In the US (and others?) black is hot and white is neutral. The two are never connected together. However, the code allows a white conductor to be switched hot if the ends are properly identified, such as by wrapping with color identifier (usually black) tape. Before you make any changes, however, look at the entire circuit. If an error has been made in one part, it is often that a "correcting" error was made in another.
It sounds like the light fixture's junction box is used as a through box for additional devices further along in the circuit. This would account for the two white wires being connected together to continue the neutral to another load device. As for the black wires, one could be the "hot" into the junction box from the distribution panel supply or a return "hot" from a switch that controls the light fixture. The other could be a feeder that connects the first fixture to a second fixture. Without seeing a photo of the wiring and what other wires are in the same cable set, it is hard to state completely what the wires do.
In the US and Canada, the white wire is universally the neutral.
The "hot" wire can be red or black, both are used. Maybe the manufacturer was able to get a good deal on red wire.
Just install the new fixture with black to black, white to white, and cap off the ground wire on the new fixture. It'll be fine.
You would have to provide more info to be certain what your problem is. Typically a black and white wire would connect to the two wires on the light fixture. The fixture should also be controlled by a switch that "breaks" the black (Hot Wire) to turn off the fixture. If you have a volt meter you can see if there is 120Volts between the black and white wires with switch on. If there is a single white wire going to fixture (Neutral), where is the "black wires tied" to. Maybe one of the black wires has broken off the fixture.
Yes, that is the correct connection.
There should be two wires in the box, black and white and possibly a bare one depending on the age of the wiring in the house. The fixture has two screws on the base. One wire goes on each screw. If there are short wires on the fixture, black to black and white to white. If there is a bare ground wire in the house box, it attaches to the body of the fixture. If there is no ground screw on the fixture, do not worry about it.
Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hertz supply service.I want to add an exhaust fan to the existing light switch, it's already on a 20 amp circuit, it's only got 1 light and 2 receptacles on it. However, I popped the cover off the switch today to find that the switch is not wired normally, with the 2 white leads tied together behind the switch, and the black leads going through the switch. Instead I have only 1 black lead, and 1 white lead in the box. The white then leads back to the black lead on the existing light. With just the two wires in the switch box, it means that the junction you will have to tie into is in the light fixture junction box. The usual wiring in this type of connection is, the circuit "hot" is connected to the white wire that goes down to the switch box and connects to the top of the switch. Code states that this wire should be identified as a "hot" conductor by having a black tape identifier on it. The voltage returns back to the fixture on the black wire from the bottom terminal on the switch. To tie a fan into this circuit it has to be paralleled to the light fixture at the light fixture junction box. Connect the fan feeder's white wire to the neutral (white wire) in the light fixture junction box. Connect the fan feeder's black wire to the black wire that returns from the switch and parallel it to the wire that is now connected to the light fixture. This will give you a connection that will turn on the light fixture and the new fan, from the same switch.Before you do any work yourself,on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energizedIF YOU ARE NOT REALLY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOBSAFELY AND COMPETENTLYREFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
Yes. Connect Black to Black, White to White and bare ground wires together.
Just install the new fixture with black to black, white to white, and cap off the ground wire on the new fixture. It'll be fine.
As the power to the light fixture should be, and hopefully is off, it does not matter which you hook up first.
If these are all the wires you have then this would be a great assumption. It assumes also that everything before the fixture is wired correctly and with commonly used color schemes.
At that point, you should verify the home wiring; make certain that the black wire IS, in fact, the "hot" wire and that the white wire IS in fact the neutral. If the house is wired properly, connect the new fixture with "black to black and white to white." If you aren't certain that the house wiring was done properly, contact a local electrician to perform the work for you. Connecting a light fixture improperly can be dangerous to you and to anyone who subsequently changes a bulb or otherwise comes in contact with the fixture.
You would have to provide more info to be certain what your problem is. Typically a black and white wire would connect to the two wires on the light fixture. The fixture should also be controlled by a switch that "breaks" the black (Hot Wire) to turn off the fixture. If you have a volt meter you can see if there is 120Volts between the black and white wires with switch on. If there is a single white wire going to fixture (Neutral), where is the "black wires tied" to. Maybe one of the black wires has broken off the fixture.
If both wires are black then the one with the writing is the neutral wire. If the two wires are black and white then the white one is the neutral.
Yes, that is the correct connection.
Yes
If both wires are black, the one that connects to your white wire is the one that should have little writing on it. Black to the plain black wire, white to the wire with writing.
There should be two wires in the box, black and white and possibly a bare one depending on the age of the wiring in the house. The fixture has two screws on the base. One wire goes on each screw. If there are short wires on the fixture, black to black and white to white. If there is a bare ground wire in the house box, it attaches to the body of the fixture. If there is no ground screw on the fixture, do not worry about it.
The advantage is that black eye will absorb the light instead of reflecting it. Black absorbs light and white reflects all off it