Fan always hot. Light - 3 way switches. Power source at one switch / fixture feed from other switch.
At the ceiling box - the ungrounded conductor {aka hot} from the fan connects
to the black wire from the switch. The ungrounded conductor {aka hot} for the
light connects to the red wire coming from the switch. The white wire from
the switch is the grounded leg conductor {aka neutral} for both the fan and
light. This will provide an constant unswitched ungrounded conductor {aka hot}
for the fan and a switched ungrounded conductor {aka hot} for the light.
Bare wires are together and grounded to box (if metallic) and if the fixture
has a green wire or a grounding screw , it gets grounded also. Bares and green
wires are equipment grounding conductors.
Be sure to read all documentation that comes with your fan / light combo
fixture.
Wrap a piece of black electrical tape around both ends of the white wire
going between switch 1 and 2 on the 3 wire + bare (black / red / white /bare)
cable, as this wire is also being used as a ungrounded conductor {aka hot}.DO
NOT wrap tape around the white on the 2 wire + bare (black / white /bare) cable
as this is a ground leg {aka neutral} wire.
The red wire on the 3 wire + bare (black/red/white/bare) cable between switch
1 and 2 is not used, just cap each end with an insulated wire nut.
The reason for using a 3 wire + ground (black/red/white/bare) cable between
switch box 1 and switch box 2 (and not using the red wire) is to ensure that
it will be easy to distinguish the difference with the 2 cables coming from
switch box 1 to help prevent the wrong two wires being connected. Using 2 wire
+ bare (black/white/bare) would make it more difficult to distinguish the 2
cables at the switches and could end up with a dangerous combination of wrong
wires being connected together.

The common screw on a 3 way switch is the odd color screw
If you need onward power from the fixture then....
(1) If only switched power required onward then at existing fixture...
- onward cable - black/white/bare
- connect black from onward cable to red wire coming from switch.
- connect white from onward cable to white wire coming from the switch.
- connect bare from onward cable to the other bares and to electrical box if metallic.
- At the onward cables destination , the black is the switched ungrounded conductor {aka hot}, the white is the grounded leg {aka neutral}, and the bare is the equipment grounding conductor.
(2) If only unswitch power required onward then at existing fixture...
- onward cable - black/white/bare
- connect black from onward cable to black wire coming from the switch.
- connect white from onward cable to white coming from the switch.
- connect bare from onward cable to other bares and to electrical box if metallic.
- At the onward cables destination , the black is the ungrounded conductor {aka hot}, the white is the grounded leg {aka neutral}, and the bare is the equipment grounding conductor.
(3) If switched and unswitched power required onward then at existing
fixture...
- onward cable - black/red//white/bare
- connect black from onward cable to black wire coming from the switch.
- connect red from onward cable to red wire coming from switch
- connect white from onward cable to white coming from the switch.
- connect bare from onward cable to other bares and to electrical box if metallic.
- At the onward cables destination , the black is the unswitched ungrounded conductor {aka hot} , red is the switched ungrounded conductor {aka hot}, the white is the grounded leg{aka neutral} and the bare is the equipment grounding conductor..
If you need onward power from the switch 1 location then....
(1) If only switched power required onward then at existing
switch 1...
For this option you must now use that previously unused red wire between
switch 1 and 2.
- onward cable - black/white/bare
- At switch 2 - The red wire from switch 1 connects to the red wire going to fixture.
- connect black from onward cable to red wire coming from switch box 2.
- connect white from onward cable to the white wire from the circuit power supply cable.
- connect bare from onward cable to the other bares and to electrical box if metallic.
- At the onward cables destination, the black is the switched ungrounded conductor {aka hot}, the white is the grounded leg {aka neutral}, and the bare is the equipment grounding conductor.
(2) If only unswitch power required onward then at existing switch 1...
- onward cable - black/white/bare
- connect black from onward cable to black wire coming from the circuit power supply cable.
- connect white from onward cable to white coming from the
circuit power supply cable. - connect bare from onward cable to other bares and to electrical box if metallic.
- At the onward cables destination, the black is the ungrounded conductor
{aka hot},
- the white is the grounded leg {aka neutral}, and the bare is the equipment grounding conductor.
(3) If switched and unswitched power required onward then at existing
switch 1...
For this option you must now use that previously unused red wire between
switch 1 and 2.
- onward cable - black/red//white/bare
- At switch 2 - The red wire from switch 1 connects to the red wire going to fixture.
- connect black from onward cable to black wire coming
from the circuit power supply cable.. - connect red from onward cable to red wire coming from switch box 2.
- connect white from onward cable to white coming from the circuit power supply cable.
- connect bare from onward cable to other bares and to electrical box if metallic.
- At the onward cables destination , the black is the unswitched ungrounded conductor {aka hot}, red is the switched ungrounded conductor {aka hot}, the white is the grounded leg{aka neutral} and the bare is the equipment grounding conductor..
If you need onward power from the switch 2 location then....
(1) If only switched power required onward then at existing switch
2...
- onward cable - black/white/bare
- connect black from onward cable to red wire coming from fixture (and also connected to switch 2).
- connect white from onward cable to the white wire from switch 1 on the 2 wire + ground (black/white/bare) cable.
- connect bare from onward cable to the other bares and to electrical box if metallic.
- At the onward cables destination , the black is the switched ungrounded
conductor {aka hot}, the white is the grounded leg {aka neutral}, and the bare is the
equipment grounding conductor.
(2) If only unswitch power required onward then at existing switch
2...
- onward cable - black/white/bare
- connect black from onward cable to black wire coming from switch 1 on the 2 wire +bare (black/white/bare) cable.
- connect white from onward cable to white coming from switch 1 on the 2 wire +bare (black/white/bare) cable
- connect bare from onward cable to other bares and to electrical box if metallic.
- At the onward cables destination , the black is the ungrounded conductor {aka hot}, the white is the grounded leg {aka neutral}, and the bare is the equipment grounding conductor.
(3) If switched and unswitched power required onward then at existing
switch 2...
- onward cable - black/red//white/bare
- connect black from onward cable to black wire coming from switch 1 on the 2 wire +bare (black/white/bare) cable
- connect red from onward cable to red wire coming from fixture (and also connected to switch 2).
- connect white from onward cable to white coming from switch 1 on the 2 wire +bare (black/white/bare) cable
- connect bare from onward cable to other bares and to electrical box if metallic.
- At the onward cables destination, the black is the unswitched ungrounded conductor {aka hot}, red is the switched ungrounded conductor {aka hot}, the white is the grounded leg{aka neutral} and the bare is the equipment grounding conductor..
If wiring multiple fixtures be sure to check the following guidelines
concerning how to do it and what not to do: Wiring
Multiple Fixtures.
If you are new at understanding the "politically correct" electrical terminology
and need clarification of the terms used, we strongly urge you to read the Clarification
of Definitions and Terminology guide. This will explain the terminology
used in this article.