Derrickwade
Well-known member
I have very little knowledge when it comes to wiring stuff up. I installed the ceiling fan in the living room fine but, the one on the bedroom has a run of wire. What connects to what here?
How do I wire up my ceiling fan correctly?
- Thread starter Derrickwade
- Start date
Any idea what the other black/white wires go to? Is there another light in the ceiling?
OP
Derrickwade
Well-known member
I'm not sure where they go. I just assumed a plug in outlet. There are no other lights in the ceiling, except for the one in the closet.
zmaxmotorsports
Well-known member
It looks like they fed power to ceiling box first and then down to the switch,you need to figure out which black wire is hot first.
Then separate it and its neutral from the other,then check at the switch to make sure how its wired.
Then separate it and its neutral from the other,then check at the switch to make sure how its wired.
Ok, one pair should be hot/neutral and the other pair go to the switch.
I will venture to say that of the 2 romex cables coming into your ceiling fan box 1 goes directly to the switch box in the room.
That being said, the black wire in the energized romex cable would be tied to the black wire on the fan and the white wire that goes down to the switch box that terminates on one of the switch terminals. The return wire from the switch (the black wire in the same romex) will be the switch leg that connects to your fans blue wire for the lights.
The remaining white wire at the fan ceiling box is the neutral conductor that connects to the fans white wire.
Then of course all grounds tie together.
Caution! Test your wiring with an appropriate tester prior to making these connections.
Like this:
That being said, the black wire in the energized romex cable would be tied to the black wire on the fan and the white wire that goes down to the switch box that terminates on one of the switch terminals. The return wire from the switch (the black wire in the same romex) will be the switch leg that connects to your fans blue wire for the lights.
The remaining white wire at the fan ceiling box is the neutral conductor that connects to the fans white wire.
Then of course all grounds tie together.
Caution! Test your wiring with an appropriate tester prior to making these connections.
Like this:
teamextreme
Well-known member
It could be like is being described above, or the 2nd romex could be feeding a second switched device, like a switched receptacle. The 2 scenarios require totally different wiring connections. If you wire it the wrong way it won't work. The most important piece of info that is missing here that nobody has asked is how was it wired when you took it apart? Before disconnecting things you need to make note of how it was connected to begin with, with pictures if possible. If you don't know your way around an electrical box you really need to make some notes before you tear it apart.
OP
Derrickwade
Well-known member
Thanks for the info guys. I really appreciate it. And yeah, I agree I really should have paid more attention as to how it was wired before removing the old fan... I'll do better next time.
I always snap a quick picture with my phone before I rewire something. I have seen electricians do some interesting wiring in my days. This is a easy fix. Check both sets with a multimeter with the power on to see which one is hot. The take the one that is not hot and check the ohms across it with the switch on and off this will tell u if it goes to the switch. If it does wire it like the picture above if not might have to get in the attic to track it down
48windsor
Well-known member
to me it looks like two hot lead s to switch . dont understand diagram
48windsor
Well-known member
all the fans Ive installed , the blue for light kit and black were tied to gether .
That would be correct if you wanted the light and the fan to both operate at the same time, like a bath fan. If you want the light to be controlled by the wall switch then the above diagram is correct and the fan would have to be controlled by the pull chain on the fixture.
lg
no neat sig line
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
Short segue.
Assume hot going to the wall JB first and you are installing a separate switch for fan and light, are you allowed to run 14/3 to the fan and light ? In other words, share the ground on the same circuit.
(I know that the latest code revision, probably not in practice in most places, want 3 wire going to both the wall box and the ceiling boxes now; hot, switched and neutral)
Assume hot going to the wall JB first and you are installing a separate switch for fan and light, are you allowed to run 14/3 to the fan and light ? In other words, share the ground on the same circuit.
(I know that the latest code revision, probably not in practice in most places, want 3 wire going to both the wall box and the ceiling boxes now; hot, switched and neutral)
Last edited:
Crimson558
Active member
Is there 1 or 2 switches? Could possibly be a switch leg for the fan and seperate for the light which isn't all that uncommon. I ran into a similar situation when my sister had me install a fan at her home and previous owners had removed some wall sconces and just put some wire nuts on the wires and covered the box up. Also in another room in her house they ran the feed for the switch thru the J-box so the black wires where the feed for switch, 1 white was switch leg, and the other white was the neutral for the fan, luckily I noticed it before un wiring previous fixture. But like several have stated just grab a meter and see what hots up with switch and that should turn you towards direction of finding where they belong. Also if you aren't that confident in what you're working with ALWAYS take a quick pic. I delete several from my phone on a fairly common basis haha.
Zeke
Well-known member
It doesn't look like those wires were ever twisted together which is the preferred method. The original electrician failed to mark which white was being used as a switch leg. This should have been done with a marker or tape. To find what is what, carefully use a meter and test each black wire to the ground wire. The dead one and the white in the same jacket are the leg. Connect your hot black (power off) to the white leg and color it black. Connect the black leg to the fan lead, which ever you want to control from the wall (either the light, blue, or the fan, black, or both). Connect the white lead from the fan to the white that comes in with the hot black. Connect all grounds together.
kazlx
Well-known member
While you're up there, you might want to get a remote kit. It installs in between the power wires and fan wires. We have them installed in all the rooms and it makes it nice. Control fan speed and the light (if it has one) from a remote. Makes it nice for leaving the fan running at night.
CoyoteKyle
Well-known member
I'm no expert, but just installed a fan this weekend. Looks like you only have one switch for both the light and fan. Blue is defiantly the light. If there is a plug in in the room, plug a light in and see if it works if you haven't turned breaker off. If the light works the power would be coming from that direction if not my guess is that power would be running through the switch. You don't want that switch controlling the fan and the plug. Don't let it bite ya or ruin one of the fancy screwdrivers!
Zeke
Well-known member
Hopefully his lighting and receptacle circuits are separate. Not likely a powered switch to a ceiling box would also control a wall outlet, even a split outlet. That is unless some kluge wired the house.
bww_mnm
Well-known member
Have an electrician check it out.
Are there 2 switches on the wall? I'm guessing a pair for light and a pair for fan.
Are there 2 switches on the wall? I'm guessing a pair for light and a pair for fan.
teamextreme
Well-known member
Really? Pretty common practice everywhere I've seen (limited to CO & CA).
AlwaysFixingSomething
Banned
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It is more then likely going to the switch with the ceiling box wired hot .... but it is also common in some areas of the country to wire the ceiling light and the top receptacle of a typical duel so that you can use the ceiling light or put a cover over the box it and still have a switched light in the room. Some people don't like ceiling lights (me) and would rather have a light someplace else go on.
I had a house wired this way
I had a house wired this way
If you're at loss and are kicking yourself for not taking notes/pics, proceed to shut off the breaker (usually will shut off other house lights as well) and disconnect all wiring in the box and pull out the switch(es). Test all room outlets to verify it isn't tied to the same switch. When done, turn the breaker on and test / find the hot and kinda work from there. It's not uncommon for power to start at the ceiling with 14/2 running from there to the switch. If so, the black is tied to hot and the white is marked with black tape (standard practice & code) and the other end goes to the switch. (White wire with a piece of black tape too).
You may want to invest in a "Homer" book from Home Depot if you're still stumped. It ain't hard.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
You may want to invest in a "Homer" book from Home Depot if you're still stumped. It ain't hard.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk