Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans - Installing new chandelier and switch with old wiring

Hi. I just recenlt bought an older home and I want to replace the ceiling fan/light in the dinning room with a more modern chandelier. The fan had two pull switches that operated the light and fan speed. The new light fixture doesn't have a pull switch so I need to install a wall switch to operate it. I was hoping to find new wiring in the metal ceiling box but instead found 1 red and 1 green wire wrapped in cloth.
I ran new NM wire through the ceiling and plan to use wiremold to bring it down the wall to a new switch. The new wire (1 black, 1 white, and a bare metal ground) is much easier to work with and I've already connceted it to the new wall switch. I am now ready to connect the chandelier. I nutted and taped off the green wire and pushed it back into the box. I connected the black wire fromthe light fixture to the new black wire. I put a piece of eletrical tape on both ends of the new white wire and I plan to connect one end of the new white wire to the existing red wire. I don't know what to do with the white wire coming from the fixture so I wondering if I should just ignore it. I also plan to connect the bare new wire and the bare wire from the fixture to the grouding screw on the metal fixture brace. I have not connected the red wire yet due to fear of burning my home down. Does what I'm doing so far sound correct?
I've tried to contact local electricians but they are either too busy or give me the runaround. please help.

Welcome to the forum viper.

I am confused on one point. What two wires were hooked to the original fixture from the ceiling box?

You will find we ask alot of questions. It helps us to better help you.

Thanks for responding. The old fan fixture had a black and blue wire twisted together and connected to the red wire. The other green wire had some white paint on the wire nut and a little on the wire. Not sure if this was a painting accident or done on purpose. Either way, I don't think anyhting was connceted to it.

In order for a 120 volt electrical device to work it needs a 120v hot wire. Usually colored black, red, or blue, and a return wire, commonly called a neutral and usually colored white.

If you just hook up the hot wire and no neutral or vise versa it will not work.

I am making some assumptions here, because I cannot see the installation or test it for myself, you will need to take it for what it is worth.

Someone in the past used the green wire from the circuit and re-identifed it as a white to use it for the neurtal return wire. This did make the light work.

Sometimes re-identifying wires is legal. It is not legal in this case and in fact could be unsafe. Again I cannot see or test the wires, so this is only an informed guess.

In my opionion you have two options. First if you are incline to learn this type of thing, buy a book called "wireing simplified" read it and learn. Then test the circuit and see if you can fix it.

Second, hire an electrician to have a look at what is going on.

There is too much going on for me to try to help someone over an internet forum. If however, after you read the book, you still have questoins, then I may be able to help you understand better.

Thanks for your help. I believe I am trying to do a switch loop. I looked at several places online and both gave similar methods but vary slightly. I also bought a book to read up on wiring.

viper, you will be a pro at DIY electrical in no time.

Please post back about the green wire that was painted white. This is potentialy a problem. If the green wire is needed for a ground, and was instead used as a white then you do not have a ground somewhere on the system. This is something that will need to be fixed while you are making repairs to this part of your house.