PDA

View Full Version : Please Help with Installing a Ceiling fan.


earhlr
May 24, 2013, 05:51 PM
I know to many of you this may be simple but I'm at my wits end with trial and error and still getting it wrong. Any help will be seriously appreciated.

I am trying to connect a ceiling fan to the ceiling (LOL) the wall has two switches, and I would like to connect one switch for light and one for fan, but I don't know what is what.

The fan has a Solid Black wire, a solid white wire, a black and white wire and then a green wire (from the base of fan not in wire bundle with the others)

The ceiling has a naked wire (no plastic/rubber coating), as solid white and a solid black wire all coming from the wire bundle in the ceiling and then a solid green wire on the bracket on the ceiling.

So my question is what combination means what and what color wire means what. I have tried a few combinations and I can get the light and fan to work but from only one light switch so I have to pull the cords to turn one off or on. I would like to just use wall switches, and then use cords if necessary to control fan speed.

Thank you for any assistance you can provide. I'm a total amateur electrician. I'm just a simple Airborne Infantryman by trade. Basically better at destroying stuff than putting stuff together. LOL.

Kyle_in_rure
May 24, 2013, 06:06 PM
Are you positive your second wall Switch serves this ceiling fixture? Sounds to me like only one switch controls this box. Out of the ceiling the wires are as follows:
-black: hot from switch
-white: neutral
-green/bare: ground wires
Out of the fan:
-black; fan hot
-striped: light hot
-white: neutral
-green: ground

You would need another wire (usually red) coming from the ceiling to control the fan and light separately.

ma0641
May 24, 2013, 09:40 PM
If there are 2 switches do they say on and off or are they blank

stanfortyman
May 25, 2013, 06:02 AM
OK, if you only have black, white and ground at the ceiling you cannot do what you want.
What you are describing is a 3-way switching setup, where both switches (in different locations) work the same light.

Your only choices are to re-wire the whole thing, add a remote to the fan/light, or leave it so that the switches turn on both the fan and light and you use the pull chains to control them.

Kyle_in_rure
May 25, 2013, 07:16 AM
They also make wireless switches now. I don't ln

Kyle_in_rure
May 25, 2013, 07:18 AM
They also make wireless switches now. I don't know if they would fit this application, but you could Always research it.