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New wiring and switch for bathroom exhaust fan

7K views 9 replies 6 participants last post by  looking4help75 
#1 ·
Hello,
I'm trying to wire a new bathroom exhaust fan that will be controlled on a separate switch than the one for the light. My biggest point of confusion is that the power source is coming in to the box at the light fixture. There is another line that goes off to a bedroom. Then a third line that goes to the light switch. I've fed a line from my new exhaust fan down to the new 2 gang switch box. What I would like to know is can I somehow take the live wire from the switch for the light and use it to tie in to the switch for the exhaust fan in the gang box?
- All the wires are 14/2.
- The two switches are both single pole (but I can change if needed).

I've created an image to try to show the current setup.

Thanks a lot for any help provided.
Regards,
Jay
 

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#2 ·
You have a switch loop. It does not contain a netural wire, so you can not add another switch as it is wired now.
What you can do is this.
Remove the cable from the light box to the switch
Replace that cable with a new 14/3 to the switch box.
Wire the new cable as the old cable is wired, except you need to add a pigtail to connect power to the other switch.
Connect the black wire to one switch, and the red wire to the other switch.
In the light box, connect the white wire from the 14/3 to the black wire that is labeled power and bedroom
Run a new 14/2 from the light box to the exhaust fan.
Connect the white wire from this cable to the white wire from your power source.
Connect the black wire to the red wire from the switch, and connect the black wire from the switch to the black wire going to your light.
Your box may be crowded, so you may have to install a bigger light box.

Hope this helps!
 
#3 ·
I am not doubting what you are telling this person I am only try to educate my self more with electrical, So from the diagram he has provided it looks as though he has grounds from all expcept the fan
1) souldnt the fan also have a ground from it also
2) why couldnt he run a jumper from the light swith to the fan switch to power both
Like I said I am just trying to get more info for my own education into this so dont cuss me out
 
#6 ·
No.

To run both devices as it is wired now, he needs a black, red, white from the ceiling box to the switches. The white in this case is remarked to signify it is a constant hot and would be jumpered to each switch.
 
#7 ·
Hi,
Thanks jbfan for your detailed explanation...I'll try it out tonight!

To help clasact's concern about the wiring from the from the fan to the switch....yes as HouseHelper mentioned I just left out that section of the wiring in the diagram because I honestly didn't know what the proper wiring should be in this section when it came to the gang box...so I just left it out in hopes that the experts would tell me the proper way.

I believe I tried out your point about running a jumper from one switch to the other prior to my original post and obviously it didn't work. So I got nervous and didn't want to mess around with it anymore before talking to someone.
Thanks again,
Jay
 
#8 ·
Hi again,

I was drawing this out before I try this tonight and I ran in to a point of confusion (again) for me.
jbfan mentioned:
- Wire the new cable as the old cable is wired, except you need to add a pigtail to connect power to the other switch.
- Connect the black wire to one switch, and the red wire to the other switch.

I'm confused as to which wires I need to pigtail.

Is it the black and white wires from the exhaust fan to the exhaust switch?
Can someone please clarify what the wires in the switch box would be.

Thanks,
Jay
 
#9 ·
You run 14/3 from the existing light to the switch. At the switch, connect two 6" pieces of black wire to the white from the 14/3. Add a piece of black tape to the white wire to signify it is hot. Connect one of the black pigtails to each switch (I use the bottom screw). Connect the red to the top screw of one switch and the black to the top screw of the other. Connect at the box as jbfan described.
 
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