will need to run a new circuit with a proper ground. Any time you modify old electrical work, you must comply with current code, upgrading as necessary.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoAnswer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz supply service.
The NEC requires that replaced or newly installed electrical equipment be installed according the the code in existence when the work is done. This means you must install an equipment grounding conductor from your box back to the service panel, or to a component of the grounding electrode system. In short this means you must rewire this circuit to have 2 conductors with ground.
You do not have to upgrade other portions of this circuit, but it's difficult to upgrade for this one fixture without also upgrading everything else on the circuit. You may find it possible to splice your existing wires inside the box and, using the same box, run another circuit from the service panel to the box just for this fixture.
<><><>
As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.
Before you do any work yourself,
on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,
always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.
IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB
SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY
REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoYes, to the green ground screw usually.
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I see only a red and a green wire coming out from ceiling box. What are they and how do you connect them to a ceiling light?
Normally red or black is the hot wire and green is the ground. However someone may have used the green wire as the neutral wire which is normally white. Just connect the black wire from the light to the red wire and the white wire from the light to the green wire and see if it works. If not you have to pull the wires out of the ceiling box and see how they wired it.
I am installing a kitchen light fixture in the ceiling. While pulling down the old fixture the green ground wire broke. The new Fixture has a green ground wire. Where do I ground it to now?
The fixture box should have a ground screw on the bottom of the box. Sometimes you have to move other wires out of the way to see it. Just reconnect the fixture ground wire to this screw.
I am trying to put up a light fixture but it has three wires a white one a black one and a Coppertone where does the coopertoned wire go?
The bare copper wire is a ground wire. if your old electrical system only has black and white, then you don't have a ground wire to hook the new fixture's ground to. Safest bet is to run a ground wire to that junction box (or hire an electrician to do that). If the box in the ceiling (I'm assuming its a ceiling fixture) is metal, the home's electrical system ground wire may be attached to the metal box itself. If that's the case, you simply need to attach your new fixture's ground wire (the bare copper one) to the metal box. If in doubt -- have an electrician look at it.
What do I attach the green wire from the light fixture to?
The green wire on the light fixture is a ground wire. If there is no ground wire in the conduit, the green wire should be attached to the metal box with a screw.
How do you wire a ceiling light that doesnt have a black or white wire?
It will have 2 black or brown wires. Look very closely at the wires coming from the light. One of the wires will have ridges on it or may have a white line or some other method of identification. That wire is the neutral wire and connects to the white wire in the ceiling box. The smooth wire is the hot wire and connects to the black wire in the ceiling box.
I see only a red and a green wire coming out from ceiling box. What are they and how do you connect them to a ceiling light?
Normally red or black is the hot wire and green is the ground. However someone may have used the green wire as the neutral wire which is normally white. Just connect the black wire from the light to the red wire and the white wire from the light to the green wire and see if it works. If not you have to pull the wires out of the ceiling box and see how they wired it.
Do you need 3-wire romex to feed bedroom ceiling box by electrical code?
No, you can feed it with a 2 wire Romex + ground. It depends on what is mounted on the ceiling. If it is just a light all you need is 2 wire + ground Romex. However if it is a fan/light and you want to control each one independant of the other you will need to use 3 wire Romex + ground. This is of course if you have 2 seperate switches. You would then connect the red wire to the blue light wire and the black wire to the black fan wire. If you use 2 wire Romex just connect the blue and black fan/light wire to the black wire in the ceiling box.
How do you install a new pull chain ceiling light?
Just remove the old light and install the new pull chain light connecting the black wire to the copper screw and the white wire to the silver screw. There is no connection for the ground wire. Just shove it back into the ceiling box.
Is is ok if the lighting fixture ground wire is wrapped around the bottom of the chain and the ground wire from the light box is connected to the ground screw on the mounting crossbar?
If you are referring to a porcelain or plastic ceiling light fixture most do not have a place to connect the ground wire. You cannot ground these type fixtures. Just connect the ground wire to the mounting crossbar and forget about connecting it to the light itself. It is on the ceiling and will never be touched unless you change the bulb and then you will have the switch in the off position. It is perfectly safe.
Where to buy a hard wire ceiling fixture without a light?
Just install a cover on the ceiling box.
Do you need to cut extra wire for ceiling light or just tuck the extra up?
You will want to leave about 8" of wire sticking out of the box. After connecting the light just push the extra back into the ceiling box.
Where do you hook the ground wire on a porcelain light fixture on a metal box?
Connect the ground wire to the metal box.
I am installing a kitchen light fixture in the ceiling. While pulling down the old fixture the green ground wire broke. The new Fixture has a green ground wire. Where do I ground it to now?
The fixture box should have a ground screw on the bottom of the box. Sometimes you have to move other wires out of the way to see it. Just reconnect the fixture ground wire to this screw.
I am trying to put up a light fixture but it has three wires a white one a black one and a Coppertone where does the coopertoned wire go?
The bare copper wire is a ground wire. if your old electrical system only has black and white, then you don't have a ground wire to hook the new fixture's ground to. Safest bet is to run a ground wire to that junction box (or hire an electrician to do that). If the box in the ceiling (I'm assuming its a ceiling fixture) is metal, the home's electrical system ground wire may be attached to the metal box itself. If that's the case, you simply need to attach your new fixture's ground wire (the bare copper one) to the metal box. If in doubt -- have an electrician look at it.
What type of prewire for a ceiling fan light?
The pre wire for a ceiling fan light should be made with a three wire cable. This cable will have a red, black, and white wire as main conductors. This cable will also have a bare ground wire. This wire should be strung between a two gang switch box to the fixture junction box. This pre wire allows the supply to be either fed to the two gang box. From the two gang switch junction box, one side will be used for the light in the fixture and the other side of the switch junction box, itwill be used for the fan portionin the fixture.
What do I attach the green wire from the light fixture to?
The green wire on the light fixture is a ground wire. If there is no ground wire in the conduit, the green wire should be attached to the metal box with a screw.
How do you wire a ceiling light that doesnt have a black or white wire?
It will have 2 black or brown wires. Look very closely at the wires coming from the light. One of the wires will have ridges on it or may have a white line or some other method of identification. That wire is the neutral wire and connects to the white wire in the ceiling box. The smooth wire is the hot wire and connects to the black wire in the ceiling box.
