Two switches with red carrier and installing light fixture

Just moved into new home and want to add a light fixture in formal dining room. There are two seperate switches for the one light. The box that light will hang on had a cover which I have removed. There is one line coming in which includes white black red and ground. This is the only wire running into the box. My light fixture only has the black and white and ground. What is the proper way to connect in the light fixture box.
Thanks

 

Welcome to the forums! You have a pair of three way switches. The black wire on one switch is called "line" and that is where your power comes in. On the other switch, the black wire is called "load" and is connected to your fixture's black wire. The white and red wires just connect the two other screws on each switch together, in no particular order. They are runners.

Now, as far as your ceiling box is concerned. You have a red, white and black wire with ground? Is there other switches next to the three way switches in each or one of the locations? It is possible your ceiling box was wired for a ceiling fan/light combination, and the fan is controlled separately. It may help if you post pictures of both the ceiling box with the wires separated and one of the switch boxes with the wires separated, or the switch pulled out where we can see the wiring. http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...your-post.html

 

Check to see if the switch operates both the black and the red. One may be a constant hot while the other is switched.

Once this is determined you can connect the fixture black to the correct black or red from the ceiling. Fixture white to ceiling white. All grounds together and to fixture and box if metallic.

 

Ill get picture on here but for time being the 3 way switches are already installed by the builder the only thing i've done is pull cover from the box the light will hang from and the only wires there are black red white and ground. The light fixture no fan has two wires and a ground.
I have voltmeter and can check voltage using the switches in the different positions.
Thanks

 

Check from white to black. Try switches in both positions.
Check from white to red. Try switches in both positions.

Either red or black will work with the switches. The other one gets capped off.

 

Ok the key is one of the wire will be capped...when I run the voltage check how do I determine which to cap and which to use between the red and black.
Thanks

 

It is your choice if the switches control the red and black.