We had a ceiling fan w/ light installed where there was previously only a light (but wired for a fan as well).

Now it's time to replace the regular light switch with one that will control both the fan & light.

Currently the regular switch has 2 black wires going to it and the fan is operating (but light is not - not wired to switch). The red is capped off and the copper is grounded.

When replacing with new switch, how do we go from the 2 black wires attached, plus ground, plus red wire capped off to the new unit?

New switch specifies the following:

Current to New
Fan wire to Yellow
Ground to Green (this part I get!)
Light wire to Red
Live wire to Black

So, how do I figure out which of my 2 black wires goes to the new black and which goes to red or yellow? Then where does the current red wire go?


Currently have:
Black to switch
Black to switch
Red capped off
Copper grounded

Where do I connect:

Light wire=_____________

Fan wire=______________

1 black wire (specify)=________________

2nd black wire (specify)=_______________

Copper to ground - got that

I do have a circuit tester that has ACV/DCA/DCV/OHM if there's anything I need to do with that to figure out the black wires (but please be very specific).

Thank you for your assistance. After 4 trips to the hardware store with no real help, I'm ready to pull my hair out. :mad:

First, go to the ceiling box and tell us what wires are there.

What you will probably find is a 2-wire cable with black and white and a 3-wire cable with black, red and white. The black of the 2-wire cable will be connected to the light fixture wire and to the white of the 3-wire cable. The white of the 2-wire cable will be connected to the white of the fan/light. The black of the 3-wire cable will be connected to the fan fixture wire. The red should be caped with a wire nut.

Please confirm this.

adf,

At switch

Fan-yellow-connects to black going to ceiling box, at ceiling box it connects to the fan lead.

Light -red- connects to the capped off red, connects to the light lead in ceiling box.

Live-black-connects to the hot black wire in the switch box.

White to white leave as is. White in ceiling box connects to white or common

The switch connects to the two black wires going to the old switch, and to the capped off red.

Capped off red goes to switches red wires. The switches yellow goes to the black wire from the old switch that goes to the same place as the capped off red. The black wire off the switch goes to the other black.