Questions about wiring a light switch?

Question

I am trying to take 4 lights in the basement that currently all have to be turned on independently and wire them all in series to a single switch. I just took the wires and put them to the switch and then to the first light. it came on but when i held the silver metal shielding piece that houses the wires, I got a tingle. I think that would mean I need to connect the third wire. The grounding one. The light did come on which I think means I had the pos and neg connected right. Where do I connect the ground wire and what caused the tingle? by ground wire I mean the third wire that is nothing but copper. I think I just put it to the case or the light or whatever looks like a good spot to get grounded. any extra knowledge or advice is a big help! In the mean time I will be searching the web for how to's.

Answer 1

The guy above me helpful, but you have an existing problem with the wires shocking you.  No doubt you can run the series yourself, but don't monkey around and burn your house down by trying to save the cash on this DIY.  Get someone to find the short and fix it.  DIY the next job.  BTW purchase the Black and Decker Advanced Home Wiring book.  It has color pics and shows you the layouts of several ways to do stuff.  By the way, if your name is Bob Villa my wife is looking for you to marry her.  LOL.

Answer 2

You have your hot wire insulation striped and touching the Greenfield (the metal covering). You need to find the striped area and tape it. Or Buy some "Romex" wiring 14/2 with ground and replace all the Greenfield in this circuit.

  You can run the wires from light to light to light.

  Attach the black wire to the black wire (hot), white to white (neutral or common), bare copper wire (ground)  to bare copper wire.

Attach black wire to switch, White wire to white in switch box,

bare copper to green wire (ground).

Answer 3

If you got a tingle then something is wrong other than the open ground. Something is shorted out

Answer 4

Do yourself a favor.  Hire a handyman or electrician.  Be smart.  If you are asking these questions you shouldn't be doing the work.