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    pglc's Avatar
    pglc Posts: 15, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Jun 7, 2009, 07:18 PM
    Replacing ceiling fan with ceiling light
    Replaced ceiling fan and light kit with a ceiling fixture. The fan had a black, white and red wire. The new light has black and white only. The light is controlled from two switches one at the top of the stairs and one at the bottom. I connected the black and white wires and capped the red wire. The light doesn't work where does the red wire attach?
    jerro's Avatar
    jerro Posts: 172, Reputation: 5
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    #2

    Jun 7, 2009, 07:44 PM

    Try connecting the red from the box to the black on the light fixture and cap the black wire in the box. Make sure your light bulb in light fixture is good also
    pglc's Avatar
    pglc Posts: 15, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Jun 7, 2009, 07:56 PM

    Jerro, there are two black wires, just cap them off and connect the red to the black on the light.
    jerro's Avatar
    jerro Posts: 172, Reputation: 5
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    #4

    Jun 7, 2009, 08:38 PM

    Your saying there are 2 black wires , red wire, white wire in junction box? How was the fan/light fixture wired that you took down?
    creahands's Avatar
    creahands Posts: 2,854, Reputation: 195
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    #5

    Jun 8, 2009, 01:46 AM

    How many cables come into box? How many wires and colors from each cable?

    Chuck
    pglc's Avatar
    pglc Posts: 15, Reputation: 1
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    #6

    Jun 8, 2009, 02:30 AM

    The old fan had a light kit, black wire, white wire, red wire. The electrical box in the ceiling has two black wires tied together that the black wire from the fan was attached, two white wires tied together that the white wire from the fan was attached and a red wire that attached the red wire to the fan. The new light only has two wires black and white. The interesting part of the red wire from the old fan had a tag that read " to the light"
    creahands's Avatar
    creahands Posts: 2,854, Reputation: 195
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    #7

    Jun 8, 2009, 06:05 AM

    I believe wiring is

    Red to light black

    2 whites to light white

    2 blacks nutted together

    Chuck
    ballengerb1's Avatar
    ballengerb1 Posts: 27,378, Reputation: 2280
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    #8

    Jun 8, 2009, 07:29 AM

    If you wire it as advised one of your wall switches will not longer work. That red is a runnier that connects the power between the switches. For all intent and purpose you treat it like another black, wire nut 2 blacks and a red all to the light fixture black.
    pglc's Avatar
    pglc Posts: 15, Reputation: 1
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    #9

    Jun 8, 2009, 10:51 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by ballengerb1 View Post
    If you wire it as advised one of your wall switches will not longer work. That red is a runnier that connects the power between the switches. For all intent and purpose you treat it like another black, wire nut 2 blacks and a red all to the light fixture black.

    I checked power, black is hot and red isn't.
    pglc's Avatar
    pglc Posts: 15, Reputation: 1
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    #10

    Jun 8, 2009, 11:17 AM

    Connected as instructed, no joy
    pglc's Avatar
    pglc Posts: 15, Reputation: 1
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    #11

    Jun 8, 2009, 11:17 AM

    No joy
    ZoeMarie's Avatar
    ZoeMarie Posts: 2,049, Reputation: 468
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    #12

    Jun 8, 2009, 11:25 AM

    It sounds like you have a 3 conductor wire running to where the fan was- a hot wire for the speed (black) and a hot wire for the light (red), and a neutral (white). In this particular case if you would only need one hot wire. Cap off the red and connect the black from your light to the two blacks in the ceiling. Obviously white goes to white.
    pglc's Avatar
    pglc Posts: 15, Reputation: 1
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    #13

    Jun 8, 2009, 11:41 AM
    With the wires connected, 2 black, red and light black the fixture stays on all the time. Switches have no control. With the 2 black capped and the red to the fixture black at least one switch controls the light. The second maybe bad, I don't feel any resistance when the switch is moved on or off.
    pglc's Avatar
    pglc Posts: 15, Reputation: 1
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    #14

    Jun 8, 2009, 11:44 AM

    It sounds like you have a 3 conductor wire running to where the fan was- a hot wire for the speed (black) and a hot wire for the light (red), and a neutral (white). In this particular case if you would only need one hot wire. Cap off the red and connect the black from your light to the two blacks in the ceiling. Obviously white goes to white.[/
    pglc's Avatar
    pglc Posts: 15, Reputation: 1
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    #15

    Jun 8, 2009, 11:48 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by pglc View Post
    I checked power, black is hot and red isn't.
    Connected both blacks with red and light black light stays on all the time. Connected red to light black and it works from one switch. The other switch maybe broken. I don't feel any resistance in the switch from off to on.
    ballengerb1's Avatar
    ballengerb1 Posts: 27,378, Reputation: 2280
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    #16

    Jun 8, 2009, 12:04 PM

    Red will only be hot when the second switch is thrown and the power runs down the runner. That's how a 3 way switch operates, either the red is hot or the black is hot not at the same time.
    ballengerb1's Avatar
    ballengerb1 Posts: 27,378, Reputation: 2280
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    #17

    Jun 8, 2009, 12:08 PM

    Red is hot only when that second switch is thrown, that's how a 3way switch works. Either the red is hot when the black is not or the other way around. When both are off the light is off.
    pglc's Avatar
    pglc Posts: 15, Reputation: 1
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    #18

    Jun 8, 2009, 03:18 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by ballengerb1 View Post
    Red is hot only when that second switch is thrown, that's how a 3way switch works. Either the red is hot when the black is not or the other way around. When both are off the light is off.
    Thanks for all your help, ever in DC I owe you a beer.

    Pete
    ballengerb1's Avatar
    ballengerb1 Posts: 27,378, Reputation: 2280
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    #19

    Jun 8, 2009, 08:59 PM

    Brother lives in Herdon, I'll have him stop by to pick it up. Good luck, come back when you want assistance.
    spradia314's Avatar
    spradia314 Posts: 11, Reputation: 1
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    #20

    Jun 30, 2015, 03:54 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by pglc View Post
    It sounds like you have a 3 conductor wire running to where the fan was- a hot wire for the speed (black) and a hot wire for the light (red), and a neutral (white). In this particular case if you would only need one hot wire. Cap off the red and connect the black from your light to the two blacks in the ceiling. Obviously white goes to white.[/
    I realize this post is rather old, but I need the same help. My situation is slightly different. I do have two switches, I only need one, but I have tried connecting different ways, but my switch will not shut the light off.

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