View Full Version : Ceiling light/fan
ejbwilson
Oct 19, 2009, 06:35 PM
If you leave wall light switch on but ceiling fan and ceiling light are off, is electricity running up the bill?
WallyHelps
Oct 20, 2009, 04:34 AM
No. The only time you will use electricity is when the fan or light switch is on (along with the wall switch).
Technically, if you have a remote controlled fan/light, you would use a very, very insignificant amount of electricity even if the fan and light are off (assuming the wall switch is on). But this is very small and I would doubt you would be able to tell any difference in your electric bill.
Hope this helps,
WallyH
horndoctor
Oct 20, 2009, 06:50 AM
I live in older condo unit & trying to wire a bathroom ceiling fan/light.. wires in the new fan are black/black, green/green & white/white but the power source has black,white & RED.. Where does the red lead go?
horndoctor
Oct 20, 2009, 06:54 AM
I am wiring a new BR fan/light to older wiring & the wires in old source are black,white & red but the new unit are 2 black, 2 white & 2 green.. Does the green wire go to black power or to the red?
WallyHelps
Oct 20, 2009, 01:08 PM
I live in older condo unit & trying to wire a bathroom ceiling fan/light.. wires in the new fan are black/black, green/green & white/white but the power source has black,white & RED..Where does the red lead go??
Green always goes to green. White always goes to white.
The reason the wire in the ceiling has a red conductor is almost certainly so that you can have two circuits--one controlled by one switch and one controlled by a second switch. This allows you to have a separate switch for the fan and the light. If you have a voltmeter or test light, you should test this by testing across the ceiling white and ceiling black and looking for power when a switch is turned on. Then test across the ceiling white and ceiling red and verifying the first switch does nothing, but the other switch applies power. If it does not act like this, do not proceed with the steps below.
Am I correct in assuming that you have 2 wall switches (one fan, one light) and that your new fan has 2 blacks, 2 greens, and 2 whites? If so:
Turn the power off at the circuit breaker.
Hook ALL the whites together. (Fan and ceiling)
Hook ALL the greens together and to a ground wire (probably a bare copper wire) or to a screw in the ceiling box.
Hook one black wire from the fan to the black wire from the ceiling.
Hook the other black wire from the fan to the red wire from the ceiling.
Turn the power on at the circuit breaker.
Enjoy your new light and fan.
Most important of all is to be careful.
WallyH