Help with Light and Fan Wiring

mpattonslo

I was installing some new vanity lights in my bathroom and came across some interesting (to me, anyway) wiring, thought I'd check what you guys think before I proceed.



The light part makes sense to me, until the ground at the switch end. I guess since the ceiling fan needs a neutral (white), they decided to jump on the ground (green/copper) from the light. I'm not an electrician so this concerns me...I would like to have the ground going to the grounding screw on the switch, but have no way to complete the circuit for the ceiling fan independent of the ground for the lights. I feel like I need one more wire coming in to the switch (12/3?) to do this properly, or have power running to the ceiling fan itself.

Obviously it's been run like this for years without issue, but what are the implications of have the circuit this way? Should I be concerned? I know neutral and ground will meet back at the box, but joining them here worries me.

Thanks in advance!

frenchelectrican

What ya posted that is a very dangerous set up due you are using the ground as netural and what happend that when the ground get comperised ( can be bad connection or broken or not hooked up ) and can have anything grounded become engerized.

So the best answer is replace the cable between the luminaire to the switch box with 12-3 cable so the black is unswitched power source while the red is switched to the exsting luminaire as you posted and white conductor is netural.

With the oringal drawing you posted that was a switch loop so that one reason why some peoples used ground as netural which that is a major no-no on that part.

Merci,
Marc

__________________
The answer will be based on NEC ( National Electrical code ) or CEC ( Cananda Electrical code ) or ECF ( Electrique Code France )