View Full Version : Ceiling fan wiring
kelseamom
Dec 5, 2010, 01:50 PM
Help... have a Hampton bay ceiling fan which we cannot seem to correctly wire. From the ceiling are green(ground), red, white and black wires. From the fixture are blue, black and white wires. We are using the wall switches to operate the fan and lights both on a separte switch. Please tell me what wires to connect together so the fan and lights works. Thank you
ma0641
Dec 5, 2010, 04:34 PM
Ceiling ground goes to ground wire, usually on the bracket frame. Black wire goes to black, blue wire goes to red, white to white. Should work. Assuming there is no remote.
donf
Dec 5, 2010, 06:05 PM
That won't work because you are using wall switches.
Given that you have two wall switches we need to establish which cable is the constant hot cable and which cables go to the switches.
Please invest in a multi-meter.
Set the meter to any voltage above 120 AC. Connect the black probe to a white conductor. If you get 120 AC, then that is the supply cable. Mark it.
Next, take one of the other white conductors and place the black probe from the meter on it. Set the meter to Ohms. Connect the red probe to the black wire in the same cable. Now, have someone turn one of the switches off and on and see if the meter shows it opening and closing. If nothing happens, move the meter leads to the last cable and re-do the same test.
Once you know which switch is for the fan and the light, then we can start the reconnecting.
Begin by turning the breaker for the fan circuit.
Make a pigtail connection. Connect the two white switch leads to the black supply conductor. Next, connect the black wire from the switch to the black wire on the fan. The other black wire would go to the blue wire for the lights.
When you are finished, the take some black tape or a sharpie and cover the two white wires that are joined to the supply black and color or tape them black.
ma0641
Dec 6, 2010, 07:39 AM
Won't work because of wall switches? 14/3 with a switch controlled hot black and red works well. Every room in my house has a light and fan combo controlled that way.
donf
Dec 6, 2010, 09:48 AM
There are two ways to feed a switch. One is the switch loop which interrupts the source feed and redirects it to the wall switch and then returns it to the fixture.
The second method, brings a feed cable to the switch. The Black on the feed is interrupted by the switch and then is carried to the fixture. I suspect that you have the second form installed I your home.
I just reread the original post and saw the "Red" conductor listed. I have no idea why I missed that.
You would be correct if a 14/2 cable is fed to the outlet and then pigtailed to each switch, then a 14/3 cable is routed to the fixture.
ma0641
Dec 6, 2010, 04:08 PM
I thought maybe I missed something. Lets see what happens, Brian ma0641