[RustyNail007]

Hello All,

I am having a bit of a dilemma with the most recent DIY project. I installed successfully a combo ceiling fan/light in the centre of my master bedroom. Problem is that it's way too dim now. The bulb is rated 25w or 1200 lumens - not enough to provide adequate lighting in my 624 sq. ft. bedroom. The solution I would like to ask is with regards to adding 4 pot-lights. What I would like to do is add light switch and then run a wire up into the attic and then connect parallel to the pot lights.

MY QUESTION is can you get power from the existing light switches (2 already) and connect another light switch from the same source? How would the diagram look like?

Thanks for your help in advance.
Nick

[ballengerb1]

Depends, is there a neutral in the swich box, could just be a switch loop, then no.

[hkstroud]

As Bob says, it all depends. You can do what you want but how you do it depends on how the present switches are wired.

If power is being fed to the switches you can do it the way you described. Just run another 2 wire cable from the switch box to the first light. Connect neutral to neutral and connect the hot through the switch.

If power is being fed to the ceiling/fan light, run a 2-w wire cable from the fan/light location to the first light location. Run a 2-wire cable from the light location to the switch box. Connect the white of the cable to the switch to the black from the fan/light. At the switch connect the white and black to the switch. Back at the ceiling the black of the switch cable will be you switched hot which is connected to the black of the light fixture. The white of the cable from the fan/light will be the neutral and will be connected to the white of the light fixture.

Find out whether the switch is being fed or the ceiling box is being fed and I will draw a diagram for you.

[RustyNail007]

Depends, is there a neutral in the swich box, could just be a switch loop, then no.

The main power is coming from the breaker in the garage.
It's romlex wiring - White/Black/Copper.

The switch has two light switches at present - wired with a ground to the box.

[ballengerb1]

IOf you have both a black and a white coming into the switch box then you should be able to tap into a new cable to your new lights. Just wondering, have you looked ionto other light kits for your fan?

[RustyNail007]

IOf you have both a black and a white coming into the switch box then you should be able to tap into a new cable to your new lights. Just wondering, have you looked into other light kits for your fan?

I have taken a look at the ceiling fan - it's from Hunter.
They are using a T9 - circline 4-pin connector compact floro light.
I have been to Rona, Home Depot and Specialty stores to see if I can buy a higher wattage light bulb.
Currently I am using a philips circline compact floro bulb rated at 40W and 2800 lumens without the light cover on the ceiling fan.

The circumference of the light bulb is small. The philips that I currently using has a diameter of 7.5 inches - I believe the one that came with the ceiling fan must be 5 inches.

When I looked up the ceiling fan on the internet - the reviews showed that the bulb is proprietary and too low for a main light replacement.

I really liked the look of it and bought it from Costco - but it is causing more headaches. I had wanted to eventually put potlights in the master bedroom at one time - now this ceiling fan is kind of forcing my hand earlier that I had wanted to...

[ballengerb1]

Yiou said the magic word, COSTCO. Just take it back, they will give a full refund even if you can't find your receipt. Buy a fan that you like that gives more light. Liking the look is great but not if the unit fails to deliver what you need