In standard 120 volt wiring the hot wire is black but it can also be red. So the red wire is probably the one you want.
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What is the red wire in a light switch. Except in rare cases it is a hot wire or a switched hot wire. The red wire the red wire is most likely a spare wire that was intended to be used when wiring for a ceiling fan. If your ceiling fan does not have a light fixture then simply cap off the red wire and attach the fan motor to the black wire. 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. But in places like a bathroom or a wall light if you see a red wire its a good bet that the red wire is the wire thats connected to the light switch. A red wire up in the ceiling fan junction box usually indicates that the wiring has been installed which provides separate switch for the light and a separate switch for the fan motor.
Another is that the box is on a circuit three way switch loop. Normally youll see a red wire in places you would expect a ceiling fan. Well cover the easier scenario first. The red wire as a spare wire when a ceiling fan is not installed this spare red wire is insulated with electrical tape or capped off with a wire nut. The exact purpose of a red wire for a light fixture can vary. One is that the outlet is a 240 volt one which requires an extra hot wire.
In my friends case the solution was simple if not intuitive. When you see a red wire in a light switch box it can mean two things. In most cases you see a red wire in an outlet box only in special circumstances. Check the wire with a non contact voltage tester with the power and. Or it could be the red wire is the wire going to the fixture and the black wires are the live wires. It could be there is or once was a three way switch in play.
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