"All 3 outlet boxes have a black wire, white wire, and copper wire."

What does this have to do with the lights?

"I connected all the wires, installed the bulbs, turned the circuit breaker back on, flipped the light switch on and nothing happened."

How do you know that switch controls (or is supposed to control) the pendant lights? Do you have a voltmeter or circuit tester you can use to check whether power is reaching the wires in a ceiling electrical box? If there are black and white wires in the electrical box that contains the switch can you check that there is actual power delivered when the switch is on? Are there two 3-way switches or is there just one switch for the lights?

I don’t have any experience with this stuff so I’m just describing what’s there and what I did. The switch on the left turns on the main kitchen light and I’m assuming the one on the right is for the pendant lights. All of the other switches in the house I know what they are for.

Were the ceiling boxes just sitting open for 3 years, or did you replace existing lights? Are there any other wires coming into the box that are tied together with caps (wire nut connectors)? Have you looked at the switch to see if it has wires connected to the screw terminals? Do you have a simple circuit tester?

"I’m assuming the one on the right is for the pendant lights."

Well, maybe. If you don't have one, you can get a voltage tester like the one pictured above at Home Depot for a few dollars. Use the tester to check for power as described earlier.

The ceiling boxes had lids on them. I’m just barely getting around to putting lights up so this will be the first time. There are no other wires coming into the box that are tied together. I went out and bought a multimeter. I just take the switch apart and test it, right? I’ll look on YouTube.

Start by testing power to each box, both with the switch (you think is associated to them) on and off. And test all the other nearby switches to rule out. At the switch (you think is associated to them) check to make sure it is wired - if they knew you wouldn't have fixtures they may have left it a dummy. If it has wires, test them for power.

^ that's the start, more info based on what you find

I checked the power to each box with the switch on and off. I had no reading for all three. I don’t know if this is relevant but box one has one set of white, black, and copper wire. Box two and three both have two sets of white, black, and copper wire. I checked the switch I think is associated with the boxes and I got a reading of about 118.

HU - don’t feel bad - we all have to learn somehow! Watching some videos on how to use the multimeter is a good idea - there’s probably some out there on how to hook up a standard pendant light as well. Make sure the breaker to what you think these are is on - you may need a helper to flip the breakers while you’re checking for power on the wires.

"I don’t know if this is relevant but box one has one set of white, black, and copper wire. Box two and three both have two sets of white, black, and copper wire."

The boxes are wired together: Box 3 is wired to the switch and Box 2. Box 2 is wired to Box 3 and Box 1. Box 1 is wired to Box 2. Box 1 is the "end of the line" and has only one set of wires.

"I checked the switch I think is associated with the boxes and I got a reading of about 118."

The switch has two connections: one to the circuit breaker and one to the lights. If the switch is working correctly, the connection to the circuit breaker will read 118 volts regardless of the position of the switch while the connection to the lights will read 118 volts only when the switch is in the on position.

So where do I go from here if I’m not getting any reading on the ceiling boxes?

You started out talking about outlet boxes, and later ceiling boxes. When you talk about Box 1, 2, and 3, are these the ceiling boxes?

Sorry mtv, I didn’t know what the correct term was but yes I mean the same thing when I said outlet and ceiling boxes.

Following up on what wdcruise said, I'm assuming there are 3 ceiling boxes, all presumably for lights; is that right? To trace things out, check the voltage at the switch(es). It should be 117 (or 118 or 120, etc.) at one wire of each switch, whether the switch is on or off. That wire should come from a breaker, but it could also come from a receptacle. The other wire in each switch should read the same voltage if the switch is on, and zero if it's off.

Turn both switches on. Check the voltage on the black wire in the ceiling boxes (should be the same for each one; I'm assuming they are connected together). IF you get power at the ceiling boxes, then turn each switch off, one at a time, to see which one controls the power to the ceiling boxes.

Post back here when you have the results of your tests.

Yes the three ceiling boxes are for lights. These are the readings I got with the switches on and off. The left switch works and turns on the kitchen lights. The switch on the right I’m assuming is for the pendant lights. For my drawing the top number is for the top wire and the bottom number is for the bottom wire. I tested the black wire for all three ceiling boxes with both switches on and off and had no reading at all.

I'm a little confused - for example on the left switch, you have 2 "123s"; does that mean you have two wires at the top, each reading 123 volts? Are both wires black? Or, do you mean that in the ON position, the top and bottom read 123 and in the OFF position, the top reads 0 and the bottom reads 123.

I'm going to ask my questions one at a time...

So for the left switch in the ON position the top and bottom wires read 123. In the OFF position the top wire reads 0 and the bottom wire reads 123.

OK, the wire which stays at 123 is the source, from the breaker or, perhaps, a junction box or a receptacle. The other is the switched one and its wire should go to one of the ceiling boxes. For the other switch, it's the same, but that switch is mounted upside down. Doesn't make any difference, except that I like to have both switches in the same position when they're on (and the same for off).

Did you check the voltage at the ceiling boxes? (Did you say that one switch is for your existing lights? If so, then ignore that one; it's the other one I'm talking about).

The left switch is for my existing lights. The right one is what I think controls the pendent lights. I checked the voltage at the ceiling boxes with the switch in the on and off position. I’m not getting a reading at all.

I think there are tools which allow you to trace wires, but I don't know much about them. Maybe it's time go get an electrician.

"I checked the voltage at the ceiling boxes with the switch in the on and off position. I’m not getting a reading at all."

Right. So you need to back up and test the switch itself to determine whether it is working. Referring to the Basic Light Switch diagram, take three voltage readings:

1. Between the black and white Power Source wires.
2. Between the black and white wires leading to the light with the switch in the OFF position.
3. Between the black and white wires leading to the light with the switch in the ON position.

You should obtain a ~118 volt reading in tests #1 and #3 but not test #2.

How do I take the voltage reading for #1? For #2 and #3, would that be the two screws on the right side of the light switch? I have a ground screw on the left side and two screws on the right side. Also do I test the black probe to the top screw or the bottom? What about the red probe?

1. When you tested the two switches, you touched the black probe to the screws on the switches, right? Where did you touch the red probe? Ground?
2. Look at the cable that exits the switch box whose black wire is connected to the bottom screw of the left-hand switch and the top screw of the right-hand switch. Is there a white wire inside that cable?
3. Look at the cable that exits the switch box whose black wire is connected to the top screw of the left-hand switch. Is there a white wire inside that cable?
4. Look at the cable that exits the switch box whose black wire is connected to the bottom screw of the right-hand switch. Is there a white wire inside that cable?
5. If there are white wires, how are they connected together inside the box?