Wiring Light Fixture Problem

[New2this]

I have a few issues that I can't seem to conquer relative to wiring two light fixtures in my 2003 Fleetwood Storm. Here are the circumstances and steps I have taken (without resolution):

I removed two light fixtures (that did work) in order for them to be cleaned and painted. The fixtures were the 3 bulb light fixture over the medicine cabinet and the other was the light over the dinette table.

REINSTALLATION
1) The first issue I have is how to reinstall the 3 bulb lighting fixture. Out of the wall is a black wire (I assume the power) and one ground wire. The light fixture has 3 black wires coming from the separate sockets - these are wired together. The fixture's switch has one black wire, one blue wire and one red wire. How do I wire this? I tried two different ways and nothing worked.

2) I reinstalled the overhead light in the dinette and it doesn't work.


Some things that may impact this:
A) I tried to connect the light over the medicine cabinet first. - it didn't work but not sure how to wire it.
B) I never connected the ground wire (not sure if this would impact anything)
C) My wife spray painted the inside of the sockets on all the fixtures. I scrapped the paint off the inside contact point of all the sockets
D) I checked all other sockets and overhead lights and they worked
E) I checked the GFI in the kitchen and it was ok - I reset it just in case.

Any ideas of what I may have screwed-up?

Thanks in advance,
Bob

[homerbw]

Try using a 12 volt tester on the wires to see which is + and -. My positive wire was actually a bare copper wire in my lights which still has me scratching my head.

[RJay]

Based on what you've mentioned here's the situation on the three wires on the switch as I see it. One wire(red or black) is a hot wire on the line side of the switch, a second wire(red or black is a hot wire on the load side of the switch and goes to the fixture. The third wire(blue) may be an additional hot wire on the load side of the switch to control another light/fan/fixture form the switch. What you haven't mentioned is the neutral wire on the light fixture, you must identify this wire and connect it to the white wire from the wall.


It would make it easy if you have access to a voltmeter. With the switch off connect the black wire from the wall to the black wire to the switch. The voltage on the other two wires should be zero if black is the hot wire on the line side of the switch. Turn the switch on and there should be a voltage on the red wire and possibly blue wire. You may have to swap the red and black wire with the black wire from the wall if the test proves wrong. I'm assuming you don't remember how it was initially wired or how the blue wire was connected.


I'm making a lot of assumptions here but if you properly test each wire as you go and identify the neutral wire for the light you should be OK. The blue wire is probably not used in this application. Good Luck.

ON EDIT: There should be a way to ground the light fixture. The ground wire is different than the neutral and is either green or bare and is connected somewhere on the metal part of the light fixture.

[The General]

Hi New2this,

Call Fleetwood with your FIN# (Fleetwood ID#.)
They will email you electrical, plumbing, and LP schematics.


Steve

[Eric_H_E]

you didnt look at it when you took it off?

[New2this]

First off, let me thank everyone for their prompt replies and advice. Relative to the 3 bulb light fixture as well as the light fixture over the dinette, there is one wire coming out of the wall and it is black and the other is a bare copper wire that is a ground. There are no other wires out of the wall - this is what I found so confusing. I am going to buy a voltage detector today (as suggested above) and see where that takes me. I am also taking some steel wool to the inside of the light sockets to see if the overspray is the problem. I will post when I have solved this.

Thanks again.

[New2this]

Well, problem(s) solved. Here is the corrective action that solved the issues.

1) The light over the dinette. The problem was the paint overspray that got inside the light sockets and prevented contact between the bulb and the socket. Cleaned out the sockets and everything worked fine.

2) The 3 bulb light fixture over the medicine cabinet. The issue was a blown 20 amp fuse. Removed and replaced fuse. The issue with how to wire the fixture proved easy once I purchased and used the voltage tool.

Thanks for the ideas and suggestions.
Bob