I am replacing a single pendant-type ceiling light with a new pendant fixture that has three individual pendants that go into the single "hood" that attaches to the box in the ceiling. There are two wall switches that control the light on opposing walls. My question is, how are the wires from the three individual pendants wired to single set of wires (black, white, ground)from the box? I understand about ground wire, of course; just not sure about how to configure/join the wires from multiple pendants to the single set from the box. I will have an electrician check once I have done it, just want to know how it is done. Thank youT
Electrical – installing a replacement fixture with three lamps in one on a two way switch
electricalwiring
Related Solutions
Don't do it! If the devices are on separate circuits, you cannot "tie" them together.
If you're in the USA and use single phase service, you've likely turned a 120 Volt circuit into a 240 Volt short-circuit. You've directly connected the two legs of the service, causing a short-circuit.
The switch is intended to control three branches of a single circuit.
Based on my understanding of what you have described, I believe you are dealing with a dead-end 3-way switch setup with what is known as an extended switch leg. Translation: all junctions are made in the first 3-way switch box.
Your questions/guesses on how to wire it are not exactly clear. I recommend following this wiring diagram. Please clarify if this wiring diagram does not apply to what you have described.
Wiring Diagram
Circuit Example
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Best Answer
In most modern fixtures that have multiple lamps, the wires are preconfigured going into the hood so that there is only one black (hot), one white (neutral) and one green or bare (ground) wire coming from the fixture to be attached to the wires in the box.
If there are separate wires for the three lamps, all three black wires should be twisted together and connected to the single black wire from the box, capped with a wire nut (and taped if you want added protection). Similarly, all three white wires should be combined with the white wire from the box. And finally all the green/bare wires combined with the ground wire from the box.
The switch wires are already worked into the overall wiring (assuming they were working before) and need not be modified. By the way, when a lamp is controlled from two locations, the switches that control the lamp are called three-way switches.