Outlet help (lights, building, circuit, replace)

[dabadude]

I have a Problem. In a small shop that is connected to a breaker that also runs the back porch. I took a light fixture out of the little shop and and replaced it with an outlet. The white was connected to white and the blacks were open and connected to the fixture itself. I undid connected the outlet and plugged in the florescent light and went and turned the breaker back on. I came out and flipped the switch nothing happened. So i checked everything and flipped breaker again, still nothing.. Thought ok I have a bad plug. went and got a new plug still nothing. When i connected the plug i put white to silver and black t brass and bare to ground. But there was no ground.. So I thought maybe the outlet where the main came in was bad . so i replaced it still nothing. its a 3 wire on a 30 amp breaker that is shared with another room.. Crazy wiring job. is all i can say. so Its white and black red isnt used and ground. the ground was not attached so I connected it and when i did the lights came on but flickered and nothing else worked. tripped breaker and disconnected ground and nothing. Any ideas.

[K'ledgeBldr]

You have a switched leg in the light J-box.

If you replace a fixture with a recepticle you have to wire it as a fixture-
The white (neutral) stay connected. The two blacks- one is line, the other is the traveler.

You need to detrimine which black is "line" (breaker on)- that wire goes to the "line" side of the recepticle. The other goes to the neutral side. Now, when you flip the switch you complete the circuit.

[dabadude]

So why isnt there power from the main to the outlet now im just trying to get power to the building again forget the light fixture.. i have no power to the building at all now i have the main connected toa single outlet no switch at all and still no power breaker is on white t silver and brass to black. when ground was connected it would flicker when ground is disconnected it is dead

[harry chickpea]

If you have the basic knowledge, cut off the main breaker and open the breaker box with the offending circuit. Look for the black wire coming from the breaker, trace it back to the cable to find the white wire. The white wire should go to an open terminal block and be screwed in securely. It is possible that the connection there is bad. If it isn't that, you may need to start tracing wiring.