Why doesn't my light turn on?

[razeshadowlegends]

Full disclaimer, absolute novice and I'm just a homeowner trying to fix my light fixture (location is Canada). If this is the wrong forum, please let me know. I can provide more information as needed:

My condo unit has a lighting fixture in my bedroom from a previous tenant and it’s never worked. I opened the ceiling, and I noticed the black and yellow wires weren’t connected

I tested the yellow wire with a contact voltage tester (KLEIN Non-Contact Voltage Tester, fully functioning), and it showed it was live…. this is where it got weird. I flipped the light switch for the light fixture, and I expected the NCVT to show it wasn’t live, but it was still red. It was red regardless of which way I flipped the switch. At this point, power was still running through the yellow wire.

Then I turned off the circuit breaker, and I connected the black and yellow wire. I flipped the breaker back on, but still no light (with the lightbulb in). I tried the regular light switch…still no power. Weird. I then used the NCVT again but this time it was GREEN regardless of which way I flipped the switch. Basically, there’s no power into the yellow wire at all now, and the light obviously still doesn’t work.

I have no clue what’s going. My kitchen light has the same set-up here (see below). And you can see that the black is indeed connected to the yellow.



Am I connecting the wires in the bedroom lighting fixture wrong (is there a certain way to twist; do I need to strip the wires again)? Or is there just no power in that line (which is weird because it clearly was live before I turned off the circuit breaker).

Please offer me some advice or next steps. I can provide more info if needed, but its driving me crazy

In summary, there's no live power at all running through the yellow wire ever since I tripped the breaker.

 

[westward10]

A non contact voltage tester is an unreliable way to check if a wire is live or not. The wire could be dead but the indicator can still indicate live if the wire is in close proximity to wire which is live. Remove the light bulb a see if it glows red.

 

[razeshadowlegends]

A non contact voltage tester is an unreliable way to check if a wire is live or not. The wire could be dead but the indicator can still indicate live if the wire is in close proximity to wire which is live. Remove the light bulb a see if it glows red.

That seems to be the general consensus regarding NCVT. I'll try removing the bulb tonight when I'm back from work! Out of curiosity, if it does glow red once the light bulb is removed - what does that mean?

 

[westward10]

By fitting the lamp and putting a load across hot and neutral may negate the effect, could be wrong of course.

 

[razeshadowlegends]

By fitting the lamp and putting a load across hot and neutral may negate the effect, could be wrong of course.

I am a complete newbie, so I don't get these terms. I googled it and I guess you're trying to say that it may have short circuited when I connected the wires and inserted the bulb? So once I take it out and let it "reset" it should be okay?

Let me know if I understood it correctly. Thanks for your response btw I appreciate it

 

[westward10]

I was only suggesting why it was glowing green instead of red. A suitable voltage tester is required for correct indication.

 

[brianmoooore]

If a wire is 'floating' (not connected to anything at any point), then sufficient electricity can flow into it from adjacent live wires to make it appear live to a non contact tester. There is no appreciable current with this electricity, so as soon as the wire is connected to a load, the voltage disappears