Attic box: 2 white wires and 1 black connecte/2 black wires connected: install recessed lights

Kevi376 · Mar 28, 2022

I am installing recessed lighting on a 3 way switch but neither one of the switches has a red wire. Initially I was going to try to hook up the lights to an outlet that the switches control, but it only has 1 black and 1 white wire. So when I went to the attic to try an hook up the recessed lights to the box, the box has 2white wires and a black wire together and 2 black wires together. What should I do? I am trying to use the 3 way switches for the recessed lights using a smart dimmer 3 way switch but I have no idea what to do. Please help

[ElectriciansForums.net] Attic box: 2 white wires and 1 black connecte/2 black wires connected: install recessed lights

Megawatt · Mar 30, 2022

Kevi376 said:
I am installing recessed lighting on a 3 way switch but neither one of the switches has a red wire. Initially I was going to try to hook up the lights to an outlet that the switches control, but it only has 1 black and 1 white wire. So when I went to the attic to try an hook up the recessed lights to the box, the box has 2white wires and a black wire together and 2 black wires together. What should I do? I am trying to use the 3 way switches for the recessed lights using a smart dimmer 3 way switch but I have no idea what to do. Please help

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Find the actual light cable that’s hooked up to the live which turns it on from the switch. You will need a non contact voltage tester

Kevi376 · Mar 30, 2022

Megawatt said:
Find the actual light cable that’s hooked up to the live which turns it on from the switch. You will need a non contact voltage tester

I have one, but it beeps whenever it gets close to any of the wires. But let's say I did find the wire, then what do I do? The recessed lights have a black white and (ground: which I. Would have to cap off I'm guessing). So I would hook the black and white to the other black wire in the loop or just the black wire to the black wires not in the loop?

Megawatt · Mar 31, 2022

Kevi376 said:
I have one, but it beeps whenever it gets close to any of the wires. But let's say I did find the wire, then what do I do? The recessed lights have a black white and (ground: which I. Would have to cap off I'm guessing). So I would hook the black and white to the other black wire in the loop or just the black wire to the black wires not in the loop?

Hook up black to black and white to white. Yes hook it to the loop so all your lights will come on at the same time