Is it okay not to use the black wire to hook up a light?
Question:I am replacing a ceiling fan with a light fixture. The problem is, coming out of the box I have a black, red, white and ground wire. I belive the extra wire has to do with the three way switch. When I hooked up the fixture and did not use the red wire, the lights were on, but the switch didnt work. Now Ive tried the red wire and left the black unhooked. The switch is fully functional. So the question remains, is it okay to just not use the black wire and to cap it off and shove it back up into the box?
Answers:
The black was just a consent feed left in the box for the fan and the red is switched for the light it is fine to leave in box just put a wirenut on it and tuck it in the box
Just put a wire nut on it, it even meets code.
you are right those colors are for a three way an if it works with out a problum go for it
Check your instructions!! If you are not 100% sure what you are doing, serious injury or damage could result.
If not, make sure any unused wires are capped and taped.
Not a problem, as long as the other switch in the circuit still functions, and the black wire is capped.
Sounds OK if the green wire is attached to the box or the light fixture ground lug, and the white wire and one of the two other colors connect to the light socket.
In the original setup the ceiling fan motor ran from the black wire and had its own separate on-off switch on a pull cord. That way you could run the fan even with the lights off.
My best advice is to test each wire with someone flipping the switch so you know exactly what each wire is doing.
it is okay according to code, use a wire nut on black wire.
look at your wall switch first if the switch has no , on or off on the handle or just under it , its a 3 way the way you stated your question black is a switch leg as well as the red wire being a switch leg unless its that 3 way set up in the room opposite of the switch should be another 3 way if that is what it is. there are 3 way setups that the travelers (between the 2 3 ways) go tho the ceiling box if that was the case you would see another pair of the same wires in the ceiling box sounds like 2 switch legs
if its 2 switchlegs than the black will connect to the fan
the red will connect to the blue wire comeing from the light kit and green to green or bare ground and of course white to white
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