electrical

[johnomorris]

I have installed a hanging light in my kitchen. From the existing light on the ceiling (in attic) there is a box with four metal cables coming out of it. In each are the black, white and green wires. I chose one to get into and splice mine into. But my light stays on all the time and none of the surrounding switches turns it off. I respliced it into an adjacent cable's wires, but same problem. Can you help me out?

Second problem: When I was trying to get into the second cable, without having first shut off the power, the metal cut into a wire and gave me a big scare. Nevertheless, I shut off power and completed the splicing and taping. However, the ceiling light in the next room won't work at all now. Unsure if it's related to the little burst of sparks as mentioned. Have any ideas?

[Jimmer]

John,

I'll answer your second question first, I would bet that the other light not working is definitely related to you shorting out the wires. It sounds like you may not have reconnected all the wires properly and or you may have popped the circuit breaker.

To figure out the first question, it would help if you had a voltage tester and a friend to help. While one of you holds the voltage tester to the black and white from a cable the other flips the light switch on and off. If the voltage meter detects the switch action then you have found your switched light wires and can connect the new light to that pair.

Good luck, Jim

'Just a handyman trying to help'

[ToolGal]

Regarding the "no switch turns it off" -- look again at your wires, and make sure that the black, white, and green were used the way they were supposed to be. I have a "built in the sixties" house, and the intervening owners added in a bunch of lights and outlets. I had one outlet where there were two blacks, two white, and a ground. The first time I wired it -- randomly picked a black, a white and the ground -- the light stayed on all the time. Tried a few more combinations, and was able to make it work with the switch.

Good luck!