My husband and I installed 2 new ceiling fans on a screened in porch, both with light kits, that run off a single light switch. (We previously had 2 flush mount lights). We've installed ceiling fans before, so I'm pretty confident with the wiring connections and are wondering why nothing is working. We've check the breaker, turned the wall switch on and pulled both the fan and light chains to no avail.
Would love some advice!

Thanks,
Susan

Do you detect any current at your wire connections at the ceiling? You probably had white and black with a ground coming to the ceiling box. Your fan should connect its black and its blue to the ceiling black, White to white and ground to ground, when you through the switch both lights and both fans will turn on. I don't see why you would want this arrangement but this is what you ask. You may want to consider installing some remotes controls so that you can turn on the lights or fan separately, you don't have enough wires coming to the box to do this by switches.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

Do you detect any current at your wire connections at the ceiling? You probably had white and black with a ground coming to the ceiling box. Your fan should connect its black and its blue to the ceiling black, White to white and ground to ground, when you through the switch both lights and both fans will turn on. I don't see why you would want this arrangement but this is what you ask. You may want to consider installing some remotes controls so that you can turn on the lights or fan separately, you don't have enough wires coming to the box to do this by switches.

---

I don't have a voltage meter, but assume everything is working fine as the flush mount lights we removed would light. We made the wiring connections exacly as you mention them. We don't have much choice with the one switch arrangement - that is how it was wired and we are fine with using the pull chains. Still - the fan and lights are not working.

Meters are not expensive and you can get away with a very simple voltage tester for about $6. You need to confirm power is reaching the fixture and if not is there power reaching the switch. That is a must before we can do anything else. If you have an old lamp that is ready for the heap you could cut the plug off and strip about 1/2" of wire on the cord. Twist and or solder the stripped wire ends. Using the two stripped wires you can test for current, not like we would do it but it would tell you if there is juice.

I agree with the above posts.

The fans should be wired the same way the lights were wired, with the black and blues wires to the ceiling black, and white to white. If the lights were working, it's possible you disconnected some other wire when you removed the lights.

What all wires were in the light boxes when you took the lights down?

You probably flicked the breaker off when you were removing the lights. Do want to sound too basic but did you check to insure the breaker is back on?

Yes, the breaker is back on. We even turned it off then on again, just to see, if that would work. I suspect, one of the wires in the ceiling has been pulled loose and needs to be repaired. That is a little bit out of my area of expertise, so we have an electrican coming tomorrow. Thanks for your help.
Susan

Calling in a pro is always an option if you feel you are on thin ice. However, since you folks installed these fans I think you are capable of doing a few more checks before picking up the phone. It is likely that your husband made one bad or loose connection in the box. It takes 2 minutes to open and reclose the wrire nuts.