Adding a ceiling fan in garage, wiring question.

[GCncsuHD]

I'm looking to add a ceiling fan in my garage to get some air moving. There is an unfinished bonus room/attic above the garage, so I'll just have to pull up some OSB flooring to mount the box, no biggie there.

I just want to check and be sure my plan for the wiring is sound.

Right now I have a 15A breaker feeding a 4 gang switch box in the hallway that leads from my garage into the house.

These switches feed as follows-
1-Hallway light (2x 60W bulbs)
1-Motion/Flood light (LED-23W)
1-Left bank of 4xT8 Fluorescent Fixtures-8 bulbs at 32W each-256W
1-Right bank of 4xT8 Fluorescent Fixtures-8 bulbs at 32W each-256W

Taking into consideration the efficiency loss/startup in a ballast, I'll just round up the total fluorescent fixture wattage to 600W, (haven't actually pulled a ballast down to check how much it really draws yet), I'm at a total of 743W, again, I'll just round up to 800W. So I'm well under the 80% usage 1440W capacity of a 15A circuit.

This is the fan I'm looking at:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-...ar-Ceiling-Fan-52869/202670136#specifications

According to the instructions it uses .97A/107W on high, so with the addition of that we are still well below 1000W so I don't think any momentary inrush current at fan start would be an issue either.

So, my plan is to take both left and right banks of fluorescent lights and connect them together so one switch operates them both (anytime I'm out there I have both on anyway). Then since my fan will be situated between the two lights, I will take the wire that used to operate the left bank of lights and use that to switch/power the fan.

This way the only new wire I will have to run is to connect the two banks of lights together since I'll be reusing the old run that operated the left bank of lights to power the fan.

Does anyone see an issue with this?

 

[JohnX14]

No issue at all. I just joined the forum. I have over 30 years experience as an electrical contractor.

 

[GCncsuHD]

No issue at all. I just joined the forum. I have over 30 years experience as an electrical contractor.

Welcome, and thank you!

 

[JohnX14]

Thanks, I'm just finding my way around. A friend referred me.

 

[justsam]

What you are proposing will work fine, simple, cost effective, and reliable.

If you wanted to maintain the ability to have separate light banks, you could use a remote fan controller. You would need to have a leg that is hot all the time, just not when lights are on, which depending on how all was originally wired that may or may not exist up at your ceiling fixtures. Otherwise fan would only work if a given bank of lights was on.

 

[GCncsuHD]

What you are proposing will work fine, simple, cost effective, and reliable.

If you wanted to maintain the ability to have separate light banks, you could use a remote fan controller. You would need to have a leg that is hot all the time, just not when lights are on, which depending on how all was originally wired that may or may not exist up at your ceiling fixtures. Otherwise fan would only work if a given bank of lights was on.

Thanks. I considered branching off the outlets my garage doors are on, separate 15A circuit, and using a remote fan controller, but the fan I am looking at includes it's own wall mounted speed controller, with 4 speeds vs the normal 3 on most remote controls. I really have no desire to separately control the light banks, it's a 30x36 garage space, if I'm out there working, both banks are on. I think the only time only one bank of lights is used is when my wife goes out there to get something out of the freezer...but she always forgets which switch is the right one and winds up using both anyway

 

[sands35]

For a decent sized garage, having at least 2 circuits for lights is nice if you need to turn one off to work on it. You'll still have some light in there.

Otherwise, your plan would work.

Personally, I put a pair of fans on a separate breaker simply so I could turn the breaker off if I ever needed to.

 

[GCncsuHD]

For a decent sized garage, having at least 2 circuits for lights is nice if you need to turn one off to work on it. You'll still have some light in there.

Otherwise, your plan would work.

Personally, I put a pair of fans on a separate breaker simply so I could turn the breaker off if I ever needed to.

I'm not really worried about the situation of turning one bank of lights off and leaving the other on for light to be able to work on it. I have plenty of work lights I can plug into the wall and aim wherever I need the light, as well as the two garage door opener lights. I don't really see the benefit in my situation of putting a single fan that draws less than 1A on a dedicated breaker.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

If you haven't bought the fan yet, the same fan, in white is ten dollars cheaper.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-...r-Ceiling-Fan-92856/100015874?keyword=526+012

Charles

 

[GCncsuHD]

If you haven't bought the fan yet, the same fan, in white is ten dollars cheaper.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-...r-Ceiling-Fan-92856/100015874?keyword=526+012

Charles

I haven't yet, I did notice the price difference but I haven't decided yet which color I prefer. Thanks.

 

[larryv]

I have the same fan in the brushed finish and other than the slight hum and the large controller getting fairly hot its not a bad fan for the price. When i find something similar i will change it.

 

[Highbeam]

Here's the problem, you will only be able to switch the fan on and off with your proposal. The controller is big and hardwired so you will need to do some wiring work anyways, may as well run a new wire and leave your lighting as is.

That is, if using the speed settings is important to you.

 

[GCncsuHD]

I have the same fan in the brushed finish and other than the slight hum and the large controller getting fairly hot its not a bad fan for the price. When i find something similar i will change it.

Here's the problem, you will only be able to switch the fan on and off with your proposal. The controller is big and hardwired so you will need to do some wiring work anyways, may as well run a new wire and leave your lighting as is.

That is, if using the speed settings is important to you.

I believe we are looking at different fan models...the one I am looking at has a different speed controller than yours Larry. It is not surface mounted, but rather recessed and fits in a typical Deco/GFCI outlet/switch opening.

I see no reason to go through the extra hassle to run a new wire, open up the wall, swap a 4 gang box with a 5 and have another switch when I have no desire to leave the two banks of lights separate anyway.

It is possible that there was a design change where the style of remotes was changed since you bought yours, or that HD's website and the instruction manual is incorrect. I guess I shall see.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

My fan controllers.

 

[GCncsuHD]

My fan controllers.

www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=245006&d=1363135309

Those are what I am seeing in the HD ad as opposed to what LarryV posted.

 

[larryv]

A design change is needed for sure.