Chances are that wire goes up into a box probably in your light where you have access to hot load and light wires.
Wall light switch no white wire only red.
The red wire as a spare wire when a ceiling fan is not installed this spare red wire is.
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.
White and red wires.
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.
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.
Check the wire with a non contact voltage tester with the power and.
The return wire for circuits usually white load.
This is an updated version of the first arrangement.
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.
To do this method the wire from your wall circuit to your light has to have 3 wires.
The hot wire from the breaker usually black neutral.
If it doesn t work switch the lower wires.
Connect the blue wire to the red wire.
The exact purpose of a red wire for a light fixture can vary.
This is a typical wiring setup for a 3 way light switch with black white red and ground wires.
The red wire is most likely a spare wire that was intended to be used when wiring for a ceiling fan.
How to wire an existing overhead light to a new wall switch.
Except in rare cases it is a hot wire or a switched hot wire.
If you have the access replace that romex in your wall with a 3 conductor one black white red and ground run black as your hot white as your neutral and red to your load.
This type of switch lets you turn the light off or on from more than one place in the room.
In existing 3 way wiring this wire toggles hot between two.
In the switch box.
But it is only a switch wire and not a wire for the light.
The wire that will be hot when the circuit is completed to your light usually black traveler.
I ve decided to put this faq together to help those with questions about installing ge 3 way switches.
Split the incoming hot wire into a y and connect it to a terminal on each switch.