Exploring connections

[swimmer_spe]

I have a wired shed. It has a motion light wired up, but there is no switch for it, and the panel in the shed is not labeled.

My plan is to remove the light, remove the marrettes and find if power is going to it using a multimeter. If there isn't, then I am in a whole different problem. If there is power there, I will then figure out the breaker for it, and shut it off. Is this safe to do? Is there a better way? The bulb is not removable.

 

[afjes_2016]

Not quite sure what you final objective is here.

I understand you have a motion light without a switch. You say it is being fed by the panel in the shed and the panel is not marked as to which breaker controls the light.

Are you saying the light is not functioning and this is why you are testing to see if there is power to it?
Are you saying the light is functioning but you don't know what breaker is controlling the light?

Not such a good idea to remove the light and disconnect the wires while it is live or if you are not sure if the circuit breaker to it is turned off. It is dangerous. If you are sure that the panel in the shed powers the light then shut off all the breakers in the panel or the main if it has one which it should and then test with a proximity tester pen to see if there is still power at the light. If no power detected then carefully remove the fixture and disconnect the wires. Once the wires are disconnected and safely separated you can hook up your meter and then turn on breaker on at a time until you see which breaker feeds the light. Then at that point you can begin your troubleshooting.

 

[swimmer_spe]

Not quite sure what you final objective is here.

I understand you have a motion light without a switch. You say it is being fed by the panel in the shed and the panel is not marked as to which breaker controls the light.

Are you saying the light is not functioning and this is why you are testing to see if there is power to it?
Are you saying the light is functioning but you don't know what breaker is controlling the light?

Not such a good idea to remove the light and disconnect the wires while it is live or if you are not sure if the circuit breaker to it is turned off. It is dangerous. If you are sure that the panel in the shed powers the light then shut off all the breakers in the panel or the main if it has one which it should and then test with a proximity tester pen to see if there is still power at the light. If no power detected then carefully remove the fixture and disconnect the wires. Once the wires are disconnected and safely separated you can hook up your meter and then turn on breaker on at a time until you see which breaker feeds the light. Then at that point you can begin your troubleshooting.

Light does not work and there is no switch for it. So, before I disconnect the wires, I need to find the breaker for it. So, I would only uncover the wires, not disconnect them while power is still going to it.

 

[Sparky617]

If you have a no-touch voltage tester check for power and switch off a breaker, test again, repeat until you find the right breaker. If you only have a multimeter you need to touch both the hot and neutral to determine when you shut off the power. You might be able to touch the bare conductors under the wirenuts.

 

[afjes_2016]

If you don't know what breaker controls the light then shut off the main breaker at the panel. Now carefully disassemble the light fixture to get to the wires. Handle it as though it may still be live. I say this because I don't know if you have a no-touch voltage tester to check to see if there is power to the light fixture.

See my P.S. - if you have no problem shutting off the main breaker then do so to reset the light. Turn the main breaker back on. See if the light now works.

If the light does not work and you know it is not the bulbs.
Once you shut off the main breaker and carefully disassemble the light fixture. Carefully take the wire nuts off and separate the wires so they don't touch one another again after you let go of them - they may spring back. Once you have all the wires disconnected from the wire nuts test the wires with your meter. Once you know there is no power to this light fixture turn the main breaker back on. At this point test the wires to see if they have power (which they should). Now that you have safely opened the light fixture and connected your meter to the wires you can now go and shut off each breaker to see which breaker powers that light.



P.S. Just so you know motion activated spot lights need to be reset once in a while. Usually turning off the switch for a bit and back on will do the trick. But because you don't have a switch you would need to shut off the breaker to reset the light when it acts up.


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