[VAC] Need another perspective

["Terry Tyler" <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Well, I've finally challenged myself to the point where - what I thought I knew how to do - doesn't
do what I want to do. I need someone to provide a fresh perspective. It's an electrical problem.

In our '67 22' Safari, I removed the center ceiling light and carefully marked the wires that went
into each of two wire nuts. I noticed there were more wires in one large wire nut than the other
smaller wire nut.

My objective was to replace that light fixture with a fluorescent light fixture. Simple enough, have
done such jobs many times. 

Here's the rub. After trying several combinations of re-connecting wires, I can't get the switch
above the entry door to activate the center ceiling light (like it used to do before I removed it). 

I can re-connect the wires so the fan will run and I can re-connect the wires so the ceiling light
will light, but I haven't been able to re-connect the wires so the fan, the ceiling light and the
switch above the entry door will work (after all the wires are stuffed back into the ceiling). 

AND - in my cavalier attitude, I used a non-permanent marking pen to mark the wires - which has
since rubbed off.  

AND - with dark approaching on the afternoon I did the job, I foolishly rushed the disassembly. As a
result, I don't recall how many wires went into each wire nut, other than to remember one wire nut
was larger and had more wires in it than the other smaller wire nut.  

The next day, when I went back to finish - what I thought I knew how to do - didn't work. This is my
third day trying to systematically re-connect the wire nuts in different combinations. Obviously,
I've tripped the fuse several times (which told me I had the wrong combination).
 
Background: 

1 - There are six wires protruding from the ceiling. Three are black and three are white. There is a
black and a white wire coming out of the light fixture. All in all, there are 8 wires to re-connect.

One specific black wire is live and will light up my test lamp when I touch the test lamp's other
probe to one specific white wire. The other two black wires and two white wires show no current
whatsoever. Even re-connecting the live black wire to either of the other two white wires does not
light the test lamp. 

2 - I have identified one black and one white wire that feeds a ceiling vent fan six feet away. I
did that by re-connecting the known black live wire to the black wire that goes to the fan - and by
re-connecting the known white ground wire to the white wire that goes to the fan. After doing that,
the switch on the fan activates the fan. Without those four wires connected, the fan switch does not
activate the fan.

3 - There is one white and one black wire from the actual lighting fixture that must be connected to
the six wires protruding from the hole in the ceiling (for the lighting fixture to have power to
light the bulbs). 

4 - I have identified one black and one white wire that feeds the switch over the entry door. I did
that by re-connecting the known black live wire to the black wire that goes to the switch - and by
re-connecting the known white ground wire to the white wire that goes to the switch. After doing
that and including the light fixture's white and black wires inside the wire nut, the switch will
turn on or off the center ceiling light fixture when the knob is set for one bulb to light.  

Thus and therefore:

The question of the day is:

Which of the 8 wires do I connect into the large wire nut and which of the 8 wires do I connect into
the smaller wire nut so that:

a - I can turn on and off the overhead ceiling light by turning the knob in the light fixture,

b - I can turn on and off the ceiling vent fan independently of whether or not the ceiling light is
lit or - whether or not the switch at the entry door is turned on or off, and 

c - I can turn on and off the center ceiling light with the switch above the entry door (after the
ceiling light knob is set for one bulb to be lit).

All of these combinations used to work before I disassembled the light fixture in preparation for
installing a fluorescent fixture. 

I need another perspective. The ones I'm using aren't cutting the mustard. It has to be something
simple or one of my conclusions is invalid. 

I've walked away from the trailer and tried to sketch the options on a sheet of paper. There is
something I'm missing.

Perplexed,

Terry
mailto:tylerbears@airstream.net