There is no wire, red or otherwise, that can be seen peeking down the center hole of the adapter that I have. I wonder if they pinched a wire or trapped it and pulled it partially loose when closing the entire adapter up after assembly. They dont cost an awful lot and cost much less than that to make so Im not sure why they wouldnt just replace the thing. But then again, it is an HK seller and they can be a PITA to deal with, especially if the language barrier is an issue. No offense intended to them as a people, but the large volume asia based ebay sellers are quantity driven for the most part. If they hoover in the 98-99% range on positive feedback with a big volume of sales, they probably arent likely to care whether they get another negative. That said, the adapters work fine and look to be made pretty decent overall but unfortunately, it looks like you may have just gotten a bad one. Maybe they will work it out with you when all is said and done.