flourescent light ???'s

[plain2car]

all,
i am trying to hook up a new flourescent light to my existing wire box in my garage ceiling. i installed a pull (chain) switch to the light & i can't figure out how to connect all the wires. the switch has 2 wires out of it. right now 1 wire is conected to the ballast & the other wire i thought went to the power from the ceiling. if that is right what do i do with the "black" wire from the ceiling?? i am not a electrical person (obviously). i would appreciate any help that may come my way....

 

[LoneGunman]

The black wire from the ceiling (if it has 120V present) would go to one wire of your pull chain switch. The other wire from your pull chain switch should go to the black wire coming off the ballast. If it's a new fixture it should be marked or you should only have a white and black wire. Have you hooked up the white wire (hopefully a neutral)?

edit: was the existing light controlled from a switch or was it also a pull chain controlled light?

 

[plain2car]

gunman,
thanks for the response, the existing light was a pull chain as well. so if i understand right:
--one wire from the switch should be hooked to the black wire from the box
--the other wire from the switch should be hooked to the ballast

so what about the white wire from the ceiling?

i will try to attached a sketch (bad at that..lol) please let me know what wires go where...

thanks again for any input!

 

[plain2car]

here is the promised bad sketch...

thanks again!
plain2car

 

[Torque1st]

There should be a white wire on the ballast also.

Take the black wire from the box and connect it to the 1st switch wire.

Take the second switch wire and connect it to the black wire to the ballast.

Connect the white wire from the ballast to the white wire in the box.

Connect the ground wire from the box to the green ground screw you should have and screw the screw into the housing to ground the fixture.

Replace the covers.

Turn the breaker ON.

Install the bulbs and test the light.

The light should go ON/OFF with the pull switch. If it does not look for a wall switch that also must be ON.

 

[plain2car]

torque 1st,
thanks for the reply. i will dbl. check tonight, but i think that is my problem - i don't have a 2nd wire from the ballast. if i remember there is just a black wire & a yellow wire that is connected to the bulb fitting. i did have the light hooked up for a time & then took it down while i painted & textured the ceiling. now i can't seem to remember how i had it hooked up!!...lol (it stinks getting old). anyways thanks for the input & i will give it a shot & let all know if i stayed on the ladder or not! lol!

thanks!!

 

[Torque1st]

If this is a two tube fluorescent then there is probably some yellow wires to one end, and some red and blue wires to the other end, and a WHITE wire.

I do not remember the configuration of one tube and four tube fixtures but they ALL have a White wire from each ballast. The white wires are connected to the Neutral wire.

And I am really getting OLD...

 

[plain2car]

thanks...
i will try my best tonight....

 

[Torque1st]

There usually is a fixture wiring diagram on the old ballasts.

I have not had one of the new electronic ballast lights apart yet.

 

[plain2car]

i got home & there is a wht wire from the ballast (i knew you guys would be right). so i am going to hook it up as described by torque1st. thanks sooo much for the patience & knowledge!

plain2car

 

[plain2car]

the light is working great!! thanks for the time & knowledge.... this site is a great resource for diy'ers....

plain2car

 

[Torque1st]

I am glad it all worked out. Enjoy the light and the new ceiling paint.