How do I install my ceiling light with my uncommon condo wiring?

Question

I am trying to install a ceiling fixture and I see three wires: a yellow, a green, and a tan that is looped! I assume yellow is power, as it was the only one capped. The green is screwed to the junction box so I assume thats ground. But the loop is throwing me off!

Here's a picture...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikegee/2426751578/

Plus, the fixture has two bulbs which means there is two of every wire. Assuming I figure out which wire does what, should I just group the two fixture wires of each type together and attach them to the one in the ceiling?

Answer 1

The looped wire is grey and is the neutral for the circuit. The yellow wire is the power lead, connect the grey wire to the shell side of the fixture sockets, connect the yellow wire to the other leads from the sockets, connect the green to the bare wire.

Cut and strip the grey wire and put a jumper to the light fixture for ease of service in the future. You have the correct idea about just hooking the rest together.

Answer 2

Buy a cheep tester and confirm what is power.  The looped neutral may be that way because they pulled the wire through the box and never had a fixture hooked up there.  If you cut the loop you will  loose power to anything else down the line so make sure you have a flashlight handy.  attach all black to power, all white to neutral and all green to ground.