Hello there.

Just joined to ask for help with my newly purchased used ceiling light.

There are 5 bulbs on the ligh and 3 wires: one red, one blue, one black. 1 build lights up when I hook the red and the blue wires to the house circuit (old house, no ground). 2 bulbs light up when I hook the black wire to the same spot as the red one. The 3 other bulds light up when I hook the black wire to the same spot as the blue one (picture). How do I get all 5 bulbs to light up together?

Thanks for your insight!

  • Haphazard9479
    7·
    8 months ago

    Not an electrician here but I have stayed at a Motel 6.

    The blue wire is usually wired to a switch somewhere for controlling a second accessory like a fan. Seeing no fan here I dont know what the blue wire would be for It maybe set up for a kindof dim setting where some bulbs turn off?

    Anyway, the black wire should go to the black house wire and the red should go to the white house wire. I would leave the blue disconnected at first while checking if this scheme works. If only some bulbs light then try to connect the blue and black to the house black.

      • Haphazard9479
        2·
        8 months ago

        My bad advice is even worse in Europe. Over here, we usually have two house wires plus a ground. The ground wire is bare so it’s easy to tell it from the others. The other two wires are common(white in the us) and hot(black). Most of the time you can hook a lamp up any which way you please and it will work. At this point I would go find another lamp in your hluse and pull it off the wall to compare.