Red or black isn't the object. You want the pair that gives you a 120 volt
circuit. When you remove the existing fan, see which wires it was connected
to. The new fan will probably have three wires on it. Black and white will
usually power the fan and some other color like blue or black with white
stripes will power the light. If your not using a light kit, just don't
connect that wire. If your existing fan had a fan and a light and each had
their own control, you need to determine which wires in the box are fed by
which control and connect the fan accordingly. To simply test the wires to
see which is hot and which is neutral, you can use a light bulb in a pigtail
socket. Touch one lead to a wire in the box and the other lead to the metal
box. Whichever wire in your box gives you a light is your hot wire. This
test is contingent on your electrical system being grounded though.
"KOS" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi, I am attempting to connect a new ceiling fan to an older house.
There was a ceiling fan here but it isnt working. The fan that I will
install has no light.

As the wires are very old its hard to tell which is white and which is
red.

Is there a test that I can do to tell which is which? red or black?
Thanks