Light Switch wiring help

[Cropduster172]

Any help appreciated here.
The contractor finished the siding job. He left the outdoor deck lights off of one side. I want to reconnect. It's two wall lights on each end of the deck both controlled by a single pole switch inside and directly below the mounting box in the picture.
One of the wires coming out has black tape as you can see. I'm thinking that's a white wire carrying current.
My question. ..do I wire nut the three that are not stripped together with a white jumper and than the white jumper and black with exposed stripped lead are my lamp connection?

 

[Pablo]

Any help appreciated here.
The contractor finished the siding job. He left the outdoor deck lights off of one side. I want to reconnect. It's two wall lights on each end of the deck both controlled by a single pole switch inside and directly below the mounting box in the picture.
One of the wires coming out has black tape as you can see. I'm thinking that's a white wire carrying current.
My question. ..do I wire nut the three that are not stripped together with a white jumper and than the white jumper and black with exposed stripped lead are my lamp connection?

View attachment 278473

Honestly meter it out. Not going to suggest anything based on conductor colors

 

[Cropduster172]

Honestly meter it out. Not going to suggest anything based on conductor colors

No meter here. But thanks for playing.

 

[factorytuned2012]

you should use a meter as pablo mentioned can't say what the installer done from day one. no ground? start with one meter lead on the white and the other to each black with the switch on... you should get your 120v's

 

[factorytuned2012]

No meter here. But thanks for playing.

if you have one of these and bulb around no need for a meter

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

if you have one of these and bulb around no need for a meter

View attachment 278502​

Go right ahead. Make sure to have the coroner let us know how it worked out for you.

 

[factorytuned2012]

Go right ahead. Make sure to have the coroner let us know how it worked out for you.

no different than using a meter.

 

[eljefino]

It would seem to me like you found the "master" outdoor light with a pair of wires coming from the switch and a pair going off to the "slave" light. It's intended that you hook up both blacks to one screw and both whites to the other one. But meter it out.

 

[97prizm]

Any help appreciated here.
The contractor finished the siding job. He left the outdoor deck lights off of one side. I want to reconnect. It's two wall lights on each end of the deck both controlled by a single pole switch inside and directly below the mounting box in the picture.
One of the wires coming out has black tape as you can see. I'm thinking that's a white wire carrying current.
My question. ..do I wire nut the three that are not stripped together with a white jumper and than the white jumper and black with exposed stripped lead are my lamp connection?

View attachment 278473

Go to your local hardware store and get an inexpensive current tester. I picked up one from Home Depot. It'll tell you if and which wires have power to them. It's a useful tool to have, and beats getting zapped.

 

[Rand]

No meter here. But thanks for playing.

Get one? they are literally free with coupon at harbor freight(6.99 without) or 10$ at amazon

both are fine for house voltages.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

no different than using a meter.

Would you use a running chainsaw to drive nails, or would you spend a few bucks to get the right tool for the job? You can buy a cheap voltage meter from Harbor Freight for less than the gas it takes to drive there and back.

 

[factorytuned2012]

Would you use a running chainsaw to drive nails, or would you spend a few bucks to get the right tool for the job? You can buy a cheap voltage meter from Harbor Freight for less than the gas it takes to drive there and back.

What’s the difference? All 3 are safe methods of verifying voltage

 

[Cropduster172]

What’s the difference? All 3 are safe methods of verifying voltage

View attachment 278616

View attachment 278617

View attachment 278618

I have a continuity tester I found in my tool bin. I checked the wires.
I'm good. It was the 3 plus a white jumper I'll replace once the hardware store opens and I can buy some orange wire nuts. Thanks

 

[Delta]

Looks like this has already been solved, but looks like an old switch loop. Tape the white wire black on one line for a switch leg, basically just breaking the hot. This is how my house built in '65 was wired. No longer code as they now require the neutral in the switch box. It's grandfathered in, but the new ceiling fixtures I've installed (no ceiling fixtures in a couple rooms, just a a switched outlet for a table lamp) I had to go with current code.

 

[factorytuned2012]

Looks like this has already been solved, but looks like an old switch loop. Tape the white wire black on one line for a switch leg, basically just breaking the hot. This is how my house built in '65 was wired. No longer code as they now require the neutral in the switch box. It's grandfathered in, but the new ceiling fixtures I've installed (no ceiling fixtures in a couple rooms, just a a switched outlet for a table lamp) I had to go with current code.

Some of those old homes with knob and tube wiring they switched the neutral

 

[Delta]

Some of those old homes with knob and tube wiring they switched the neutral

I had a house that was built in the 20's that was retrofitted with electricity and plumbing in the early 40's. I am all well too aware of the shenanigans they did back then. 120v tingles a little bit. Still prefer it over the jolt of 277v

 

[factorytuned2012]

I had a house that was built in the 20's that was retrofitted with electricity and plumbing in the early 40's. I am all well too aware of the shenanigans they did back then. 120v tingles a little bit. Still prefer it over the jolt of 277v

I have had the joyous moment of getting to know 120. I haven't met anything higher and hopefully never will. my new job position is intimidating working around 480 most the day.

 

[Delta]

I have had the joyous moment of getting to know 120. I haven't met anything higher and hopefully never will. my new job position is intimidating working around 480 most the day.

As an industrial maintenance technician 480v is my sad little life

Home wiring is still nothing to play around with.

 

[Cropduster172]

Looks like this has already been solved, but looks like an old switch loop. Tape the white wire black on one line for a switch leg, basically just breaking the hot. This is how my house built in '65 was wired. No longer code as they now require the neutral in the switch box. It's grandfathered in, but the new ceiling fixtures I've installed (no ceiling fixtures in a couple rooms, just a a switched outlet for a table lamp) I had to go with current code.

Place was built in 1979 buts was resided probably 25 years ago and we just had it done again.

 

[Cropduster172]

I have had the joyous moment of getting to know 120. I haven't met anything higher and hopefully never will. my new job position is intimidating working around 480 most the day.

I met up with him again this AM. Reinstalling the same kind of outdoor light right around the corner from the original post situation. It was a two switch controlling one light outside the door and at the top of the stairs. Before the siding contractor came there was an exterior light switch at the bottom of the stairs and the interior light switch inside the door at the top. Siding contractor must have bent the ears back on the switch and stuffed it inside the box and sided right over it. I didn't kill the breaker. I turned the switch off...or so I thought of is now up and on is down. I found out the hard way with a jolt.