Wall Light Switch No White Wire Only Red

I ve decided to put this faq together to help those with questions about installing ge 3 way switches.

Wall light switch no white wire only red.

To do this method the wire from your wall circuit to your light has to have 3 wires. Black and white always connect to black and white. Split the incoming hot wire into a y and connect it to a terminal on each switch. But it is only a switch wire and not a wire for the light.

Option 1 run a neutral wire if you want to use smart switches and don t have a neutral wire in your switch box you can hire an electrician to run a neutral wire between the light. A three way switch is different. This is an updated version of the first arrangement. A smart switch can simply tie into the white neutral wires to complete the circuit and get a source of power to keep the radios in the switch working at all times.

Connect the blue wire to the red wire. This is a typical wiring setup for a 3 way light switch with black white red and ground wires. Connect black fan wire to the black ceiling wire. Check the wire with a non contact voltage tester with the power and.

The red wire as a spare wire when a ceiling fan is not installed this spare red wire is. White and red wires. Connect white wires together. The wall switch 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.

The red and black are used for hot and the white neutral wire at the switch box allows for powering a timer remote control or other programmable switch. Because the electrical code as of the 2011 nec update requires a neutral wire in most new switch boxes a 3 wire cable runs between the light and switch. The hot wire from the breaker usually black neutral. Chances are that wire goes up into a box probably in your light where you have access to hot load and light wires.

The exact purpose of a red wire for a light fixture can vary. The red wire is most likely a spare wire that was intended to be used when wiring for a ceiling fan. If it doesn t work switch the lower wires. In the switch box.

The return wire for circuits usually white load. In existing 3 way wiring this wire toggles hot between two. This type of switch lets you turn the light off or on from more than one place in the room. Except in rare cases it is a hot wire or a switched hot wire.