Ceiling Fan Wiring (Home Depot, Lowes, installation, rooms)

[sneezecake]

When it comes to electrical I am a dunce.

If I have a standard ceiling light receptacle, can I replace this with a ceiling fan/light combo without re-wiring? This was NOT "prewired for ceiling fan" in the build phase, but does the pre-wiring affect only whether or not you can control the unit with a wall-switch, or the actual function of the light (with the pull-cords etc)

[studedude]

You can use the existing wiring. The wall switch would control power to entire unit. You would select light or fan from switches on fan. Make sure ceiling outlet is reinforced to support the weight of the fan.

[sneezecake]

Originally Posted by studedude

You can use the existing wiring. The wall switch would control power to entire unit. You would select light or fan from switches on fan. Make sure ceiling outlet is reinforced to support the weight of the fan.

So are you saying that the pre-wiring only assists you in splitting control of the light and fan function to 2 separate wall switches?

Additionally, how would I tell if it is reinforced, and if it is not, is this easily rectified or do I need to bring in a pro?

[jimboburnsy]

Originally Posted by studedude

You can use the existing wiring. The wall switch would control power to entire unit. You would select light or fan from switches on fan. Make sure ceiling outlet is reinforced to support the weight of the fan.

Close inspection of the ceiling box should reveal a stamp somewhere that says "Approved for ceiling fan installation" or something to that effect. If this is recent construction, my guess would be that the ceiling box is probably not going to be adequate for ceiling fan support.

My house had old ceiling boxes (like from 1955) and I reinforced them by fastening each one with sheetmetal screws to a pair of 2x4 sections mounted vertically (i.e. the 4" pointing up and down) between the ceiling joists and tested it by doing a chin-up from the fan mounting bracket (I weigh about 270 lbs). I've had no problems with the fans.

The fan wiring should be pretty straightforward. Most will simply have a black wire, a white wire and a blue wire (although I have also seen red or yellow instead of blue). I believe that the black wire will supply power to the fan motor and the blue supplies power to the lights but the installation instructions will set that out for you. If you intend to keep the simple single pole switch on the wall, just twist the black and blue wires to the fan around the black wire in the ceiling box, the white wire from the fan around the white wire in the ceiling box and secure both with a wire nut. That way you will control lights and fan via the pull-chains and the wall switch will be the master power.

If you want to go really crazy you can find an assortment of fan/light control boxes at any Home Depot or Lowes that will allow you to control both independently from the wall switch. Installation may be a little tricky if you haven't had much experience with wiring, but there isn't anything about it that precludes DIY; it's just a matter of what you are comfortable with.

Does that help or am I speaking Chinese?

[Moth]

Originally Posted by sneezecake

So are you saying that the pre-wiring only assists you in splitting control of the light and fan function to 2 separate wall switches?

Additionally, how would I tell if it is reinforced, and if it is not, is this easily rectified or do I need to bring in a pro?

You can get a combo unit that has light and fan together. I have one in my house wired to the circa 1950s box. One wall switch turns on the light, but there are pull chains to turn the fan on or off as well as the light itself.

Worse comes to worse, buy the unit and call in an electrician and pay him for 1 or 2 hours of his time.

[Houston3]

Originally Posted by sneezecake

When it comes to electrical I am a dunce.

If I have a standard ceiling light receptacle, can I replace this with a ceiling fan/light combo without re-wiring? This was NOT "prewired for ceiling fan" in the build phase, but does the pre-wiring affect only whether or not you can control the unit with a wall-switch, or the actual function of the light (with the pull-cords etc)

You could get one with a remote. I don't have one but my son does and it works real nice.

If your house is pretty new it probably has plastic boxes. You will probably need to replace the box with a metal box to support the weight of the fan. Shouldn't be to hard to do. Use screws and not nails, nails can loosen over time from the movement of the fan. Follow the instructions that come with the fan to wire it.

[jasper1372]

I see this has been pointed our by several others....but it can't be stressed enough that you need to make sure the ceiling box is able to support the ceiling fan. It should be stamped somewhere inside to say this. If you can't find any label or stamping...just tug down or push up on the box a bit and if it wiggles at all...it's NOT rated for a ceiling fan for sure.

We've built several homes in the past 12 years and discovered even if we told the electrical contractor to use "ceiling fan rated" boxes in all rooms and prewire for fans....about half the time they didn't use the proper fan rated boxes. I ended up ripping them all out and replacing them myself...fortunately prior to sheetrock application.

As far as the wiring goes. If you have 14/3 or 12/3 wire to the box you'll be able to wire the fan separately from the light. If you only have 14/2 or 12/2 wire you'll have to wire everything together and use the pull cords for the fan....or the light if you use the fan more.

[Houston3]

Originally Posted by jasper1372

I see this has been pointed our by several others....but it can't be stressed enough that you need to make sure the ceiling box is able to support the ceiling fan. It should be stamped somewhere inside to say this. If you can't find any label or stamping...just tug down or push up on the box a bit and if it wiggles at all...it's NOT rated for a ceiling fan for sure.

We've built several homes in the past 12 years and discovered even if we told the electrical contractor to use "ceiling fan rated" boxes in all rooms and prewire for fans....about half the time they didn't use the proper fan rated boxes. I ended up ripping them all out and replacing them myself...fortunately prior to sheetrock application.

As far as the wiring goes. If you have 14/3 or 12/3 wire to the box you'll be able to wire the fan separately from the light. If you only have 14/2 or 12/2 wire you'll have to wire everything together and use the pull cords for the fan....or the light if you use the fan more.

How does /3 allow you to wire light and fan separate over /2 when /3 just means you have a bare ground wire?

[jasper1372]

Originally Posted by Houston3

How does /3 allow you to wire light and fan separate over /2 when /3 just means you have a bare ground wire?

I'm not an electrician, but 14/3 (or 12/3) means that you have 3 coated wires and one bare ground wire. You use the white coated wire as a neutral and use the red and black coated wires as two conductors....hook the black to the fan and the red the light (or vise versa) and use the white as the neutral for both and the ground as the ground for both.

http://www.energystar.gov/ia/product...ans/H142PA.pdf

Look on page 3 of this link and you'll see what I am describing. This is the way we've always done it anyway.

[Houston3]

Originally Posted by jasper1372

I'm not an electrician, but 14/3 (or 12/3) means that you have 3 coated wires and one bare ground wire. You use the white coated wire as a neutral and use the red and black coated wires as two conductors....hook the black to the fan and the red the light (or vise versa) and use the white as the neutral for both and the ground as the ground for both.

http://www.energystar.gov/ia/product...ans/H142PA.pdf

Look on page 3 of this link and you'll see what I am describing. This is the way we've always done it anyway.

I see now, I Have never seen wire with a third coated wire .. I just learned something new... Thanks..