# Two black wires and two white wires in a ceiling



## mshaw11 (Jul 11, 2012)

I am replacing a ceiling fan.( the old ones light kit was broken). I have done several fans before and have a decent amount of wiring experience. I did not look at the connections enough to be able to remember how it was set up. from the ceiling there was a lone black wire a black wire and a white wire from the same bundle. there was also a lone white wire. the two black wires where connected to each other. the fan has a blue wire, a black wire, a white wire and a green wire. i am using a single switch to control the fan and the light (was working properly with the old fan). i tried connecting the blue and black wires from the fan to the two black wires from the ceiling that where already connected. the white wire from the fan went to the whtie wire from the bundle in the celing. ( i know this has flow through it i shocked my self with if once whlile i was trying out different combos.) the green wire from the fan went to the white wire lone wire from the ceiling. in this configuration the fan had power but the switch did nothing. the bundled black wire is the power wire and the lone black wire is to what i am assuming is the wall switch. i tied the Blue/black wires to them individually the bundled one had power the other did not. i have no meter at all. when i switched the green and white wires there was no power and when i put the two whites from the ceiling to the white from the fan my circuit blew and i had to replace it. ( i have the old nob breakers and had to replace it. any idea or help would be very much appreciated.


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## andrew79 (Mar 25, 2010)

first order of business is to turn off the power before you work. I stopped reading because you scare me. The one white wire goes to the white on the fan. The white wire coming from your light switch goes to the black and blue. The greens NEVER EVER EVER get hooked to anything but green(or bare) and the blacks get wire nutted together.


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## hammerlane (Oct 6, 2011)

First do you have only 4 wires in the ceiling box or do you have 2 cables eah of which have 2 wires?

You may have a switch loop.
In the drawing below disregard the "cable" where it says "power to receptacle" and imagine your only cables are the power in cable and the switch loop cable.


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## dmxtothemax (Oct 26, 2010)

You have four wires ,
most likely two are the main supply,
And the two others are switch loop,
Lets test this theory,
Test the two bundled wires white and black,
you should have 120v here.

Twst the other two wires first for any power,
none, good, 
put an ohm meter accross these two wires,
switch the switch you should get low resistance
with the switch in the on position,
and high or infinate with switch in off position.

please let us know the results of your tests,
be careful,
if you are not confident to do so,
THEN DONT !
call an electricain instead.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

If there is only one power source, the Black & Black/white striped, or Black & Blue wires go together on the one hot, and the white goes to Neutral. Yes, most likely you have a switch loop up there.


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## CopperClad (Jun 22, 2012)

I'm not sure where you are located but boy can I help you. If you have a harbor freight tools anywhere close to you. Right now you can get a free.. FREE!! Centech 7 function digital multimeter , with no minimum purchase !! Coupon good until 9/2/12 !! No more shocks ! No need to touch random wires together !! PS. other members. How do I make that my signature? " I know it has flow through it cuz I shocked myself trying out different combos"


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## andrew79 (Mar 25, 2010)

this thread needs caution tape.


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