An update.. I tested the black wire and i get no reading, but the red wire reads 120....

I just purchased an outdoor/indoor ceiling fan with light to replace the patio light. The light switch is a single switch and runs on the same breaker as the the outlets in my living room. There is no GFCI, just the breaker.

The fan has 4 wires ( black, white, blue and green). The light fixture has 3 wires ( black, white and green), but there was an extra wire (red) that was capped off. I initially ran the fan (black and blue) to the black wire and left the red one capped. This caused the breaker to pop. I then switched the blue wire to the red wire and this caused the breaker to pop as well. I think I tried about every configuration and the breaker would pop.

I gave up and put the original light fixture back up and nothing. (no light) I know the bulb is still good. Anyone have any ideas.

 

This response deleted by author.

 

What do you mean by "update"? I see no previous post by you. Please tell us the whole story. Not enough info in you post.

 

Did you change any wiring at the switch? Have you removed the switch? Is the red wire in the box with the switch?

 

I have not even unscrewed the cover from the light switch that "powers" the patio light. The red wire is from the box where I removed the patio light. The patio light was wired to the box with a black, white and green (ground) wire. The red wire was free hanging with a cap on it in the same box.

I ran black to black, white to white and the ceiling fan kept popping the circuit breaker..

I put the original light back and now it doesn't work. I used a volt meter and nothing is going through the black wire, but the red is getting around 120.

 

So is there just the 3-wire cable (with ground) or is there also a 2-wire (with ground) cable.

The switch may or may not power the light. That is why we need to know all the wires in the switch box and how they are connected. Is there just one 3-wire cable or are there other cables?

If the wires at the switch are inserted in the back they need to be moved to the screws. Any wire nuts need to be removed and replaced.

 

The way you wired it sounds correct. It may be possible that a hot conductor was shorting to the box or the bracket.

 

It is 3 wires (black, white and red) plus a ground.

The switch did control the patio light and worked fine until I tried to swap it with a fan with light combo.

The original light fixture had two wires plus a ground. The black to black, white to white and ground to ground. The red wire in the box was justed capped off.

I put the original light fixture back up and now the light does not work. I tested the black wire for "juice" with a voltmeter and nothing. The red wire is reading 120 when I have the switch "on" and 0 when the switch is "off".

I am thinking that I will put my fan back up and run the fan's black and blue wire on the red wire, white to white, ground to ground and leave the black wire from the box just capped.

Is this a good idea? And any thoughts to why the black wire from the box shows no "juice"?

 

We can only guess since we don't know the wiring at the switch but yes try that.