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wiring for a exhaust fan/light on 1 switch

2345 Views 5 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  dunebuggy4
I have run 12/2 from box to a switch then 12/2 up to the fan/light the fan/light has a black/white/red/copper wires , i can turn the fan and light on and it works but........the problem is when i turn it off it blows the breaker . Is there a way to make this work without running another wire ? Thanks dunebuggy4
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Your description is not that clear.

I am guessing an educated guess. Copper (bare) is the ground. Join it at light/fan box to ground screw (green?). Twist white light/fan wire to white wire from switch and cap. Twist black and red light/fan wires together and then twist to black from switch and cap.

Switch box: Hot Black "from box" goes to one screw terminal or insert on switch. Black from light/fan goes to other screw terminal or insert on switch. Both whites in switch box do not go on switch. They twist together and cap.
If switch has grounding screw, ground it from surplus bare copper. If switch has more than 2 terminals, you've got the wrong switch.
Thanks for reply

diyorpay you are right about the copper wire , i will try this right after work and again thanks . dunebuggy4
Not getting the full story. Fan/light should have 4 wires, black is fan hot, red is light hot, white is neutral, bare or green is ground. If running the fan and light from one switch leg, twist the black/red together with the switch leg. For two switches, one each switch leg to each fan wire.....sw1 to black, sw2 to red. Always neutral to neutral and ground to ground.
2 white wires

I am sorry for bad description ( 1st time ) i forgot to say the fan has black/white and the light has red/white wires and then one bare copper wire , and i have 12/2 wire coming from switch 1 white/black/bare copper wire . I will try this after work and let you know , thanks for all the info . Thanks dunebuggy4
finished

Thanks for the help the info i got on this site got me through . Thanks again dunebuggy4:)
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