Red and black wires from ceiling light chandelier - (colors, installed, lights)

[jimmybirdie]

I have installed many ceiling light fixtures and they all have white and black wires. A friend gave me a new light fixture but it has red and black wires. It has NO instruction. Do I connect the black to black and red to white from the electrical box?

This ceiling light chandelier has special LED lights with different colors in which flipping the switch on-off quickly and a certain pattern can turn on the LED lights or change they color.

Thanks,

[BostonMike7]

black red and blue are generally understood as hot wires in residential wiring. White or grey is usually neutral and bare or green is ground.




So the light fixture itself has the red wire? And a black? no neutral or ground?




If I had to guess (which I hate doing) the light fixture needs two switching legs to control two various functions. Of course, I'd track down some sort of documentation first before hooking it up.

[Sherifftruman]

Yeah that's a weird one. And LEDs and their drivers are known to let the magic smoke escape if they are not wired correctly, so I agree you probably want to do some checking on this.

[BostonMike7]

Actually...




Red and black wire only? It's prob 12 or 24v dc then. The red is the + and the black is the - in DC wiring.


The absence of a neutral and ground makes that pretty probable. If correct, you'll need a transformer of the correct specs.

[QIS]

It may be an optional leg for separate switching for the light and fan from the wall (?)

[Sherifftruman]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

Actually...




Red and black wire only? It's prob 12 or 24v dc then. The red is the + and the black is the - in DC wiring.


The absence of a neutral and ground makes that pretty probable. If correct, you'll need a transformer of the correct specs.

This could definitely be it.

[grampaTom]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

Actually...




Red and black wire only? It's prob 12 or 24v dc then. The red is the + and the black is the - in DC wiring.


The absence of a neutral and ground makes that pretty probable. If correct, you'll need a transformer of the correct specs.

Good call

[Labonte18]

You have a model or manufacturer? Manuals are generally available online.