I'm having trouble installing a new ceiling light where one once was. The new fixture has two white and two black, plus a ground wire. The ceiling opening has two white, two black, a ground and one red wire. The ceiling light is controlled by a wall switch. Wiring black to black and white to white (not attaching the red) results in the ceiling fixture not working. Wiring fixture black to ceiling red, and white to white results in the ceiling fixture not working. Rather than going through all the combinations, what is the proper wiring?

Read the insurrections for the fan and determine the hot and neutral wires. Turn on the switch using a meter determine the hot and neutral wires. Then hook up to fan following instructions. Different fans have varied instructions depending on the fan.

One switch, or was there another one on the other side of the room that controlled the light too? Open up the box at the switch and post back with what wires are in the box and how they are connected.

Was the previous fixture a ceiling fan with a light?

You could test light fixture and bulb with an extension cord. If it works, hook the 2 whites on light together with the white(s) in ceiling. Then try the red. If it doesn't work, remove switch and note wire colors. Black and Red I hope.

No it is not and was not a fan. Just a simple two wire light fixture that came down. I have tried to put the same one back (as I failed with the new one) now the old one will not turn off.

Menhuin, you sure you have the right post, this was 4 years ago from a guy named davidsen.