Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans - wiring a ceiling fan on existing circuit

When wiring a ceiling fan on an existing circuit can I just put a box in the attic (where the other wiring runs) and tap into the circuit and run it into the new fan location. I am going to be hard wiring it without the switch. What other considerations do I need to take into account.

You can go that route but however when you make the connection at the other location you may have to watch out some wire are switch loops that part you don't want to cut in there but you can hook up at any luminaire location as long there is more than 2 romax cables in there if you only see one romax cable that useally tell ya that is switch controlled luminaire.


when you make a connection make a note how it hook up before you get new wire hook up so you can able tell which one is hot and switched control wires if you see more than 2 white wires there that useally is netural but however watchout if you see black/white combo that useally indcated a switch loop feed.

Merci.Marc

If i understand correctly, you can't run power off of a switch loop. How do I make sure I am running the power from the correct wires?

Yep., that right you don't want to run from switch loop the quickest way to tell if switch loop is look at the switch if you have black and white wire only in the switch box then you got a switch loop.

Senice you will plan to work in attic it not too bad to find it as long the wires are exposed and they useally go to the nearest drop location.

you can find any luminaire box you can chose from but before you start that just take the luminaire down a little so you can see the number of wires there so you can able tell if have switch loop or not sometime you have to trace it a little to make sure you don't hit the wrong wire.

normally if have hot power source at the luminaire then you can able tell if more than two sets of wires the fastest way you can tell is the number of black wire splices in the box.

Merci,Marc

It is imperative that you know exactly what a cable is before you tap into it for power. To do that, it is essential that you know exactly where it comes from and goes to. To do that, you have to follow it to both ends. If you cannot do that, then don't use it.

The following are examples of cables that you don't want to tap into:

240-volt cables
Cables going to switch boxes, where the white wire of the cable is attached to the switch at that box.
Cables running from a switch to the load controlled by that switch
Cables going to a laundry room
Cables going to a kitchen
Cables going to a bathroom
Cables on circuits that are already loaded to capacity
Cables on dedicated circuits where the circuit is intended to serve exactly one load
Cables on circuits protected by a breaker larger than 20 amps
Cables with more than one black wire, one white wire, and one grounding wire.

Thanks John for making the list of circuits that should be avoided.

let me add one more item here.,,

•any cables running in the attached garage.



Merci, Marc

I traced the circuit back to the breaker box. There is a switched receptacle on the ciruit. If I tap into the circuit before the switch I should be Ok, correct. I was planing on putting a juction box before the switch loop and also addind a receptacle at the same time. is this a code violation or am I OK.

Thanks for all the help.

you are fine with that as long you got good hot source.

Merci,Marc

"before the switch" is okay as long as it is also before the switched receptacle (which is not a sure thing unless you check).

So if I understand you correctly the switch loop doesn't have to go to the switch first. The breaker box is on one side of the house and if the circuit follows a some what straight path it would hit the swich first is there a way to tell in the switch box by the wiring if the circuit goes there first?

You may not assume the electrical routing of the cable by the physical location in the house. You cannot assume that the cable follows a "straight path".

A simple multimeter allows you to figure out the cable routing. It usually requires you to temporarily disconnect the wiring in each box.

A switch loop, however, can usually be easily identified by the presence of a white wire connected to the switch. If there is one white wire in the box, and it is connected to the switch, then this is a switch loop. If there are more than one white wires in the box, and none of them are connected to the switch, then this is not a switch loop.

Thanks for the help guys I got the fan working with minimal problems in the attic.

Thanks for letting us know how you came out on this one.

:thumbup: :D

Merci,Marc

I am installing a ceiling fan into a bedroom that had no previous ceiling fan/light. A switch next to the door controls a wall receptacle. I would like add two additional switches; one for the ceiling fan and one for the light on the ceiling fan. I intend to keep the switch controlling the recepticle. I will remove the old wiring box and replace it with one which will handle three switches ( a three gang box?). The wire I will run for the ceiling fan and light will be 14-3. Can someone give me some help on the wiring? Specifically how do I tap the recepticle circuit to obtain power for the fan and light? Any suggestions on types of switches? How do you feel about a single device with multiple switches?
Thanks.
Mike

I am installing a ceiling fan into a bedroom that had no previous ceiling fan/light. A switch next to the door controls a wall receptacle. I would like add two additional switches; one for the ceiling fan and one for the light on the ceiling fan. I intend to keep the switch controlling the recepticle. I will remove the old wiring box and replace it with one which will handle three switches ( a three gang box?). The wire I will run for the ceiling fan and light will be 14-3. Can someone give me some help on the wiring? Specifically how do I tap the recepticle circuit to obtain power for the fan and light? Any suggestions on types of switches? How do you feel about a single device with multiple switches?
Thanks.
Mike

First let get to the main point for a min.,,

senice you want to keep the switched repectale that fine but how do the switch is wired ?? if only black and white { should be remarked black or other colours } there unforetally no., You have to change the cable from 14-2 to 14-3 if you want the switched repcetale function.

If you want to go that route then this how it wll be done

The white wire is tied together and make a pigtail and hook up to silver screw at the repectale and the white wire at switch box is used for netural for ceiling fan/ light unit.

Now for black { unswitched power } wirenutted and pigtailed to one of the brass screw { you can have it on top or bottom depending on oringal set up } then at the switch location the black wire is for power source for all of it { I will expain little more below }

Now for red wire that is switched repectale hook that red wire to one of brass screw { make sure the tab between the brass screw is broken off otherwise it will not function }

Now at the switch box as i mention above the white is for netural tie all the white together and wirenutted { no white pigtail it is unneeded at that location } { the new 14-3 go to the ceiling fan location }

Now for black wire from the exsting repctale which it is a constant power source that will be on " common " screw.

Ok., now next step it will be little tricky with tri switch set up

one of the red wire going to the repectale hook up to one of the brass screw for that switch.

Then for the other black and red hook one each at it own brass screw that one switch for fan and other switch for luminaire { light }

BUT I want to give you a head up make sure the box is plenty deep it may overcrowed if not carefull with it.

otherwise the other option is go with two gang switch box then you will have much more room to work around with it.

Myself I rather go with two or three gang switch box it much easier to work around. { espcally that true if you used the dimmer or fan speed controller at the switch box location}

If need more question just holler

Merci,Marc