Can you take some pictures of the ceiling box and switch box? Maybe a visual would help.

OK, so there is another black. I'll be back in a little while after I have read through this thread entirely.

The black coming into the switch box will be the hot. The black in the switch box that is attached to the switch is taking the hot to the ceiling. The red attached to the switch is the switched leg. The white is the neutral of course.

Of course it is possible that one of the blacks in the ceiling box is the hot and the black to the switch is taking the hot to the switch and then to somewhere else.

It really doesn't matter because either way the black bundle in the ceiling is hot , the red is the switched leg and the white bundle is neutral.

Normally the black of the fan/light is the fan and the blue is the light. Therefore you would connect all of the blacks together, including the fan black. Connect the blue to the red. Connect the white of the fan to the white bundle. The switch will control the light and the pull chain will control the fan.

You said " so depending on where you left the pull chains you could make it so the wall switch turned on the light but not the fan, or the reverse, or both."

I think you are mistaken. I've never heard of such a capability. I think the pull chains are just an on/off for the light and a on/off/speed for the fan. How you physically wire the fan/light would control the function of the switch.

Switches capable of what you describe would be extremely complex electrically, if even possible, and quite complex to operate. However, such a capability would be possible if you have a third pull chain for reversing the operation of the wall switch.

Past difficulties in reconnecting the fan/light have come from confusion and Murphy's law.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tokenhaole

I tried what seemed the most logical combination from all the info I can find:

Fan black (which I untwisted from blue) to box black
Fan blue (the light wire) to box red
White to white
Ground to ground

The result was the fan turned on and off with the pull chain, the light wouldn't come on at all, and the wall switch was irrelevant, on or off.

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You should consider whether the switch could be defective. Maybe that's why the fan and light wires were both connected to the hot in the ceiling box..

I didn't get that from the post. I interpreted it to mean, you turned power on and off from the switch, and determined the speed/light/reverse settings with the pullchain. This is normal.

In case it helps...

I stand by my conclusions, especially that the switch could be defective.

The switch worked fine before I took the fan down, but I'll replace it just in case there's a strange coincidence here. But here's a new wrinkle: Neither black in the wall switch box is hot. That doesn't change when I turn on the light with the pull chain.

Here's a suggestion.

First turn the power off to the ceiling box at the breaker. Next, set your Ohm meter to 1K Ohms.

Unscrew the three black wires at the ceiling. Place the Red probe on the Red wire. Place the black probe on one of the black wires. Toggle the switch. If the red is the switched leg, then you should see the meter deflect (if it is an analog meter or beep if it is a digital meter). If nothing happens, them move the black probe to the next black wire. In theory, eventually one of the three black wires should react showing the reaction of the switch opening and closing.

If none show a reaction, I would move the meter to the switch and test between the two leads connected to the switch. If nothing happens, replace the switch and then repeat the test at the ceiling. Once you have the switch leg connected properly, then connect the red from the switch to the blue wire on the light fixture. This will cause the light to work off the wall switch.

Take the black from the fan and tie it together with other three blacks. This will leave the fan section a constant hot and allow the fan to be worked by the fan's switch, independently of the wall switch that works the light section.

Turn the breaker back on and lets see if sparks fly or everything works properly.

Do you have all three blacks in the ceiling connected?

I have blk, what and blu from fan, Ceiling I have blk , what and red where does the red go

I've been remiss in getting back with thanks and compliments for all of your help. Harold was right about the switch, which I unraveled by following Don's suggestion. Seems odd that the switch would go bad just then, since I hadn't touched it, but sure enough, I changed it, tied the blacks together and the blue to red, and everything worked as before. Thanks, all.

Flad you finally got it working. It's been quite an adventure.