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two switch ceiling fan/ light question

3K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  TarheelTerp 
#1 ·
Adding in a new ceiling fan to a builder wired box and want to be sure I'm doing it the correct way. Currently it's just a single light fixture to a single switch and I want to go to a ceiling fan / light combo with two separate switches.

In the fan box (which is one of the bracketed fan boxes) it's

  • black to black bypassing the fixture
  • Red as the hot
  • White to white and then a pigtail to the fixture
  • grounds to the plate




In the switch box

  • white is bypassed
  • the red switch leg is taking the neutral
  • Black to black and a pigtail to the switch
  • ground to ground with a pigtail to the switch (I'll cap it when I'm done)


I think what I should do is in the fan box

Black to black with a pigtail to the fixture black
White to white with a pigtail to the fixture
Red is the switch leg for the fan and grounds as is.

In the switch Black to black with a pigtail to the first switch (light) and a pigtail to the second (fan) switch or should I go pigtail to the first (light) switch and then short wire from the first switch to the second (fan) switch
White to the first switch and red to the second
Ground to ground and a pigtail to both switches.

Is this how I should do it or is there a preferable way?

I have a 34ci double gang old work box for the switches so I have enough room for any likely solution.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
looks like they fed the light box first and then just ran a switch leg to the wall box. you dont have enough wires in the box to switch 2 separate fixtures. you have a hot feed in the switch box but only one outgoing hot from the switch to the fixture, no wire for the fan. unless you want to get a fan that has a remote then the switch would still control both but the remote would control the fan if you didnt want both on and dont want to pull the chain. does the white in the box feed through to another box? the white is the neutral you cant use it to feed the fan.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Is this how I should do it or is there a preferable way?
I kind of blew past all your detail...

At the ceiling box you have a 2W romex (feed) and a 3W romex (switch leg)
At the switch box you have the other end of that 3W romex.

At Ceiling:
ignore the white from the 2W for now (tuck aside)
wirenut the black from the 2W to the white of the 3W
(put a piece of red tape on the white if you like)
This leaves you with three wires to connect your new ceiling fan with
(white =neutral, black =light, red =fan)

At Switch:
Put another piece of red tape on the white wire.
Using a "stacked switch" connect the white to the one screw on one side...
connect the black and red wires to the other two (dissimilar) screws.

hth
 
#4 · (Edited)
The ceiling fan has the light integrated and I do want two switches. The ceiling fan has the expected 4 wires and when I connected it in another room (I bought two) it works off of two switches. I'm gonna go out on a limb and assume the builder wires all the rooms for a ceiling fan and just hopes the owners buy the "upgrades".

I think I haven't been clear.

There is 12/2 and 12/3 in the ceiling

AND

There is 12/2 and 12/3 in the wall.

There are two sets of wires entering both boxes.

The wires are joined as described i.e. black to black is black of 12/2 being joined to black of 12/3
 
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