r/AskElectricians • u/TryComprehensive3235 • 12h ago
Help with installing a light
This is the situation I found in my ceiling when taking down an old boob light and trying to install a new light. The electrical box in the ceiling literally wiggles but ok I'll just work around that for now. I found a light that would cover the hole. My house was built in 1968 the wires in the ceiling are so thick compared to the ones on the new light its a pain to wrap the tiny peices of wire around these thick wires but I thought I had managed to do it. I connected Red wire to black -the wire with the black cap. (that was the hot wire when I took the old light down) and white to white- the wire with the red cap. Then connected the swirly wire to the copper ground. The other capped wire was always pushed up into the ceiling so I didn't touch it.
When I flipped the breaker I heard a pop, the breaker tripped and the light switch got hot. Now im calling an electrician because im scared. I took the light down and capped the wires until i get him out here. What caused the pop i thought I had all the wires connected correctly ive put up 5 similar lights in my house with no issues. Maybe a bare wire was touching the mounting bracket ? I also didn't try shoving the wires back in the hole after I got them connected cause it's crowded in there already.. Or is it this jacked up ceiling box with the gaping hole? The other boob light was connected fine I just had to mess with it. Also what is it going to cost an electrician to put up this light and fix the electrical box. I took the light switch plate off to check for burnt marks after the switch got hot it looked OK but I also don't know what im looking for .The 3rd pic is how I had the bracket on only with the screws screwed in all the way it was flush for the most part. that's basically where I left the wires when I had connected the new light. Any help is appreciated im so paranoid about electrical fires. Is it OK to leave the wires capped like this for now or should I try putting the old boob light back on
Update: I got it up with some help from my dad apparently I had 2 wires touching on the light that weren't supposed to be touching. The directions werent helpful I got them separated and the light works. It's in there pretty solid and I'm 98% sure it won't fall out of the ceiling and I didn't hit any wires with the drywall screws I used
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u/cookieduster90 12h ago
That box is fucked up and should be replaced. If the light worked before and now trips the breaker, my money would be on- you ran one of those 3" long screws through a wire. Above the box.
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u/RobStoration 12h ago
Agreed and these are not fun. You can't half-ass it in case you or someone else wants to put a heavier fixture in there some day. This will require some drywall work to put a properly mounted box in there.
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u/Every-Chance6313 12h ago
How much does the new lamp weigh? I guessing it is less than 1 pound.
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u/TryComprehensive3235 12h ago
It's pretty light definately lighter than the old boob shaped light that was up there before
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u/TryComprehensive3235 12h ago
Nevermind it's slightly heavier
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u/Every-Chance6313 11h ago
The new light wires are thinner because they draw less current LED. You can shut off the breaker and look at the wires and look for a insulated wire that contacted your bare ground which caused the short.
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u/TryComprehensive3235 12h ago
Those long screws were the ones holding the old light in so I just used them for the new light.
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u/cookieduster90 11h ago
Did they use a fixture strap on the old light, because if they didnt-the internal mounting location for a boob light sits down from the ceiling 1"+. The screws are now seated deeper and possibly hitting a cable.
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u/garyku245 12h ago
Those long screws are wrong (Sheetrock screws?) they destroy the box & puncture/short wires.
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u/cookieduster90 11h ago
Whats above this box? Attic? 2nd story? Is there a rafter or floor joist right next to the current box? You need to undo all the wires, take this box out, inspect the cable assemblies above it- making sure you didnt run a 3 inch sheet rock screw though them, put a new box in, retap the wires-exactly how they were, and rehang the light with proper screws.
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