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newproject858

Blue and red wires

7 years ago

My hubby is trying to install a chandelier.
The instruction is in Chinese and the wires are in two colors: red and blue. Do you know which one is power? What is other color for?

Thanks!

Comments (12)

  • 7 years ago

    The color code and the Chinese instructions are bad signs. Major lighting manufacturers often have their fixtures assembled in China, but they (usually) do QA here and make sure the fixtures are properly UL approved. Those fixtures will be made to US standards.

    However, a lot of poorly made and potentially unsafe no-name junk is sold directly from China online through the gigantic auction and the online mega-merchants (I'm sure you know who I mean).

    With these, even the UL mark isn't definitive, because dodgy manufacturers have been known to counterfeit it.

    Be careful! And check your smoke alarms.

    With that out of the way,, in most of the world except for the US and Canada, the neutral wire is either blue or black. In your case the red wire should be connected to the hot (black) wire from the junction box, and blue should be connected to the neutral (white) wire from the box. If there is a green, green and yellow, or just bare copper wire, that's the ground wire. It should be connected to the bare or green wire inside the junction box.

  • 7 years ago

    DavidR is right on with his advice and observations. I once bought a fixture years ago that was like yours: when I opened the box, the lamp had weird wire colors, no UL label, and no ground. I decided I was not going to risk installing it. I returned it and got something that was namebrand and had what looked like a legitimate UL sticker.

  • 7 years ago

    While the listing of Chinese fixtures is indeed dubious, your question also makes no sense. You can't have power with one wire. You need two to make a circuit. If the fixture only has two wires, they are likely where you apply power.

  • 7 years ago

    newproject-

    One more thing. If your husband is trying to wire this up and he doesn't know that you need to connect more than one wire, I'm concerned about his ability to do this correctly and safely. He either should get help from a friend who has electrical knowledge or bite the bullet and get a basic wiring book for $10. And I still wouldn't trust that fixture....

  • 7 years ago

    Examine the chandelier's bulb socket. Determine which lead (red or blue) is attached to the tab at the bottom of the bulb socket and which is attached to the threaded part. Connect the black (hot) wire to the lead that is attached to the tab at the bottom of the bulb socket.

    Source: https://www.familyhandyman.com/electrical/wiring/how-to-wire-a-light-socket/

  • 7 years ago

    Thanks everyone for your inputs. I decided not to install this lighting and returned it. I didn’t want to take any risks.

  • 6 years ago

    Hmmm. Interesting that trying to protect someone with no electrical skills from creating a hazard qualifies as being an ass....

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Chick with an agenda that has been seething for a year or more.

  • 5 years ago

    Everything comes from China. lots of jerks in this thread

  • 5 years ago

    Commenting on a year-old thread?

  • 4 years ago

    Here is the link for color codes for wires in US/Canada, Europe, China. I hope it helps.

    https://electricalfundablog.com/wiring-color-codes-usa-uk-europe-canada/

    There is nothing that a Lady can't do.