# Ceiling fan installation

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceiling-fan-installation/711538>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 1, 2015, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceiling-fan-installation/711538 "2015-02-01T19:31:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![soilsenasuil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@soilsenasuil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soilsenasuil)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceiling-fan-installation/711538/1 "2015-02-01T19:31:25Z")

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Hi, we are installing a ceiling fan which I have a few times before but the wire situation is different.  
Ceiling fan: wires include Black, White, Green

Junction Box: wires include Black, White, Red, Green  
The red is always hot so i believe it belongs to the 3 way wall switch for the light.

There is a single wall switch for fan.  
So how should it be wired?

Black to Black or Black to Red?

We know White to White and Green to Green.

The fan does have a remote. When we add the light kit it has a plug to snap in so no wires.  
Thank you!

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceiling-fan-installation/711538/2 "2015-02-01T19:47:00Z")

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I recently replaced a light fixture. In that case, the red and black were twisted together and attached to the fixture’s black. The whites were connected to each other and the greens went to a ground screw.

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**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceiling-fan-installation/711538/3 "2015-02-01T19:54:26Z")

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with your fan then you will have to choose what you want it to do.

if the fan has a light kit and a remote then black to black. tape/cap the red. the remote will control the fan and light. if the black wire is controlled by a single wall switch then this will have to be in the ON position for the remote to be active.

if you want the 3 way wall switch for the light to function (you should be able to turn on a room light from any entrance to the room) then you will need a fan that has a light that can be controlled separately (has more than Black, White, Green wires going into it).

from your description then you will need a different fan or different light situation.

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**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceiling-fan-installation/711538/4 "2015-02-01T19:57:40Z")

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> [@kayaker](#):
>
> I recently replaced a light fixture. In that case, the red and black were twisted together and attached to the fixture’s black. The whites were connected to each other and the greens went to a ground screw.

it sounds like you had a black wire from the junction box and a red and black wire into the fan. that is not what is being described here.

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**Author:** ![soilsenasuil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@soilsenasuil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soilsenasuil)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ceiling-fan-installation/711538/5 "2015-02-01T21:18:41Z")

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ok thanks we just wired the black capped the red and will use the remote when and if we attach a light kit! Thanks again to all