I am helping my dad remodel their house and he has bought new ceiling fans to go in the upstairs bedrooms. We took the old fan down and here is what we found:

I have a black wire, white wire, and a blue wire. I connected the black - black, white - white, and blue-blue (from the fan into the existing ceiling wiring). The fan works and the light above the desk works, but the ceiling fan light does not. Previously the switch operated the fan light and the desk light and the pull chain operated the fan. What have I hooked up wrong. There is no green ground either and I haven't seen that before. I am merely a weekend electrician trying to do a good deed...

You have a blue wire from the ceiling?

XenoSapien

You have a blue wire from the ceiling?

XenoSapien

Yes. As I said when we took the old fan down that is what is showing. I don't know what is above in the junction box. But, yes, there is a blue pig-tail coming from the box. 1 black, 1 blue, and 1 white. It has me stumped. I used my tester and got 120V on the blue wire with the switch on and nothing off. The black has 120 all the time no matter whether switch is off or on.

Anybody got any ideas? I am lost and losing patience by the minute. Not to mention my stock with my dad is dropping dramatically since I cannot figure it out.

Wow, that's odd. Hmmmm; OK, try this: Cap off the blue wire from the ceiling and connect the blue wire from the fan to the black from the ceiling. I'll stick around, so tell me what it does now.

XenoSapien

Okay, let me kill the power and try it all again. Thanks stand by.

Wow, that's odd. Hmmmm; ok, try this: Cap off the blue wire from the ceiling and connect the blue wire from the fan to the black from the ceiling. I'll stick around, so tell me what it does now.

XenoSapien


Okay, now fan light is on all the time. Fan works. Light over the desk works according to switch position on/off. Fan light will not go out.

This is a tough one. It's hard knowing that you have a black, a white, and a blue wire coming off the ceiling. I'm thinking that you were OK with blue to blue because it worked with the switch. Have you looked at the switch, and seen the wires attatched to it?

XenoSapien

This is a tough one. It's hard knowing that you have a black, a white, and a blue wire coming off the ceiling. I'm thinking that you were ok with blue to blue because it worked with the switch. Have you looked at the switch, and seen the wires attatched to it?

XenoSapien

Yes. A black and a white at the switch. And I was at the fire station working when Dad took the old fan down so I do not know what was hooked up where on it.

Yes. A black and a white at the switch. And I was at the fire station working when Dad took the old fan down so I do not know what was hooked up where on it.

Is there anything else I can try or do I just need to get an electrician to come and bail us out?

I guess usually if there is a third wire, it's red. Wow, you've got a toughie. He didn't say anything about the blue? I guess it's possible that there is a splice somewhere where someone converted the red to blue along the line, but if you're getting power from the blue, there has to be a source where it is getting power...

XenoSapien

I guess usually if there is a third wire, it's red. Wow, you've got a toughie. He didn't say anything about the blue? I guess it's possible that there is a splice somewhere where someone converted the red to blue along the line, but if you're getting power from the blue, there has to be a source where it is getting power...

XenoSapien


Thanks for the help I guess I will just hook it back up blue-blue, black-black, white-white. And call someone to come and look at it. That is about all I guess I can do.
I can see up in the box now if you want me to tell you what is hooked up to what. I do not know if that would even help though.

If you can hook up everything like your post at 11:11, all you need to do is, hook blue to black, and black to blue. Even though you said blue was switched.
I think black is from switch and on to closet.

Is there anything else I can try or do I just need to get an electrician to come and bail us out?
I wish I could see it for myself, but electricians are expensive. Call a chum who know something about wiring/electrics. I really wanted to help and walk you through it, but without seeing it myself, I've gone as far as I can go. Good luck...

XenoSapien

Thanks for the help I guess I will just hook it back up blue-blue, black-black, white-white. and call someone to come and look at it. That is about all I guess I can do.
I can see up in the box now if you want me to tell you what is hooked up to what. I do not know if that would even help though.

Did it work when you hooked it back up this way?

When you measured 120vAC on the blue wire, what was the other lead on your tester connected to?

Ceiling fan installation - Ceiling Fans N More (http://www.ceiling-fans-n-more.com/ceiling-fan-installation.php)

I believe I have a clear picture of the problem, the black and white power fan, controlled by pull chain...
The desk light and fan light get power from switch (red wire runs power to desk light -----> from there a blue wire runs power to fan light) which may be switched off by a pull chain...
Tie two blue wires and check for power at ceiling light ( white and blue should have power when switch is on...

If I have helped --- please respond