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    Wirkinman's Avatar
    Wirkinman Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    Aug 8, 2008, 08:24 AM
    Wiring ceiling fan to wall outlet
    Hello,
    I just purchased a new SPEC home.
    The rooms have no ceiling lighting. They have a switched controlled receptical.
    I would like to install a ceiling fan with light. The fan/light combo already comes wired. So, I need to setup the wiring in each room.

    At the switch...
    I removed the switch and have a black wire coming into the bottom screw and a red wire at the top screw. I checked the wiring using a test light and the black wire is live.


    At the receptical...
    I removed the receptical and it has three wires.
    At the top (copper screws) are a black and red. Between the black and red wire, the metal tab is cut. (for switched outlet) The back wire is live. At the bottome (silver screw) is a white (neutral wire)

    In some rooms, it's easier to access the switch wiring and in others, the receptical wiring.
    I have 14/3 romex and a fan ceiling box with support arms.

    Can someone tell me the best way to wire the ceiling fan?

    Thank you in advance.

    Jes
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
    Home Improvement & Construction Expert
     
    #2

    Aug 8, 2008, 01:17 PM
    Are there any other wires in the switch box. Black and red only not logical. Black and white yes but black and red not logical unless the wiring is done in conduit.
    Wirkinman's Avatar
    Wirkinman Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Aug 8, 2008, 01:41 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by hkstroud
    Are there any other wires in the switch box. Black and red only not logical. Black and white yes but black and red not logical unless the wiring is done in conduit.
    There are no other wires in the switch box. When I move the switch to the on position, I notice that the receptical comes live at the red wire.

    I'd like the switch to operate the light and the fan to operate by pull switch. So, I thought the best way to accomplish this it to run a 14-3 romex. Connect the red wire at the receptical to the light wire of the fan. Considering there are a few hot (black) wires connected by wire nut in the box already, I thought I would connect the fan to these wires and the neutral wire to the neutral wires that are in the box. They too are attached to a wire nut.

    Would this be OK?

    Jes
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
    Home Improvement & Construction Expert
     
    #4

    Aug 8, 2008, 02:03 PM
    That would be correct. Just looking to see if you had a neutral in switch box since that would be probably be easier to get 14/4 cable down the wall too. How do you have a red and black at the switch, is wire in conduit, did someone paint white wire red. The two wires are in a sheathing of some kind or in conduit aren't they? The circuit is a 15 amp circuit isn't it.
    ceilingfanrepair's Avatar
    ceilingfanrepair Posts: 5,733, Reputation: 109
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    #5

    Aug 8, 2008, 02:17 PM
    Depending on the OP's location, the home could be wired in EMT, in which case they may only run a black and red.

    The switch box, is it metal with conduit feeding it, or plastic with romex feeding it?

    In any case, everything above looks good.
    Wirkinman's Avatar
    Wirkinman Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #6

    Aug 8, 2008, 07:05 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by hkstroud
    That would be correct. Just looking to see if you had a neutral in switch box since that would be probably be easier to get 14/4 cable down the wall too. How do you have a red and black at the switch, is wire in conduit, did someone paint white wire red. The two wires are in a sheathing of some kind or in conduit arn't they? The circuit is a 15 amp circuit isn't it.
    Harold,

    First off, I would like to say thank you for your time and patients.

    The wires all have some sort of white paint. I don't believe it was for correcting the color to what the wire should be. Rather, paint overspray.

    All the wires are a romex type wire. No conduit.
    As for the black and red wires at the switch, that's what's there. I'm trying to make sense of it all as well as you are.

    Just want to go over my plan one more time.
    The black wire at the switch has power. When the switch is on, the red wire is energized and leads to the red wire at the receptacal. I want to connect the red wire at the receptical to the light wire of the fan. In the same receptical box are black wire joined by a wire nut and white wires joined by a wire nut. I want the connect the fan wire to the black wires for direct, unswitched power. This will be controlled by the fans pull switch. The neutral wire of the fan will connect to the neutral wires that are already joined by a wire nut and the receptacle.

    Thank you in advance.

    Jes
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
    Home Improvement & Construction Expert
     
    #7

    Aug 8, 2008, 07:59 PM
    That is all correct. Assuming that the circuit is 15 amp. If circuit is 20 amp use 12-3 wire. I would also replace the outlet just to eliminate confusion for someone else later.

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