View Full Version : Wiring a ceiling fan with light to a switch
hometeamjoe
Apr 10, 2008, 06:40 PM
I am replacing an existing chandelier with a light and ceiling fan. I clipped all of the wires leaving me blind in regard to the old wiring. From the ceiling, I have 3 blacks, 3 whites, and 3 ground. Coming from the fan I have a black, blue, white and ground. In the ceiling there is one hot black, and the others are not, I'm assuming that one of the wires goes to the switch, and the other goes to the porch light. How would I tie all of these wires together so that only the fan goes on/off by the switch. Thanks, Joe
Credendovidis
Apr 10, 2008, 07:25 PM
How would I tie all of these wires together so that only the fan goes on/off by the switch. Thanks, Joe
Hello Joe,
I assume you mean with "that the fan goes on/off by the switch" that the switch controls the light of the fan only.
Start opening the light switch and check what wires are connected to that switch.
The fan requires a hot wire for the fan action, a switched (hot) wire for the light function, a neutral for both uses, and a ground (if available) for safety.
Neutral wire is white (interconnect all white wires)
Ground wire is green or bare (interconnect all green /bare wires).
The hot wire is black.
A switched hot wire may also be black (see the switch wiring) : the switch should be connected to the hot wire and to the light of the fan.
See the fan wiring details for the function of the blue (light?) and black (fan?) wires.
Note : besides the hot black and the switched black from the switch, the other blacks in the ceiling are most probably interconnected to other uses (wall outlets?), so wire them to the hot wire.
Success!
As always : if you require more info, please let me know. If this solves your problem, please rate the answer provided! Feed back is always appreciated!
;)
hkstroud
Apr 10, 2008, 09:46 PM
With the wall switch off, connect the hot black to one of the other blacks, connect the white of the cable that has the hot black to the white of that same cable. See if the porch light works. If it does you have identified the porch light wiring. The other cable would go to the switch. Connect the hot black, the porch black,the white going to the switch and the fan light hot (black or blue) together. Connect the fan hot (black or blue) to the switch black. Connect the other two whites together with the white of the fan/light. The switch will now control the fan and the pull chain will control the light. Most often the reverse is done, with the switch controlling the light and the pull chain controlling the fan.
ceilingfanrepair
Apr 11, 2008, 02:52 PM
Let me ask you a question. How many switches operated the chandelier, and were any other lights/etc on that switch?
Clipping all the wires was a bad idea.
donf
Apr 11, 2008, 05:43 PM
Just to add a little more confusion.
Fact: SWITCHES are designed to only carry Power/Voltage. They never carry a Return Neutral.
1) Cap off the black feed wire for your safety or open the circuit breaker.
2) With an OHM meter or a "CONTINUITY Tester" have someone turn the "Chandelier"' switch OFF. At the ceiling junction box, clip the 'WHITE" lead from the wall switch to BLACK from the Meter or the alligator clip from the continuity tester. Red from the meter to the Probe from the Continuity tester to the Black from the wall switch. If the light on the Continuity tester glows or the meter jumps to 0 (zero) Ohms, then you have the correct pair. Do not connect the Black wire from the wall yet.
Connect the Fan's Black and Blue wires to the White wire coming from the wall switch. Again, leave the black wire alone for the moment.
Now lets concentrate on the on the porch set of wires. That set should have a Black wire going to the switch. And a White wire from the switch to the porch fixture. The White wire that is returned to the ceiling should be the Neutral Return and it will not have a band of black or white tape on it from the the porch fixture, not part of the switch circuit. If it does have black tape on it then we do not have the wiring correct.
If we've got it correct, you should have the white from the fan, the white from the porch and the white from the feed or supply twisted together and capped with a wire nut.
NOW MAKE SURE THE BREAKER IS TURNED OFF!!!
Uncap the feed Black wire, twist and cap the three wires together.
Turn the breaker back on. The wall switch for the fan should turn both the light and fan on at the same time. And the porch light should work from it's switch. You will have to work the fan speed by way of a chain switch on the fan.
Absolutely do not use a light dimmer switch to control the fan and light. That is a code violation as well as a nasty fire hazard. Motors should not be on a light's Dimmer Switch. If that's your plan stop now.
In order for the fan and lights to work independent of each other you must use two separate switches. That would mean pulling two conductors from the ceiling box to the wall opening. Removing the single gang box and replacing it with at least a double gang box and installing a light dimming switch and a "Fan Control Switch".