I'm roughing in one end of the garage/workshop for my wife's stain glass studio. She wants a ceiling fan. I don't like ceiling fans, but whatever. So, I'm looking at these ceiling fan box doo-hickies. The are all excited by various schemes to securely mount the box in the ceiling so it doesn't fall out. You know, telescoping metal bars and so forth. I'm pretty sure I can mount a box on the joist so it doesn't fall on her head, ha ha. And the ceiling fans set ups all have this metal strap with a ball socket thing for the fan to hang on. But, what I wonder about is that strap seems to be mounted to the electrical box with 2 10-32 screws. Really? The plan is the hold up a vibrating 50 lb fan with a couple of 10-32's? I guess it works but it seems like a weak point?
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Ceiling fan
- Thread starter Ironcrow
- Start date
Charles (in GA)
Well-known member
The screws are plenty strong enough, so long as they are tight and there is no movement. The big feature of the special boxes is the thread in them. Most have a long sleeve with threads inside so the screw engages no just two turns of thread like in a regular box, but rather dozens of turns of thread.
THESE are some of the best boxes I've seen for ceiling fan mounting.
THESE are some of the best boxes I've seen for ceiling fan mounting.
Last edited:
Gotcha640
Well-known member
I have a few of the 5 minute fans, the ones I have also have a few extra holes. If I have access over the room, I'll throw in a brace and screw to some 2x. Without some bracing, they seem happy for about 3 years of frequent use. For less than $100 and 10 minutes, I'm happy.
My dad has a 2hp motor he found, and decided to diy a big azz fan in his shop (16ft ceiling). He built some serious brackets for that.
My dad has a 2hp motor he found, and decided to diy a big azz fan in his shop (16ft ceiling). He built some serious brackets for that.
I think I'll take both of those suggestions. For one, I'll use that Westinghouse box, I see the full threaded hole. On the other, I already have a box in (and my wife decided to skip the ceiling light there and add another fan) and she's picked out an enormous fan for that one. I'll run some 3/8 all thread up into the attic for that one. Thanks!
Cairo94507
Well-known member
a 50 pound fan....seriously? That thing must be huge!
Mustang51js
Well-known member
I like to use the plastic fan boxes that go right to a stud,and the screws for it go right into the stud also
Syberia
Well-known member
I would never trust a plastic box to hold a fan. Metal all the way.I like to use the plastic fan boxes that go right to a stud,and the screws for it go right into the stud also
I would never trust a plastic box to hold a fan. Metal all the way.
You run wood screws up into the structure, the box just contains the wiring and splices.