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spyguy1913 · Aug 12, 2008, 03:10 PM

:confused: Ok here we go hopefully I get this right. I have one 3way switch , a dimmer switch, and a old fan control switch. Out of the ceiling I have a ground, white, black wires. When I hook the ceiling fan up to the wires I get nothing. Unless I ground the white wire to ground and It works. With my volt meter I read 123v that way but when I take the ground from the white wire it reads 23 to 25 volts. I NEED REAL HELP. I think this house was builded in the 60s.

donf · Aug 12, 2008, 04:23 PM

You have your line voltage in the ceiling, correct? There should be 118 to 123 between the white and black wires.

Are there multiple black wires for the ceiling?

spyguy1913 · Aug 12, 2008, 04:43 PM

I only have 3 wires in the ceiling white black and ground

Tev · Aug 12, 2008, 10:47 PM

A lot of possibilities here and a few of them are not good. Open up the switches and describe exactly what wires are attached where. And be sure the power is off before you do that please.

spyguy1913 · Aug 13, 2008, 04:04 AM

Well Let me see there is 2 sets of wires coming into the dimmer switch box. Both sets of wires are complete white, black , ground. One set wires look like its going to the old fan switch and there is 1 set of wires white, black, and ground. At the other wall switch you have 1 set of wires.

ceilingfanrepair · Aug 18, 2008, 07:54 PM

It sounds like someone used the ground as a neutral. Time to call in an electrician unless you feel comfortable tackling this.

donf · Aug 19, 2008, 08:19 AM

Are any white conductors actually connected to any of the switches?

Normally, when the switch is providing the voltage to the fan and light, the white conductor (Neutral) bypasses the switch and goes directly to the fixture.

I'm mildly concerned in that you see only two conductors and one bare ground in the ceiling outlet box. That means that you only have one only one set of conductors carrying power to the fan. You should see at least two sets of conductors. One for each switch.

Is the power in the ceiling still hot even with both switches in the off position? I need to understand where the source of the power is coming from. If the ceiling is the source than there should be two switch loops going to to the wall switches. If the source is the switches, then there should be two supply conductors one from the dimmer for the lights and one from the fan switch to power the fan.

What do you have?

spyguy1913 · Aug 19, 2008, 02:30 PM

Im going to work on this in the moring but there is no power in the ceiling with the switches off. I do have power at the dimmer switch. Have not check the other switch yet but will do that first thing in the moring.

spyguy1913 · Aug 20, 2008, 06:48 AM

The wall switch when on black and white have 122volts. Off they show 23 and there is 1 white 2 blacks on the switch. I see all the grounds look to be locked nutted together behind all the switches. The dimmer switch when on shows 123volts, when off 31 volts. The dimmer swithc has a 2 blacks and 1 red. You have coming you have black to black then white to center black and last black to red.. My friend told me this sounds like a traveling saleman. If that helps anyone?

ceilingfanrepair · Aug 22, 2008, 01:23 PM

I want to confirm something:

What was installed there originally, how was it controlled, and how many wires are in the ceiling box?

spyguy1913 · Aug 22, 2008, 05:46 PM

It was old ceiling fan with a light. There is 3 wires in the ceiling. You had 3 ways switch and a dimmer switch that ran the light. Then you have a fan control monted on the wall to ran the fan. I will send you pic of the fan when I get this fixed.

hkstroud · Aug 22, 2008, 06:47 PM

Apparently you have a regular 3-way toggle switch, a 3-way dimmer switch and a fan speed control switch. The dimmer switch and the fan control switch are in a 2-gang box at one location and the 3-way toggle switch is at another location.

A wire is a single wire, a cable is two or more wires in an outer covering called a sheathing.

I assume you have a knob type dimmer switch, these turn counter clockwise to dim. Some are turned off by turning counter clockwise until a click occurs. Some are turned off and on by pushing in. I also assume that you had voltage on the dimmer switch because you did not have it turned off. Just turned to dim.

You said you have a white wire and black wires (plural) in the ceiling box. You said you have a white wire and two black wires connected to the 3-way toggle switch. You called this one set of wires.

How many wires are in the ceiling box and are they all in one cable, how many wires are in the 3-way toggle switch box and are they all in one cable. You will probably have to remove the switch from the box, not disconnect the switch, to see the sheathing which should extend into the box.

How many cables are in the 2 gang box that has the fan switch and the dimmer switch and are they 2-wire cables or 3-wire cables, what color are wires in the cables. There must be at least 3 cables.

Have you changed any wiring in the switch boxes?

I believe I know how you are wired but need this info to confirm.

ceilingfanrepair · Aug 22, 2008, 10:16 PM

I ditto the previous question. Exactly what wires are/were in the ceiling box?

spyguy1913 · Aug 23, 2008, 04:01 AM

It was a ceilinng fan there. With 3 wires out of the ceiling. 1 one switch and dimmer switch for light. The fan motor had a wall mounted conrol.

hkstroud · Aug 23, 2008, 06:08 AM

Question No. 1

How many cables in the ceiling box and are all of the wires in the cable or is one of the wire not in the cable?

spyguy1913 · Aug 24, 2008, 01:24 PM

There is only 3 wires coming out for the ceiling a white a black and ground. That is all one big cable.

hkstroud · Aug 24, 2008, 05:55 PM

You cannot make this work unless you use the ground as a neutral. You can make the switch turn the light and the fan on and off, then use the pull chains. The switch will have to be on for either to work, and you cannot use the dimmer switch and you cannot use the fan control switch. If you run the power to the fan through the dimmer switch you will ruin the fan motor. You can use the ground wire as a neutral but that would be a code violation.
You need a 3-wire cable from the switch box to the ceiling box in order to make them operate independently. Can you do that? What's above the ceiling. If there is attic space you should be able to run a new cable.

ceilingfanrepair · Aug 25, 2008, 03:37 PM

Right, it was previously wired incorrectly. If you want separate fan and light control from the wall, as it was before, you will have to run more wires from the wall controls to the ceiling box. Or call an electrician to do it.

The new fan you are installing, is it a remote fan? How many wires does it have?