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new bathroom dimmer / fan switch

3K views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  220/221 
#1 ·
currently i have a double switch controlling a vanity light and a bath exhaust fan. everything works just fine as is. The wife now insists on having a dimmer installed for the light - I say - "no problem":thumbup:.

I remove the double switch to find just two 14/2 wires entering the box. White wires to black screws with tab removed, blacks to gold screws. ok, switch loop situation - shouldn't be a problem.... Installed the dimmer and simple switch for the fan. Lighting works just dandy but no power to fan:eek:. I appears the light was originally wired in a loop and then the fan was added later. It looks like 14/2 was brought over to the fan from the light fixture and then 14/2 down to the fan switch. Seems to me that two switches should act the same as a double switch? What am i missing here?
 
#2 ·
Seems to me that two switches should act the same as a double switch? What am i missing here?
Whoever installed the fan probably didn't wire it correctly or as you anticipated.

They may have used the hot wire in the existing switch to feed the ex fan switch and picked up the neutral in the jumper cable from the light.

You are on the right track but you need to take the light jbox and fan jbox apart to do it "right".

You could also just do what they did (not quite kosher as the fan hot and neutral aren't in the same cable) and pigtail the hot white to feed both the switch and dimmer.

Capice?
 
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