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-   -   Red wire (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=172669)

  • Jan 15, 2008, 10:20 AM
    shorn
    Red wire
    I am hanging a ceiling fan and I only have 2 wires, a red and a white. What do I do?
    Thanks.
    Savannah
    The wires are hanging from the ceiling.
    The wires on the fan are black, blue, white, and green.
  • Jan 15, 2008, 10:32 AM
    donf
    I have absolutely no idea just from the description you've given :)

    I'm going to guess that the two hanging wires are in the ceiling?
    If they are then you are looking at a runner and a natural return. Red would be "Hot" wire. "Its color could mean there are multiple light fixtures that are being feed by the runner." My suggestion to you would be to connect the red wire lead to the black fixture lead. Connect white to white and the fixtures ground wire to the frame of the junction box.
  • Jan 15, 2008, 11:20 AM
    KISS
    Does the ceiling haqve only two wires or does the fan have only two wires?
  • Jan 15, 2008, 12:21 PM
    ceilingfanrepair
    I second KISS's question. What wires do you have from the fan, assuming red and white are from the ceiling?

    Ceiling fan wiring - Ceiling Fans N More
  • Jan 15, 2008, 12:36 PM
    shorn
    The wires on the fan are black, blue, white, and green.
  • Jan 15, 2008, 12:44 PM
    ceilingfanrepair
    Black and blue to red, white to white, green to ground.
  • Jan 15, 2008, 04:13 PM
    Stratmando
    Shorn, You said it correctly. These guys are usually right on. Stuff happens
    Hope it works, Take Care
  • Jan 15, 2008, 04:41 PM
    ceilingfanrepair
    Strat, the original post was edited after KISS and I responded to it.
  • Jan 15, 2008, 05:40 PM
    Stratmando
    I thought that as a possibly. I couldn't see it getting past all of you.
  • Jan 16, 2008, 05:45 AM
    Cobraguy
    You know, I would want to know more about those two wires hanging from the ceiling. Why are there only two and why are they red and white? Are we dealing with THHN or has someone run (God forbid) automotive wire or something?
  • Jan 16, 2008, 06:42 AM
    Stratmando
    Going up to that light could be: white and black, red, yellow, orange, blue, brown, most any color but gray, white, or green for the hot. The Red is a common THHN, and many people use for hots, switch legs, or travelers.
    That red wire could be constant live, or switched.
    Is red for multiple lights a Union thing?
    Common down here is yellow for lights, orange for fan. Some might pull 2 yellows to a light and fan?
  • Jan 16, 2008, 08:37 PM
    ceilingfanrepair
    I see red and white all the time. They use three conductor, white/black/red. White is neutral, black is unswitched hot, red is switched hot.
  • Jan 17, 2008, 05:37 AM
    Cobraguy
    Right... that is true Ceiling. But there is no mention of a black! So if it were a true 14/3 conductor, there would be a black. There is none. I have never seen just a red and a white unless it's individual conductors... and it should have a ground too unless it's in grounded conduit. The circuit sounds fishy to me.
  • Jan 17, 2008, 06:50 AM
    Stratmando
    I would bet it is in conduit, Conduit was ground. Red and white come from switch or constant power source.
    Seems some parts of the Country Assume Romex, Other areas assume conduit.
  • Jan 17, 2008, 04:52 PM
    ceilingfanrepair
    The black is probably tucked up in the box, spliced to other blacks, and only the red and white are sticking out noticeably. I see it all the time. If there's no visible ground, it's likely the conduit.

    My house, my parents house, and many other 1950-1970s houses I have worked on are wired this way.
  • Jan 18, 2008, 07:15 AM
    Stratmando
    I have seen many boxes with only red and white, In other parts of the country, Are you guys saying, If there is a red, their must be a black?
  • Jan 18, 2008, 10:19 AM
    ceilingfanrepair
    Nope. I've seen it wired here with just red and white. Red is an acceptable color for a hot wire. However, usually, when there's a red there's also a black.

    We are way overcomplicating this. The problem was solved a long time ago.

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