Check out some similar questions!

helpinghand · Oct 26, 2007, 05:38 PM

Hi. I recently installed a ceiling fan in my home. The wire coming out of the junction box was a 3 wire, I'm guessing a 14-3 (1 black AND 1 red hot wires, 1 neutral and a ground) instead of a 2 wire. My question is, since I only needed one hot wire for the fan, is it OK that I put black to black, white to white and ground to ground and simply tied the red wire off with a wire nut and tucked it back in the junction box? Or should I have tied both the red and black to the black ceiling fan wire? Thanks!

tkrussell · Oct 26, 2007, 05:51 PM

Only connect the black to black, and cap the red with electrical tape or a wirenut. The black should be hot and the red may be switched.

ceilingfanrepair · Oct 26, 2007, 10:25 PM

You did it right.

Stratmando · Oct 27, 2007, 07:16 AM

If you add a light kit, you might be able to use red for light, hopefully in same switch box, and space for switch or dimmer.

ceilingfanrepair · Oct 27, 2007, 07:57 AM

I'm assuming he has a remote fan, therefore the lights are already controlled. If it was not a remote fan it would have had a third wire.

Stratmando · Oct 27, 2007, 09:00 AM

My mistake, didn't see the "Remote" Fan.

ceilingfanrepair · Oct 27, 2007, 09:19 AM

It wasn't to be seen, it was just an assumption. It may be incorrect.

helpinghand · Oct 27, 2007, 10:38 AM

Sorry, the ceiling fan does have a light (no remote control). The ceiling fan has 1 black wire, 1 black/white striped wire, 1 white and 1 ground. Since I'm only using 1 switch, the instructions said to tie the black and black/white stiped fan wires to the black wire coming out of the junction box. I did this. However, I put a wire nut on the red wire coming out of the junction box and pushed it back up in the box. Is this still OK?

Stratmando · Oct 27, 2007, 11:22 AM

It is OK. However, you could put the Black wire to Black on Fan, and Black/white to the Red wire, that would allow separate speed and dimming.
Open switch box and see where the red wire is. Hopefully on next switch.
The Red you are looking for is with the black that connects to fan switch.
If no room for separate switch, you can get light and fan control in 1 device.
Black is Fan Wire
Black/white it Light wire.

MOWERMAN2468 · Oct 27, 2007, 01:15 PM

Yes hook black to black, the red is also hot and is the "carrier" wire that is used to connect two swithces to one outlet, in this case being the fan.

labman · Oct 27, 2007, 04:53 PM

Listen to Stratmando and Ceilingfanrepair.

ceilingfanrepair · Oct 27, 2007, 09:38 PM

I concur with Strat, since it has a light, you can connect black to black and striped to red.

helpinghand · Oct 28, 2007, 06:01 PM

Thanks for the advice. I pulled the switch cover off to see how the builder wired it. I found that the red wire is connected to a 2nd switch. Therefore, in the fan box, I wired the red to the black/white fan wire and black to the black fan wire. Now, one switch controls the fan and the 2nd switch controld the light. Sound correct?

labman · Oct 28, 2007, 06:09 PM

Just like start and ceiling said.

Stratmando · Oct 28, 2007, 06:44 PM

Good Job, Thanks for hanging in there. You can now control each by switch, or if you use controls(dimmer and speed)set fan to High setting.

shuntripper · Oct 28, 2007, 07:43 PM

Wrong Mowerman. The red may or may not be a switched hot, If it is at the switch location it can be made constant hot, switched hot, or not used at all, but it will never be sufficient to connect two 3way switches together since that takes two conductors (plus ground and neutral) these wires are called "travelers" not carrier. ----------------later edit-------WHoopps he must have removed it!