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Light fixture in ceiling fan won't work.

3K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  rjniles 
#1 · (Edited)
I am installing a new ceiling fan that came with a light fixture. This is replacing a ceiling fan that did not have a light. The fan works fine, but the light will not work. I reconnected the wires from the ceiling the same way it was wired previously.....black (ceiling) to black w/ white stripe (fan) and red (ceiling) to black (fan). Also, the wall outlet has no switch for the light on the fan; however the fan is controlled by a dimmer on a wall switch for a different light. Any ideas?
 
#4 ·
..... however the fan is controlled by a dimmer on a wall switch for a different light.
If you are controlling the fan with a dimmer that is also controlling a light, you have a problem. Lamp dimmers are not rated for motor control and should not be used for that purpose. There are fan motor control switches that look similar to lamp dimmers. Thers is either another switch or there may be a constant hot in the ceiling box.
It sounds like the fan wiring is black for the fan motor and black/white stripe is the fan light. Connect the black from the ceiling to the black of the fan, connect the red from the ceiling to the black/white stripe of the fan. If either the fan or the light does not work, try pulling the pull chain switches.
 
#5 · (Edited)
I tried the black to black and the red to the black with white stripe. Neither the fan or light works. Here is the wire set up:

Out of ceiling...1 red wire, 2 white wires and 1 black wire. Out of fan... 1 black, 1 white and 1 black w/ white stripe.

I had the 2 whites to white, the red to the black and the black to the black/white. That's when the fan would work, but no light.

When I switched the black to black and the black/white to red...neither fan or lihht work....any suggestions? Thanks again.
 
#6 ·
DEscription of Dimmer......................

The dimmer that is conrolling the fan is set up as follows:

the actual light switch controls two lights above the fireplace, to the right of the switch is a dimmer for those lights, and to the left of the switch is a dimmer that controls the ceiling fan. There is an additional switch that controls a wall outlet that has a light plugged into it.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Is the light bulb burned out?

Does the fan unit have a small knob or a pull chain that selects whether light or fan or both are on?

Are you getting voltage measured between red and white up in the ceiling for any combination of wall switch positions?
 
#8 ·
Questions:

You say there are 2 whites, a black and a red in the ceiling box. Is the wiring method conduit or cable? If cable, how many cables and what iare the colors and number of wires in each cable.

Do you have something to test for power on the leads in the ceiling box?
 
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