I am installing new ceiling fans, and the wires coming from the ceiling are white, black, red, and a stray copper wire which I assume is the ground. What is the red for? My ceiling fan instructions don't account for this wire. Please Help
Ceiling fan wiring
1 - 15 of 15 Posts
Joined
·
24,963 Posts
Most likely it a switch controlled wire. The box has been wired for a fan with a light.
Normally(but not always) the black is the fan hot(sometimes switched sometimes not), the red is the switched light wire, the white is neutral, the bare copper is always ground.
Normally(but not always) the black is the fan hot(sometimes switched sometimes not), the red is the switched light wire, the white is neutral, the bare copper is always ground.
What was up there before and how was it attached? Are all these wires attached to anything else?I am installing new ceiling fans, and the wires coming from the ceiling are white, black, red, and a stray copper wire which I assume is the ground. What is the red for? My ceiling fan instructions don't account for this wire. Please Help
The post intimates they sort of just appeared.
Ron
You will then need to find out what wire does what and the switches involved.
All you need is an inexpensive testor. Test the lines with the switch(s) off and see if either of the lines is live. Then see what livens up with the switch in the on position.
I run a 14-3 wire to a fan box if I want to control both the light and fan from a switch and not the pull chain on the fan. The switch would be a two duty one. A simple on/off for the light and a speed switch for the fan. Right now, I don't know what setup you have.
Once you know your wiring set up from the switch, you can decide how you want to proceed.
Ron
Don't really think the builder will have individual wiring schmatics. They will have the plans to say what goes where, but not the way the individual components are wired.
Ron
Joined
·
17,249 Posts
What do you have for switches?
Or did they take them too :laughing:
I ran a 14-3 to a fan, even tho we are not installing a light
Or did they take them too :laughing:
I ran a 14-3 to a fan, even tho we are not installing a light
Joined
·
6,039 Posts
Do not buy a meter yet. Get a lamp socket pigtail (the rubber kind). Hook this up from the white (neutral) to the black. Turn on switch. If it lights, this wire goes to the black on the fan. Do the same with the red. If it lights, hook the red to the blue fan light if you have a light kit. If you do not have a light kit, put a wire nut on the red or black and tuck it up in the ceiling box.
Ps.....If your bent on a meter, get a wiggy, or any solenoid type tester.
I bought a repo last month. They took half the interior doors among other things. WTF are people thinking? They put a lot of effort into stripping the houses, too bad they don't put that effort into looking for work.
Joined
·
6,039 Posts
I guess they felt like if they paid for them they could take them with them. This brings up a good question. I have always heard that when selling a house you must leave anything that is permanently attached to the dwelling. Are devices and fixtures considered permanently attached?
Not if you own a toolbox they're not.
Ron
Joined
·
523 Posts
Yup. The sellers amended my purchase contract to say that they would be taking 2 ceiling fan/lights (amongst other things). I actually could have backed out of the deal if I really wanted those fans.
They were also required to replace them with functional light fixtures.
NYS though. I think it varies from place to place, like liquor laws and everything else.
Edit: Mine wasn't a repo. I think those fall under Ron's reply.
1 - 15 of 15 Posts
