Ceiling fixture wiring question

[Mash]

I'm replacing a ceiling light fixture in my kitchen, we've only lived in the house a few months. I removed the old light and in the junction box there are four romex cables coming into the box and the wires for the light. So let's call the four Romex cables C1, C2, C3 and C4.

The first 3 are easy, C1, C2, C3 all have their black wires tied together and all have their white wires tied together (and all ground wires together). C4 confuses me a bit (but that's not that hard to do), The black from C4 goes to the light, the other wire from the light goes to the group of white wires all tied together which makes sense...but the white from C4 is tied into the group of black wires. Why would that be? I would think that the white from C4 would get tied in with the white wires, not the black wires....does this make sense? Many thanks

[alarman]

C4 is a switch leg. White takes current to the switch, and it comes back to the light on the black.

[Steve Barker DLT]

c4 is your switch. the white in it should have been taped black.

s

[John Grabowski]

It was necessary to wire it that way to include the wall switch in the circuit and have a black wire and a white wire feed the light fixture. If you were to open up the switch you would find that the white wire is hot and the black wire is the load feeding the fixture. If the black on the switch was hot and the white was the load you would end up with two white wires feeding the light fixture. This wiring scheme is normal and an accepted practice.

Do not make any changes to the wiring. Just disconnect the two wires from the existing light fixture and connect the new light fixture to them.

[DerbyDad03]

re: "we've only lived in the house a few months."

Just curious...what does this have to do with the situation?

[Mash]

de quoted text -

Thanks alot for the answers, that makes sense. I have one more challenge though. The location of the current junction box is not correct. I actually need to install my light about 1 foot away from the current lights' location. So I can't just connect the new light to where the current light is. My plan was to put a cover on the junction box that is there now. Then install a new junction box in the new, correct location. So I guess what I need to do is bring into my new junction box C4 (from the switch) and C3? Then wire the black from C4 to the light fixture and take the white from C3 and wire to the other leg of the light fixture? Then obviously continue the wiring on the old, existing junction box. Does that make sense?

I'm going to do that. Thanks

[Mash]

Good question....I guess I was hoping somebody would bake us a pie for our new house :)

[DerbyDad03]

I'll go home and bake a nice apple pie for you this evening. Since I have no way of getting it to you, I'll eat it for you also.

Welcome to the neigborhood.

[bud--]

quoted text -

I is usually easiest to add a new romex from the old j-box to the new box. Connect to the wires that feed the light in the old box.

Taping is another method that is used. The wiring is compliant with the NEC as is. (Tape it if you want to.)

-- bud--

[Mash]

Yes, that definitely seems easier. Thanks!

[alarman]

No, it shouldn't.

[DerbyDad03]

Please expand on your eloquent statement.

[Steve Barker DLT]

Oh yes it should..

s

[alarman]

In your DIY world perhaps.

[dpb]

And the NEC world as well, if it was indeed as described, the hot carrier.

--

[alarman]

It is not done, as a rule, by professional electricians. The NEC refers to it all right, but it is optional. To say that it "should" be done is absurd.

[Steve Barker DLT]

OR in the NEC

s

[alarman]

Hmmm...lessee...Nope, can't find where is says you SHOULD tape the white in the NEC.

(Hint: It's not done)

js

[gfretwell]

You didn't look very hard

200.7(C)(2)Where a cable assembly contains an insulated conductor for single-pole, 3-way or 4-way switch loops and the conductor with white or gray insulation or a marking of three continuous white stripes is used for the supply to the switch but not as a return conductor from the switch to the switched outlet. In these applications, the conductor with white or gray insulation or with three continuous white stripes shall be permanently reidentified to indicate its use by painting or other effective means at its terminations and at each location where the conductor is visible and accessible.

tape is considered an effective means.

[Mark]