Reply To: Miscellaneous Electric Tips

Dr. Pepper-

Let’s ignore the ground wires for now, since they’re only there for safety and don’t affect the functionality of the circuit.

Here’s how I envision “squeak”s setup:

????? = black wire

????? = white wire

x = splice

O = fixture



fixture            switch

box               box

hot?    ?????? to switch?  ??????

???????????x?????????????????   ?

???????????O?????????????????   ?

neutral??    ? from switch??    ?

??????             ??????

The black & white wires are encased in the cable’s sheath.

The cable from the breaker panel comes into the fixture from the left.

A second cable connects the fixture box to the switch box.

When the switch is in the “on” position, the electricity flows thru the leftmost black wire, thru the splice in the fixture box, thru the black wire to the switch box, thru the switch, thru the white wire back to the fixture box, and thru the fixture. The “used” electricity then exits thru the white neutral wire to the breaker panel’s bus bar.

When the switch is in the “off” position, the electricity flows thru the leftmost black wire, thru the splice in the fixture box, thru the black wire to the switch box, and proceeds no further.

Some people will wrap a stripe of black electrician’s tape around the white wire that goes between the fixture box and the switch box to signify that it carries “hot” electricity.