Need help with light fixture wiring!?

Question

I am swapping out a light fixture. In the box I have white, black and one red wire. I usually just have the white and black. I know this is becasue I have two switches for the light, but I would have thought there would be another red in the box to connect it to. When installing light the I make sure the ground wire is grounded, white to white, black to black, and....? Does the red get connected to anything, or do I just cap it off?

Answer 1

http://www.ehttp://www.electrical-online.com/wiringd...

Answer 2

stop and talk to or refer to a pro electrician or a website dedicated to the trade. Wiring a three way switch is difficult at best to explain without diagrams, and a misswired three way will cause problems and or fire. A three way switch requires that you tie the red line to the white wire in one box and the black wire in the other box.It's called a traveler wire, and you really need diagrams to do them.

Answer 3

connect the ground/white/black wires to your line in and cap the red one

Answer 4

So U have 2- switches that connects to the lite.  That means it's a 3-way lite.  3-way lites means 3-way switches.  U have a red/white/ black wire.  If u open the switch boxes...u should see that it's  red/white/black.  They are all hook up.  The red wire should be hook up with  black / from the lite junction.  The white/white (from lite)  and the black/black (from lite).  That should complete the 3-way circuit.  If that still don't work...u have to buy a electrical booklet to show it in a diagram form. (3- way switch hook up)  Good Luck.

Answer 5

If the old light worked from either switch then the switches are 3-way switches (SPDT) and the fixture is wired appropriately.  If you didn't note how the old fixture was connected (hate when that happens), you will have to figure it out using diagrams.  It is possible that somebody wired the second switch using 14-2 with ground, using the ground wire as the traveler wire, which would be strictly against code, but I have seen it happen.  Look at each switch and note how they are connected (which color goes to each connection.  Then compare to this diagram: http://www.handymanwire.com/articles/3wa...

If you sketch it out you should be able to figure it out.