Wiring a ceiling fan to a single switch that operates a hot outlet
I am attempting to install some ceiling fans and have run into a wall with the wiring. I am not an electrician, obviously, but am a builder and very handy and have wired for renovations before - but this one has me stumped.
I have a single switch that operates a hot outlet in the wall, currently running a lamp. The switch only has a single black and a single white wire connecting to the switch terminals, and a ground. That's it.
I was trying to connect the fan and light and have the fan hot all the time but the light operated by the switch, and purchased/installed 14/3 cable to do so.
I connected the fan black/black, red/blue, white/white, ground/ground. When this wasn't working, I skipped the red in the cable and just went black/black/blue, white/white, and grounds. I'm not even worrying about the fan light at this point.
I have tried every conceivable configuration for wiring the switch to the cable connecting to the fan and can get power to the fan but here's the problems:
-When I turn on the switch, the lamp at the outlet and the fan turn on.
-If I turn off the switch, both turn off.
-If I turn on the switch, but unplug the lamp from the wall, the fan turns off. This happens if I put anything in the wall outlet without an on/off switch (actually I haven't found anything other than a lamp that will let the fan run).
-If I have the lamp and the fan on, and then pull the chain for the fan speed, the lamp dims or turns off.
-If I turn the lamp off, the fan turns off.
-If I unscrew the bulbs to have the lamp on but not emitting light at night, the fan turns off.
Also, the fan is only operating at low speed.
In the switch, I currently have the black from the wall in the bottom of the switch, the black to the fan in the upper switch, and the whites pigtailed. That was really just the last configuration I tried before stopping for the night.
I have also tried the whites pigtailed together and then to the bottom terminal, the blacks pigtailed and into the top. I have tried just about every possible configuration and they all had similar or worse results.
PLEASE help me before this fan drives me insane!