View Single Post
  #7   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
Scott Lurndal Scott Lurndal is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,377
Default 2 cables of ceiling light

writes:
On Tue, 6 Oct 2020 17:45:03 +0000, Le Bui
wrote:

Hi, I hope this question does not bore you. I found some similar questions but none actually sort out my problem.

I bought a new IKEA light fitting and its electrical box has 4 holes (2 for N and 2 for L). The instruction said to put 1 N to N and 1 L to L. And I saw many videos online doing the same thing. God bless them for having a simple wiring system.

Mine is different. I have two cables (each has 3 N/L/E). I know that one of them is for the switch while the other is for the consumer unit. I tried different combination:

1) Putting only the consumer cable in -- the light is always on. The switch does not work
2) Putting only the switch cable -- the light is not on.
3) Putting both of them in, 2 N from the two cables go to 2 N holes. Likewise, 2 L from the two cables go to 2 L holes. -- The light is on even when the light switch is not on. When I turn the light switch on, the light goes off and the main switch (of the room) switches off as well (meaning the combination is causing some conflict).

I tried different combinations of the third (changing the order of the two N and the two L) but none working.

Can someone please help?


First are you in the US/Canada?

If so I will assume you are looking at a black Line, white Neutral and
bare wire Earth (ground)?


It sounds to me like he has two 14-3 w/g at the octagon box for the light.

Which means it's probably a three-way switch.