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excitableboy · Dec 31, 2004, 09:23 AM

I removed an old ceiling fan and am in the process of replacing it with a model233-798 Romanesque fan by Hampton Bay. I have a red wire coming out of the ceiling box that I don't know what to do with. I've connected the ground, white and black wires but am at a loss what to do with the red. There are two wall switches to control the fan and the light on the fan . The fan has no pull chains.. just the remote.

labman · Dec 31, 2004, 11:15 AM

Everything needs to be connected connected back just as it was. There are a number of ways to connect up 2 switches to a load. They all use double pole switches and 3 conductor cables plus ground to connect them. Unfortunately no real electrician feels compelled to do it the same way anybody else does it.

If there is only one, 3 conductor cable at the fan, it is possible the red wire wasn't used. Has it been stripped, and bent into a hook or twisted with another wire? If not, try not connecting it.

If you have both a 2 conductor and a 3 conductor cable, connect the red wire to the fan, and the 2 black wires together. Connect all the white wires together. Depending how things are wired, this may not work. You might try disconnecting everything except the white wires, and trying the switches in different positions and use a test light or meter to see if things work.

If this does not match you wiring, or you can't make it work, try finding a diagram for 3 way switches. You can also post back explaining what wires you have at the fan.

excitableboy · Jan 1, 2005, 09:46 AM

Thank you for the reply. The old ceiling fan did not have a light fixture. The new fan does have the light and has only the black, white and ground wires which matches up with the outllet box except for the red wire it contains

labman · Jan 1, 2005, 11:34 AM

The red wire relates not to the old fan, but the 3 way switches. As I said in my first answer, if there is only one cable in the box, likely the red wire isn't used, maybe the black one instead. If there is more than one cable, connect the black wires together and the red wire to the fan. I can not help you more without knowing more about the wires in the box.