Ceiling Fan Connections for Red and Blue Wires
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How do I connect the red and blue wires for a ceiling fan? How to Install Ceiling Fans and Make the Wiring Connections. |
Wire Connections for Ceiling Fans
Electrical Question: How do I connect the red and blue wires for a ceiling fan?
I am replacing a ceiling fan in a bedroom with a hang down type of installation for my sloped ceiling.
- From the ceiling there is a black wire, red wire, white wire, green wire and plain ground wire.
- From the fan, there are black, blue, green & white.
- My fan installation instructions say to connect the blue & black from the fan to the black from the ceiling.
- Then connect white to white. It does not mention what to do with the red from the ceiling. Also, are both the green and the plain wire from the ceiling ground wires?
- Should I connect one or both of them to just the green wire from the fan, or also to the green wire attached to the side of the hanger bracket?
This electrical question came from: Jerry, a Homeowner from Safety Harbor, Florida.
Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electrical wiring question Jerry.
Ceiling Fan Wiring Connections
Application: Wiring a Ceiling Fan
Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate.
Tools Required: Basic Electricians Pouch Hand Tools, a non-aluminum ladder and Voltage Tester.
Estimated Time: Depends on personal level experience, ability to work with tools and access to the ceiling fan.
Precaution: Identify the ceiling fan circuit, turn it OFF and Tag it with a Note before working with the wiring.
How to Install Ceiling Fans and Make the Wiring Connections
- Typically when there is a red wire at the ceiling fan box it is connected to the blue light fixture wire of the ceiling fan.
- If there is a Black and Red wire then this usually means there are two separate wall switches, one for each function.
- All of the green ground wires should be connected together along withe the ground wire in the ceiling box.
More about How to Wire a Ceiling Fan
Step-by-step pictures with Easy wiring diagrams and installation guide for Light and fan switch electrical wiring connections.
Ceiling Fan Wiring
Ceiling Fan Installation
How to Wire Ceiling Fans
How to Install Ceiling Fans
Take the mystery out of ceiling fan wiring. Ceiling Fans are a great way to lower your energy bill and brighten up one of your favorite rooms.
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I went to install a ceiling fan and when I took down the light fixture that was there I notice that the white wires were all attached to the light, but all of the black wires were all spliced together with electrical tape and not hooked up. A single red wire was attached to the black wire from the light fixture. The ceiling fan has 3 wires black, black and white , and white. I know white goes to white but what do I do with the other wires? This is controlled by a single switch.
Hi Kyle,
The black and white wire of the ceiling fan is typically used for the light of the ceiling fan, and if the ceiling fan does not have a light then it does not need to be connected, but rather just capped off. If there is a light on the ceiling fan then the black wire and the black and white wire are placed together and attached the same way as the original light fixture was connected to it’s black wire. The wiring that you have described is not typical so the connections should be the same as before with the light fixture. Be aware that the ceiling electrical box must be approved for the weight of the ceiling fan, or be an approved ceiling fan box. To be on the safe side the wiring and junction box should be looked at by a qualified electrician to make sure the installation is safe.
Dave
Hi,
I moved to another house & took my ceiling fan that has a neon light at the bottom.
At the old location, in addition to the black, white & green wires, there was also red & blue wires hooked together, there were also 2 wall switches.
At the new location there is no red wire from the ceiling & the blue wire only comes from the fan itself, there is only one wall switch.
I assume the red and blue wires are for the neon light, cause now it doesn’t come on.
How can I get the neon to work again without having to call an electrician?
Hi John,
From what you have described, the wall switch at new location will be controlling both the ceiling fan and light, with the exception of the pull chain switches on the ceiling fan. Therefore the blue and black wires of the ceiling fan are connected to the black wire in the ceiling fan box. If you would like to have separate controls for the light and fan then you may consider installing a remote control unit, however the remote unit must not have the dimming feature because the neon light is most likely not compatible with dimmer switches. Please see the Ceiling Fan section of the website for further information.
Thanks for sharing your project with us,
Dave
I know better than to just take the light down but I messed up, I guess I was glad to finally have a replacement pull chain for my ceiling fan light, but now I am not sure about the wiring. In the ceiling fan there is white, blue and red wires. On the new pull chain there is 2 black wires, Please help me out. Just to be sure you know what I mean, I am trying to replace the pull chain for the light part on my ceiling fan. Thank you.
I live in Glenwood Minnesota, I am trying to change the pull chain for a light in a ceiling fan, I live in a duplex, how old the place is I don’t know (Old). I am a renter and before you suggest that the landlord/Owner/slumlord take care of this Don’t! If I wait for him nothing would get done.
Hi Lori,
A few basics:
Make sure you have a Light Fixture Kit that is fully compatible with your ceiling fan.
Make sure the power is OFF to the ceiling fan.
There should be a white and black wire in the light fixture, and there should be a blue and white wire at the bottom fixture portion of the ceiling fan. The white wires are connected together, and the blue wire connects to the black wire of the light fixture.
If there is only one wall switch for the ceiling fan, or the ceiling fan only operates with a pull chain switch, then the blue wire must be connected to to the black wire of the ceiling fan in the ceiling electrical box of the ceiling fan. This connection may already be done, but if the light does not work then the connection must be made as mentioned.
If your light fixture has different colored wires compared to what has been described here, then the wiring of the fixture needs to be verified, and the wiring to the fixture pull chain switch will need to be verified. Check the wiring instruction sheet that came with the light fixture for specific details.
Enjoy your new ceiling fan light fixture,
Dave