[dontknownuthin]

I had a flood in my condo and am replacing two 45 year old bathroom fans that each had a light. My old fans had one switch - either both the fan and light were on, or both were off - no other options. Over the years, it appears people figured out that some people want to turn the light on without the fan, or vice versa, and those in the price bracket I was allowed for replacement also feature a nightlight option. So, where my old fan/lights ran off one switch, the new ones have three.

My question is, how difficult would be for a licensed electrician to upgrade my existing wiring to accommodate the three-switch configuration? The existing wiring is in conduit and is up to current Illinois code, properly done.

I'm asking because my insurance adjuster is giving me crap about the added electrical work but it doesn't seem like a big deal to me.

[ballengerb1]

Not very difficulty at all, depending on your walls and if the old fans were run with conduit or with cable. You likely only had 3 wires running from the switch to the fan, 1 white, 1 black and 1 ground. You will now need 1 white, 3 blacks and 1 ground so new wire is needed inside the wall.

[hkstroud]

The answer to your question is not as simple as it might appear.

It all depends on how things are wire now and how you want your new lights wired.

There are two ways to wire a light. One way is to take the incoming power (hot and neutral) to the light fixture. There the incoming neutral is connected to the neutral of the light fixture and because you have a second light fixture, to the neutral going to the second fixture. The incoming hot is connected to a hot going to the switch. At the switch the hot form the light box is connected to one terminal of the switch. A hot going back to the light is connected to the other terminal of the switch. At the ceiling the hot from the switch is connected to the hot of the light fixture and because you have a second light it is connected to the hot going to the second light. This is called feeding the fixture.

The other way of wiring a light is to bring the power to the switch. With this method the incoming neutral is connected to the neutral going to the light fixture. The incoming hot (black) is connected to one terminal of the switch. The hot to between the switch and the light is connected to the other terminal of the switch.
At the ceiling the neutral from the switch is connected to the neutral of the light, and in your case to the neutral going to the second light. This is called feeding the switch.

If your present wiring is feeding the fixture you will have two wires in the conduit between the switch and the light. A hot from the light to the switch and a hot from the switch to the light.Yo will have two wires in the conduit between the two light if there is nothing else on this circuit after the second light. If you have something else on that circuit after the second light you will have three wires. The third wire is a hot, not going through the switch, to the something else.

If your present wiring is feeding the switch, you will have two wires, a neutral and a hot in the conduit between the switch and the first light. If you have the something else after the second light you will have three wires. A neutral and two hots.

How you want your new fixtures wire is not exactly clear. Do you want one set of 3 switches, where one switch turns on both fans, one switch turns on both lights and a third switch turns on both night lights? Or do you want two sets of three switches where each fan, each light and each night light light is controlled by a switch. This will be the biggest factor in determining how much work must be done.

If you want only one set of 3 switches the electrician will have to pull two additional wires between the switch and the lights. If you want two sets of three switches with each thing individually controlled he will have to pull 5 additional wires between the switch and the lights.

The number of wires you can have in a piece of conduit depends on the size of the conduit, the size of the wire and the type of the wire. Your conduit is almost certainly 1/2 inches. You can determine the size of the wire by looking at the breaker. If it is 15 amp the size of the wire will be 14 gauge. If it is a 20 amp breaker the size of the wire will 12 gauge. Twelve gauge is larger that 14 gauge.

The electrician will probably be able to pull 2 additional wires in the existing conduit. He probably won't be able to pull 5 addition wires. Basically the conduit can only be half filled. It is a heat thing. If he has to pull 5 additional wires he will probably have to install an additional conduit.

I suggest that you look at the size of the conduit to determine its size. Look at the breaker to determine the size of the wire. Then call you local electrical inspectors office and ask how many wires of the size you have can you put in the size conduit you have. That way you will be better able to evaluate what the contractor tells you must be done.

Then call several electrical contractors. Ask for a price to install your new fixtures the way you old fixture were installed. Tell them this is insurance work. Then ask for a price for installing them the way you want them installed. Tell them this is not insurance work. You can then use the insurance work quote when talking with the insurance adjuster.

No one can tell you what an electrical contractor in your area will charge except to say that he ain't cheap and he will want all you are willing to pay. The more knowledgeable you appear to him the better service you will get and the lower price you will get.

That of course, is the reason for educating yourself before negotiating with the contractor.

More than you ever wanted to know.