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connermsteacy · Aug 4, 2009, 08:47 AM

3 black wires are twisted together and connected to the blue and black on the old ceiling fan. The one white is connected to the one white on the fan. Have tried connecting these wires many different ways for a new remote controlled fan but no luck . This is a very old house with old wiring (I have seen no signs of knob and tube) and all the wires have a fabric covering. I have installed three new ceiling fans in other rooms with no problems. All of the others had only 3 wires in the light box so with trial and error I could figure out which wire was hot and which ground or neutral. This box seems to complete other circuits because now that the wires are disconnected other lights and outlets in rooms on the same floor don't work.

hkstroud · Aug 4, 2009, 11:27 AM

Is there a wall switch involved here?

connermsteacy · Aug 4, 2009, 12:38 PM

No, the original is controlled by pull cords and the new fans are remote only, no switches.

Stratmando · Aug 4, 2009, 02:37 PM

Leave the 3 blacks tied together and connect to fan hot, connect fan white to box white, Turn breaker off first as there is no switch. If fan doesn't work, it is at the fan, verify codes match.

connermsteacy · Aug 4, 2009, 03:23 PM

Thanks, that sounds good. One more question. Where do I put the green ground wire that's attached to the ceiling fan mount? There doesn't seem to be a ground from the electrical box in the ceiling.

Stratmando · Aug 4, 2009, 03:26 PM

If its metal, attach a wire from box and attach to the wire(s)(box, source and load grounds).
With plastic, don't attach.

connermsteacy · Aug 4, 2009, 04:16 PM

Both the box and the ceiling fan mount are metal. I twisted the three black wires together with the black wire from the remote receiver and attached the green ground by a metal screw to the light box. Checked the codes on the remote and the remote receiver, both are the same. Still nothing.

Stratmando · Aug 4, 2009, 04:46 PM

Is Breaker back on? You need to determine Fan or power problem.
If power is at fan canopy then the fan/remote is the problem.

connermsteacy · Aug 4, 2009, 05:15 PM

The breaker is on . I tried switching the codes on another remote to the codes on the fan I am trying to install. Still the same. Curious though, I still have no power in one outlet in this room and one more outlet in another room on the same floor. These were the same ones I mentioned in my first post. If the fan is defective shouldn't these outlets still work? I still have two new fans in the box if you think switching one with the possibly defective one might work.

hkstroud · Aug 4, 2009, 05:52 PM

Pull those outlets. See if they are wired using the quick connect holes in back of the outlet. If so, remove and put under screws. If quick connect holes used and this does not restore power, go to working outlets that might be ahead of the nonworking outlets and do the same thing.

connermsteacy · Aug 4, 2009, 07:37 PM

I'll have to try this tomorrow. Thanks very much.

Stratmando · Aug 4, 2009, 07:53 PM

You did keep the 3 blacks together?

connermsteacy · Aug 5, 2009, 05:13 AM

The three blacks are definitely tied together. The outlets in question are the old style with no polarized holes and no third ground hole. Note: all these outlets were working fine with the old fan hooked up

Stratmando · Aug 5, 2009, 05:15 AM

If you only did work in that box, I would suspect 1 of the 3 wires broke off, may have been nicked during original installation.

connermsteacy · Aug 5, 2009, 06:32 AM

I will recheck the wires again this evening. Would it help if I completely wrapped the three wires in eletrical tape. I will also use a test light with the breaker turned on.

Stratmando · Aug 5, 2009, 07:39 AM

The wires should be twisted tightly then a wirenut.

connermsteacy · Aug 5, 2009, 03:58 PM

I have opened up all the outlets that are not working. One outlet has one white and one black wire. Another has two white and two black connecting a circuit. The other outlet is a combination outlet and switch for the hallway light. This one has one white and one black on one side and one black on the other. The other white is spliced back into the other white. Again, all of these were working when the old ceiling fan was hooked up. I have a light bulb with two wires attached and would like to test all these connections when the power to the breaker is restored . Is this a good idea?

Stratmando · Aug 5, 2009, 04:40 PM

If you are careful, no kids around, just touch to the connections.
The box with a black and white is at the end of the line, the 1 with 2 whites and 2 blacks have power in and on to next receptacle or switch
The combination light/recepticle has a black and white for power, the white in the back and the black on the switch go to the hall light.
I would check the last known good receptacle in the string.

connermsteacy · Aug 5, 2009, 04:54 PM

I checked the outlet with only one white and one black and nothing. I continued with rest and also got nothing. I inspected all the breakers to be sure none were tripped and everythings OK. I figure next I will have to check the ceiling fan light box. From what you have told me I need to check the three black wires when they are all connected (twisted) together with the white neutral wire?

Stratmando · Aug 5, 2009, 06:38 PM

No, not with the Neutral.
Check recepticals that is working and closest to bad recepticles.