This type of switch lets you turn the light off or on from more than one place in the room. This is a typical wiring setup for a 3 way light switch with black white red and ground wires.
Safety Al Penney Vo1no Typical Home Electrical Service Meter
Red black white wires. The different colors of electrical wires indicate the function of the wire with black and red indicating the wires carry electric current white usually indicating neutral charge and green indicating the wire is grounded. If you change a light fixture and find a red wire in the electrical box chances are the black wire from the fixture needs to go to the red wire in the box. Connect the white wire to either of the chrome screws remember they are still joined and the ground wire to the green ground screw. A three way switch is different. If it doesnt work switch the lower wires. However a black wire can never be used as a neutral or ground wire or for any purpose other than to carry a live electrical load.
Regardless of output setting power will be applied to this wire. When measured with respect to the white neutral wire the red wire carries the same 120 volt current that the black one carries making the voltage across these two hot wires 240 volts. Typically this is indicated with a band of black or red electrical tape but other colors may be used wrapped around the wires insulation. One of the hot wires attaches to a brass terminal on one side of the outlet and the other attaches to a brass terminal on the other side. The white wire of the ceiling fan is the main neutral for both the light fixture and the fan motor. White wires with black or red tape.
You can now screw the outlet to the box and proceed to the switch box. White wires augmented with red or black tape or markings are used as hot. Attach the black wire to the outlet you want to always be on usually the top one and the red wire to the switched outlet. In almost every motor design the white wire will be the neutral. The white wire is the neutral and all other colors are hot. Normally youll see a red wire in places you would expect a ceiling fan.
Hot when a white wire is augmented with a red or black color marking this often indicates that it is being used as a hot wire rather than a neutral wire. They may use other colors for. The colors regulated by the national electrical code in the united states are standardized for safety. Being the main hot wire the primary function of the black wire is to provide current to the fans motor. The white red and black wires in an electric ac motor supply power to the motor itself and determine which of the speed coils turn on when electricity is supplied. This wire is always on so make sure that there is no current when dealing directly with this one to avoid any injury.
Electricians often use black red or blue wires to deliver electricity to a circuit from the main panel.
Gallery of Red Black White Wires
