Ask Me Help Desk - 14/3 ceiling fan w/1 switch end of run

I have a switch box with power coming from an outlet. I had 14/2 running to a fan without a light. I replaced the fan with a new fan with a light kit. I replaced the 14/2 wire with 14/3 wire from fixture to switch box so I could control the light and fan from one switch. I cannot get the switch to power the fan or light. In the switch box I have white neutral to white from fan, hot black to switch black, black from fan to switch red and red from light to switch yellow and three ground wires together.

At the fixture I have black to black, white to white, red to red and ground to ground.

What am I doing wrong?

Have you used a volt meter to find where the power starts/stops?

Ross,

Welcome. I need to get some information from you, please.

When you took down the original fan, were there six conductors in the ceiling.

(Black/White/Copper) for the supply to the fan?

There should also have been a black/white/copper from the fixture to the switch for the light.

Was that what you found?

1) Why and where did you run the three wire, the supply side or the switch side?

2) Are you planning to power both the fan and light package fro m the switch? Then you would have t use the pull chain on the fan to control the speed of the fan.

3) Normally, you leave the fan hot all the time and just use the pull chain to control the speed. Only the light would work off the switch.

4) Regardless of the way you want to set the switch up, you would only need a black/white and copper wire from the fixture to the switch.

You would only need a three wire Black/Red/White/Copper if you were to use two switches (one for the light and one for the fan)

Right now, it appears that you have not connected your switch loop properly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by donf

Ross,

Welcome. I need to get some information from you, please.

When you took down the original fan, were there six conductors in the ceiling.

(Black/White/Copper) for the supply to the fan?

There should also have been a black/white/copper from the fixture to the switch for the light.

Was that what you found?

1) Why and where did you run the three wire, the supply side or the switch side?

2) Are you planning to power both the fan and light package fro m the switch? Then you would have t use the pull chain on the fan to control the speed of the fan.

3) Normally, you leave the fan hot all the time and just use the pull chain to control the speed. Only the light would work off of the switch.

4) Regardless of the way you want to set the switch up, you would only need a black/white and copper wire from the fixture to the switch.

You would only need a three wire Black/Red/White/Copper if you were to use two switches (one for the light and one for the fan)

Right now, it appears that you have not connected your switch loop properly.

Thanks for your reply.

Previously the wire running from the fan to the old switch was a 14/2- Black, White, Ground. I replaced it with a 14/3 so I could run the fan/light with a new combo switch. The wire coming into the switch box from the outlet is a 14/2. The new switch has separate toggles for the light and the fan. It has 4 wires: black, red, yellow and green. The instructions for the switch say to connect the following: black switch to black hot, red switch to fan black, yellow switch to red from fixture, and green to green. Nothing works so which wire do I have to change?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr1757

Have you used a volt meter to find where the power starts/stops?

I have not but the only wires coming into the box are from the fixture and from an outlet below the switch box. I went into the attic and replaced the 14/2 wire from the fan to the switch box with a 14/3. I replaced the switch with a combo light/fan switch to control both.

There is nothing else at the end of the circuit.

The old fan didn't have a light and was controlled by a single dial.

Okay,

You said your switch is being fed by an outlet below the switch outlet? Is that correct?

If it is, then you do not have a switch loop.

The Black/White/Ground from the receptacle provides power to the switch and the neutral for the fan.

We need to know where the feed for the switch goes.

What is the make and model of the multiple switch assembly you have or their website. If I can find it on the web they may have the specifications and installations instructions for me to read.

Quote:

Originally Posted by donf

Okay,

You said your switch is being fed by an outlet below the switch outlet? Is that correct?

If it is, then you do not have a switch loop.

The Black/White/Ground from the receptacle provides power to the switch and the neutral for the fan.

We need to know where the feed for the switch goes.

What is the make and model of the multiple switch assembly you have or their website. If I can find it on the web they may have the specifications and installations instructions for me to read.

Yes switch is being fed by outlet below.

Here is the website for the switch:
http://www.lutron.com/TechnicalDocum...ry/033039c.pdf

Thanks for your help.

Ross,

Okay we got the idea now.

The black going to the switch from the receptacle will connect to the switch's black.

White from the receptacle will connect to the white on the 3 wire you just installed. At the fan, this white will connect to the white on the fan.

Red on the switch will connect the red on the three wire. The red will connect to the black wire on the fan. The fan's black conductor normally controls the fan.

The Yellow on the switch will connect to the Black in the 3 wire cable. At the fan, this black will connect to the Blue on the fan. Blue is normally used to control the light.

The bare grounds will connect together as always. At the switch, the green wire will connect to the bare copper wire.

Does the outlet work at the present time?

Quote:

Originally Posted by donf

Ross,

Okay we got the idea now.

The black going to the switch from the receptacle will connect to the switch's black.

White from the receptacle will connect to the white on the 3 wire you just installed. At the fan, this white will connect to the white on the fan.

Red on the switch will connect the red on the three wire. The red will connect to the black wire on the fan. The fan's black conductor normally controls the fan.

The Yellow on the switch will connect to the Black in the 3 wire cable. At the fan, this black will connect to the Blue on the fan. Blue is normally used to control the light.

The bare grounds will connect together as always. At the switch, the green wire will connect to the bare copper wire.

This is essentially how I have it hooked up now except the red and black are switched on the 3 wire. I'm wondering if this will change anything? Currently Red on the 3 wire connects to the blue on the fan and the yellow on the switch. The Black on the 3 wire connects to the black on the fan and the red on the switch.