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iwmtv · Dec 7, 2007, 12:30 AM

I live in an old house and wanted to do some changes to the bathroom. I recently decided to move the light from the ceiling to the wall and add an exhaust fan. My ceiling is exposed (pic added).

Should BX 2 wire be used? The exhaust fan has a light as well, should I wire the light separately and add a switch to the wall or just clump all the wires together so the fan and light go on whenever the switch is flipped.

Last but not least, what to do with what is now a junction box on the ceiling? I can't sheetrock over it, right? Just leave a cutout in the sheetrock and put a metal plate over it on the ceiling? Any ideas here?

iwmtv · Dec 7, 2007, 12:35 AM

Hmmm, is there anyway for me to extend the original wire that's delivering power to the bathroom so that I can install the junction box on the wall where the new light will be? And from this same junction box wire the exhaust fan and electrical gfci outlet?

Or should I just leave these 'old' original wires alone?

ballengerb1 · Dec 7, 2007, 10:31 AM

I got a little nervous when I looked at your picture. Your "main power" is very old and needs the attention of an electrician. Try sending this to Tkrussel for his opinion, he is listed as the electrical expert. If you continue with your plan I would add a duble switch to control the fan and light separately but this will require a extra wire in your switch loop.

tkrussell · Dec 7, 2007, 01:30 PM

If you want the light to be controlled separately from the fan, a three wire will be needed from the fan to a double swithc, as Ballenger suggested.

Having the fan and light on at the same time is not the worst thing, but up to you.

The Main power is a bit funky. I see BX up above, I cannot make out what the black blob is. I do see open wires from the blob to the ceiling outlet box. Those wires should be in a cable, not open like that.

Why do I see lath above the joists? Never saw that before. What is above this ceiling? Is there an attic you can mount a junction box?

Any junction box needs to be accessible. So if you leave the old light box as a junction box, the opening will need to be flush with the finish, and a plate used to cover the wires and splices.

Is this in a home? I notice the wood frame construction is not standard to today's construction. That is another issue, I suppose.

iwmtv · Dec 7, 2007, 02:00 PM

Thank you ballengerb1 for your advice and thank you tkrussel for reading my post.

The camera image has flattened the actual space. There's probably at least two feet of space between where the main power enters (lath/black blob) and the wood frame for the ceiling.

The house is old (+30) which may explain the lath. It's the first floor of a three story attached house in brooklyn, ny. Right above is the bathroom for the second floor apartment. I've another closeup of the black blob and it looks like there's AC cable behind the lath. Perhaps that use to be the original ceiling and it's been lowered since? The house does have high ceilings (+9ft).

Possible to extend the wire (put AC around it and) to junction box where the new light is?

ballengerb1 · Dec 7, 2007, 04:22 PM

Kevin, I think we are looking at a wall section rather than a ceiling that's why there is lath. The exhaust fan is mounted on the wall and not in the ceiling as usual. I also believe that the poster may be off on the age of the home. The materials look more like 70+ years rather than 30+. just a hunch.

iwmtv · Dec 7, 2007, 04:46 PM

It's definitely the ceiling. I assure you. I added the exhaust fan to the ceiling frame.
The house had burned down and was rebuilt some 30 years ago from
What I understand. Here's a pic of the entire ceiling.

tkrussell · Dec 7, 2007, 04:50 PM

OK A high ceiling, had not thought of that. Very plausible.

Best I can offer is to pull back the feeder BX cable above, I believe, to a point that the cable, and any cable, can be accessible at a junction box, then continue onto wire the outlets, light, and fan.

They do make large round white finished cover plates, they are very inconspicuous.

iwmtv · Dec 7, 2007, 05:43 PM

In that case perhaps I will leave the junction box there then and get a nice white finishing plate.

Considering there will be four lines connected in the junction box (light, gfci outlet, fan, fan light), what size/type box would you recommend (current one is quite small) and would 10-2 BX cable be an OK choice for all the wiring?

tkrussell · Dec 7, 2007, 07:27 PM

Why 10-2? The most you need is #12. #10 needs more room, and is difficult to form in a small box.

You can use a 4" square box with a 1/2" raised 3" round mud ring to add box volume.

Or an extra deep 4" round box.

Cobraguy · Dec 8, 2007, 06:10 AM

If I understand TK, he's saying to go back far enough to get rid of the black blob. I agree! That black blob needs to be investigated because it looks to me like someone extended the wiring to the new lower ceiling and just taped up the splices. That's incorrect and needs to be addressed.