Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help !
Ask
    txbelger's Avatar
    txbelger Posts: 7, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #1

    Oct 3, 2008, 01:25 PM
    Replacing old ceiling fan which has red wire with one that doesn't
    I am replacing a ceiling fan/light that has a red wire (hot for light, I know). The wall has a switch for the light and a dimmer switch for the fan. I am replacing it with a new fan that has a remote control which operates fan speed and dimming of light. The new fan has only white and black. I capped off the red wire at the fan connection, but need to know how to rewire the switch to remove the dimmer, and run power from the switch only. The switch has a black and red connected, and the dimmer has two blacks. There are a lot of other wires connected by caps (running to the rest of the light switches and power outlets), but I notice there are 6 blacks and only 4 whites (no whites running to the dimmer or the switch for the fan). Do I need a new switch that will take a black and white?
    ceilingfanrepair's Avatar
    ceilingfanrepair Posts: 5,733, Reputation: 109
    Uber Member
    		  
    #2

    Oct 3, 2008, 01:59 PM

    Ok, you need to replace the dimmer with a basic on/off switch using the same two blacks that connect to the dimmer.

    Then, connect your fan to white and EITHER the black or red.

    Ceiling fan wiring - Ceiling Fans N More
    txbelger's Avatar
    txbelger Posts: 7, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #3

    Oct 3, 2008, 05:54 PM
    Hmmm, must be doing something wrong. I took out the light switch- removed the black wire that was tied in, and capped off the red wire; then used that switch with the black wires that were connected to the dimmer switch controlling the fan. No power.

    The fan is hanging from a 2-story cathedral ceiling, dropped-down by an 8' pipe. The extension cable to the old fan was bad- speaker wire and an extension cord, so I took that out completely and ran new 3-wire up the pole (extra cord from a lamp post I bought- had white, black and green). I used this to extend the blue, white and black wire running from the fan to the remote receiver (that I mounted at the ceiling). The remote has white and black to house wire, which I connected (capped off the red).

    Could the problem be with the two blacks at the switch? Are they both hot- does it matter which is on bottom, which is on top?

    Thanks!
    ceilingfanrepair's Avatar
    ceilingfanrepair Posts: 5,733, Reputation: 109
    Uber Member
    		  
    #4

    Oct 3, 2008, 07:04 PM

    Ok, you should have left the light switch alone.

    Try connecting the fan's black to the red instead of the black.
Not your question? Ask your question View similar questions
 

Question Tools Search this Question
Search this Question:

Advanced Search

Add your answer here.


Check out some similar questions!

Replacing a ceiling light without ground wire [ 4 Answers ]

I am replacing a ceiling light - what do I do with the ground wire on the new light since the old light did not have a ground wire and there is none in the ceiling?

Can anyone tell me how to wire 3 speed 4 wire switch for heritage farm ceiling fan [ 8 Answers ]

:confused: Need help my chain broke no light in kitchen no fan working:) :)

Can I splice off 1 wire to create 2 separate wire connections for 2 ceiling fans [ 10 Answers ]

I'm planning on installing 2 ceiling fan, 1 in each of 2 bedrooms. There's no electrical on the ceilings and need to come down from the attic. The attic has several different white plastic contained wires running throughout the attic. I'm wondering if I should splice from 2 separate sources, or...

Replacing a ceiling fan -- which wire is which? [ 3 Answers ]

I am replacing a ceiling fan in my bedroom. When I took the old fan down, I was not careful to see which wire went where. As a result, I have three (3) wires hanging from the junction box, to which I have no clue what they are. NOTE: This is an older house, so there is no color code on the...

Need help replacing a 5-8 wire ceiling fan switch. [ 1 Answers ]

I am trying to replace a 3 speed, 5-8 wire fan switch with a Harbor Breeze switch. The old switch has numbers 1-Blue wire, 2-Red wire, 3-Orange wire, 4-? and C-Black wire. I don't know which wire was in 4 as it fell out. The old switch is single layered with connection holes and the black wire...

View more questions Search