# New Track light - Five wires from box, three on fixture.



## tangierc (Jul 25, 2016)

Folks I am replacing an old track light with a new one and I am not sure how to handle this wiring situation:

Old track light fixture has five wires connected:
2 White (one paired with black wire on fixture and one paired with red on fixture)
1 Black
1 Green
1 Red

New track light only has three wires
1 white
1 Black
1 Green

I tried just connecting white to white, black to black and green to green per the instructions and capped off the remaining wires for safety, but the new track isn't working when I installed the new light.

Here's a pic of the old fixture wires


Any ideas?


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## CallMeVilla (Jul 26, 2016)

I am assuming you have removed the old track and installed a new track.  You are capping the old red and neutral wires, leaving only one set of black and neutral wires.  Also assuming all your components are from same manufacturer for a SINGLE TRACK lighting system.  Am also assuming your lights are controlled from a SINGLE switch.  If you have a three-way configuration, the situation changes.

Did you check for power on the black leg?  Did you check your wall switch to ensure it is black and white only ?  If so, activate the switch then check for power on your black wire.  A simple non-contact "tickler" can indicate the presence of AC power.  If your black wire is hot, then you should be able to get  power to your lights.

Do this a let's see what happens.


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## JoeD (Jul 26, 2016)

Did you have one or two switches controlling the old fixture. Red and black connections would seem to indicate two switches controlling two separate sections.

Try connecting to the red instead of the black.


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## speedy petey (Jul 26, 2016)

Where are you located?


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## tangierc (Jul 26, 2016)

Glad i came back.  I was expecting instant emails and didn't get any.  I'll start with this advice and see.  The thing is, my condo has a touch switch that was here when I got here.  See pic below.  So it's hard to know when it's on or off.  There's two touch panels and they work as dimmers using pressure.  However only one has ever worked.


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## tangierc (Jul 26, 2016)

Yes, I did replace the track.  It everything is connected except the wires I capped.  I placed a light (from same manufacturer).


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## tangierc (Jul 26, 2016)

To be clear you mean connect the black from my new fixture to the red coming from the ceiling?


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## tangierc (Jul 26, 2016)

So i connected fixture black to ceiling red.  Then used the right touch pad switch.  The light works

BUT

I can't turn it off.  As I touch the switch pad the light toggles between low and bright.  If I press and hold the touch pad, it dims and brightens until I let go.  

The capped black wire from the ceiling still has voltage when I tested it with voltage detector.

So, lights on, but can't turn off.


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## JoeD (Jul 27, 2016)

Sounds like the dimmer is not compatible with the new fixture. Is the  new fixture LED or CFL lamps? You need a special dimmer to be compatible with them.
The second switch probably controls the red wire.


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