When you see a red wire in a light switch box it can mean two things. The wire that will be hot when the circuit is completed to your light usually black traveler.
Wiring A Control With 1 Black Wire One Red Wire And One White Wire Single Pole Application
Light switch red and black wires only. The hot wire from the breaker usually black neutral. The return wire for circuits usually white load. When installing a ceiling fan youll often find that the black wire coming from the wall switch provides switched power to the fan motor. The ground wire also connects to the switch but the white wire gets spliced to the circuit neutral wire and bypasses the switch. In existing 3 way wiring this wire toggles hot between two. All home electrical wires made in the us.
Follow standard color codes that identify each wires function in a circuit. If your new ceiling fan has a light a red wire from a. Ive decided to put this faq together to help those with questions about installing ge 3 way switches. Typically when a ceiling fan is installed the red wire is most commonly used for the light and the black is commonly for the fan motor. More about wiring a light fixture. Or it could be the red wire is the wire going to the fixture and the black wires are the live wires.
The cable has a black wire which connects directly to the circuit and a red wire which connects to the switch. The standard way to power a split tab outlet is to run a three conductor cable to a wall switch. It could be there is or once was a three way switch in play. Well cover the easier scenario first. The red wire as a spare wire when a ceiling fan is not installed this spare red wire is insulated with electrical tape or capped off with a wire nut. Knowing which wire does what and goes where is imperative not only in the correct configuration of an electrical system but also for your familys safety.
Light switch wiring.