quick, dumb question
- Thread starter reinhardt
- Start date
Gooch
Well-known member
it's fine assuming that the circuit that feeds the fan now is a 15A circuit.
Grumpy365
Well-known member
What is the size of the breaker in the breaker box?
If it is a 20 Amp Breaker, It should be # 12.
If it is a 15 Amp Breaker, # 14 is fine.
If it is a 20 Amp Breaker, It should be # 12.
If it is a 15 Amp Breaker, # 14 is fine.
so u mean to tell me the wire size is dictated solely by the breaker size? i was assuming since the switch loop is only serving the fan, then it would only need to be rated to handle the load from the fan. thank you for the clarification.
ben
ben
Ford12508
Well-known member
That would be safe if only the fan was on it, but to do it "Properly" requires the wire size to be matched with the breaker's rating.
bww_mnm
Well-known member
do you already have a 12/2 or 14/2 wire running to it?
if so, i've used this multiple times. I really having a remote and wall switch.
http://www.westsidewholesale.com/30...a-_-na&cvsfa=1870&cvsfe=2&cvsfhu=343236363736
if so, i've used this multiple times. I really having a remote and wall switch.
http://www.westsidewholesale.com/30...a-_-na&cvsfa=1870&cvsfe=2&cvsfhu=343236363736
rhdave
Member
I've got the same thing in my bedroom, it's soo nice to have that remote sitting on the nightstand right beside my bed!
is that a wired switch? or is it a module installed in the fan junction box w/ a wireless switch on the wall?
i planned on installing a wired switch on the wall w/ a remote laying on the night stand.
ben
The breaker protects the wire and what ever is to the next breaker or fuse.
You wouldn't want the breaker to trip if you were drawing more amps then the wire could carry.
So yes, check the breaker, 14 for 15 amp and 12 for 20 amp breaker.
Existing wire may not always tell you what is best, because people could have done it wrong before.
14 is nicer to work with, but its not a big deal to go to 12.
thanks for the detailed answer berserker. my concern of 14 vs 12 was driven solely by cost, what can i say? i checked the breaker panel and it is indeed a 15 amp circuit. bought the materials last night and i'll be installing on saturday.
now i have another question tho. is there a techneque to fishing the wire into the switch box on the wall? i've installed switches and outlets before, but i have always been putting in new boxes so i reach in the wall and grab the fish tape and pull cable into box, then install box into wall. this is a switch box that was installed when the house was built, so how do i get the wire into that little hole in the box?
ben
now i have another question tho. is there a techneque to fishing the wire into the switch box on the wall? i've installed switches and outlets before, but i have always been putting in new boxes so i reach in the wall and grab the fish tape and pull cable into box, then install box into wall. this is a switch box that was installed when the house was built, so how do i get the wire into that little hole in the box?
ben
I believe that you would want the breaker to trip if drawing more amperage than the wire could carry. The breaker is there to protect the wire,,,
lg
no neat sig line
creativecars
Well-known member
I have the fan and light on the fan wired with separate switches. I really like the convenience.
Torque1st
MEMBER EMERITUS
Fishing the wire often comes down to a long piece of coat hanger wire (or another fish tape) inserted to catch the end of the fish tape. It often involves strong language and patience.
bww_mnm
Well-known member
Hopefully, I'm answering your question: Lutron came up w/ a product that you put on a normal light switch (single wire) that controls both fan and light. It does require a "receiver unit" in the fan canopy. It then has a IR remote to go with it.
big benefit is you control fan and light from wall and remote with only a single "hot wire" running from wall switch to fan canopy.
here's their install video from their website: http://www.lutron.com/homeownervideos
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bww_mnm
Well-known member
here's my hand drawn schematic if this helps:
that was the method i thought of too. darn the bad luck.... like a lot....
thanks for all the help guys. think i've got it figured out, i'll do the install tomorrow afternoon hopefully. i'll let you all know how much cursing is involved... dang.
ben
bww_mnm
Well-known member
I think I understand what you're trying to do now ... simply add a switch. Just buy a remote that sends to a receiver in the fan canopy. We did this in our house in Maryland.
i think this is the one we had:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_103183-1811..._prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_quantity_sold|1
i think this is the one we had:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_103183-1811..._prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_quantity_sold|1
We had a remote on one of the fans in this house. One of the things that was a slight inconvenience was that the remote didn't always get back to it's resting place by the door. So the next person who entered the room and wanted the light on had to stumble around in the dark looking for the remote, or find his way to a lamp.
I ended up changing that ceiling fan to two switches on the wall - one for the light and one for the fan.
I ended up changing that ceiling fan to two switches on the wall - one for the light and one for the fan.
I found a switch at hd that is the best of both worlds. It is a wired wall switch that has a remote control for the wall switch. Turn the light on with the wall switch. Turn the light on with the remote. My intentions are walk in room, flip switch, get in bed, click remote to shut light off, sleep, repeat as necessary. Basically use it as a 3 way switch. I plan on the remote staying on my nightstand even if I glue it to the stand....
Reinhardt,
I wondered if they would come up with something to solve this problem. I suppose when you want to enter the room and the light was last turned off by the remote, you'd have to flip the wall switch off then back on to turn on the light?
If that's the case, it makes me wonder what happens when the power blinks in the middle of the night. Does the ceiling light turn on then? Although I suppose they could put some delay timer on the light to keep that from happening.
I wondered if they would come up with something to solve this problem. I suppose when you want to enter the room and the light was last turned off by the remote, you'd have to flip the wall switch off then back on to turn on the light?
If that's the case, it makes me wonder what happens when the power blinks in the middle of the night. Does the ceiling light turn on then? Although I suppose they could put some delay timer on the light to keep that from happening.
Reinhardt,
I'm not sure how the manufacturer laid out the fan circuit. If you can turn it on and off by the button, it's definitely not a momentary switch. From the very brief description, my thought is it's a three-way switch, which would mean one would have to have a wire with three conductors from the switch to the fan. If the remote and the wall switch were set up as three-way switches, then that would be a nice set-up. No need to hunt up the remote, and no blinding lights in the middle of the night when the power blinks.
I'm not sure how the manufacturer laid out the fan circuit. If you can turn it on and off by the button, it's definitely not a momentary switch. From the very brief description, my thought is it's a three-way switch, which would mean one would have to have a wire with three conductors from the switch to the fan. If the remote and the wall switch were set up as three-way switches, then that would be a nice set-up. No need to hunt up the remote, and no blinding lights in the middle of the night when the power blinks.
i bought the version w/o the fan control. hd carries the version w/o the fan control for $50 and doesn't carry the version with fan and light. i ran 14/3 to the switch box. white is connected to hot in ceiling fan box and switch (taped black to identify as hot). black is connected to light and other side of switch. red is connected to white in switch box and fan in ceiling. figured running it this way would leave room to add dual switch in future w/ minimal work.
got everything hooked up this afternoon and it works great! wall switch operates light, and pull chain still operates fan. and a remote so i dont have to get outta bed to shut off the light. love it.
ben
got everything hooked up this afternoon and it works great! wall switch operates light, and pull chain still operates fan. and a remote so i dont have to get outta bed to shut off the light. love it.
ben
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Grumpy365
Well-known member
I pre-wired for fan / light on individual switches and when i bought my fan it had a remote and no way to wire to individual switches
.I was / am pissed.
I HATE that dang remote!
bww_mnm
Well-known member
reinhardt, glad you got it workign.
For future, check out the Lutron. It has wall switch and a remote (IR, so need to aim it at the wall switch). both have full control of fan and light regardless of last position set by either the wall switch or remote. silly amount of settings for lights (128 setting?) and 7 for fan. It's uses a microcontroller vs a physical 3way switch.
For future, check out the Lutron. It has wall switch and a remote (IR, so need to aim it at the wall switch). both have full control of fan and light regardless of last position set by either the wall switch or remote. silly amount of settings for lights (128 setting?) and 7 for fan. It's uses a microcontroller vs a physical 3way switch.
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bmw_mnm i must be really bad at explaining myself here..... dang. i have the Lutron with IR remote. it only controls the light tho. it was half the price of the model that controls both fan and light, and also the model that controlled both was a special order thing while the light only version was on the shelf at hd. my wife and i dont fiddle with the fan setting enough to worry about having to pull the chain on the fan anyways.
ben
ben
bww_mnm
Well-known member
Ben, gotcha. The third glass of wine may have not have helped me.
I used that same switch my Home Theater too. It's great having control at both the wall and bedside remote.
- Brad
I used that same switch my Home Theater too. It's great having control at both the wall and bedside remote.
- Brad