How To Install A Ceiling Fan With Two Wall Switches

Wiring a ceiling fan and calorie-free can seem similar a daunting task, but information technology doesn't have to exist. Pro Tool Reviews gives you a visual guide and step past footstep instructions on making the all-time connections for your particular ceiling fan installation. ON a scale of i-10, the level of difficulty on this project is a five, though it can exist more circuitous if you include the ancillary projects such every bit running wiring through walls, etc.

The principal thing to consider wiring a ceiling fan and light is determining how you lot want that fan to be controlled. For some, that volition be any combination from no switches (using the included pull chains for powering the fan and/or low-cal) and having separate switches for the calorie-free and fan.

Having the correct tools volition help the project get smoothly. It too ensures yous don't become bogged down trying to apply, for example, a razor knifed to strip wires. A pair of actual wire strippers volition do the job more accurately and virtually 10x faster.

Author's Note: Codes and Safety Tips
Information technology's always important to follow the local codes in your area when wiring a ceiling fan and lite. Permits may exist required for interior electrical work. When working with electricity, always remember to turn off the power, test the wiring with an electrical tester (or voltmeter) to ensure the power is off, secure the panel box then no i tin accidentally re-engage power while yous are working, and consult a professional to ensure you are doing things correctly and within the specifications of your land and local codes. Read all the instructions and safety information that comes with your ceiling fan.

We'll become through each type of switching methodology and discuss what each entails in terms of wiring and controlling your ceiling fan/light. The four methods are:

1. Powered ceiling fan and/or light without any switches (no switches)
2. Switching the lite and using the pull chain for the fan (Single switch)
3. Using the same switch for switching both the light and fan (Single switch)
4. Switching the lite and fan from separate switches (Two switches)
5. Switching the lite and fan from the same switch with power at the switch (Single switch)

1. Powered Ceiling Fan and/or Low-cal Without Any Switches (No Switches)

We recommend this method when you but cannot run a switch into the room. Information technology does require that you have the power to bring power direct to the fan from a nearby location. Information technology'south certainly an acceptable wiring method and the fans all come with pull string switches to command the fans and light kits. Wiring this type of electrical connectedness looks like this:

As you lot tin can see, this simple connexion feeds power to both the fan and (optional) light kit. The ground and neutral wires but get tied together equally yous'd expect. The power for the fan motor will typically be black, while most modernistic-day fans as well accept a separate blueish wire that supplies power to the lights. It's of import to connect this wire even if you don't plan on using a light kit as it gives the homeowner the opportunity to add one later on without having to remove and rewire the fan from above.

2. Switching the Low-cal and Using the Pull Concatenation for the Fan (Single Switch)

This method and the following are the most commonly used. They only require a single low-cal switch. Many older homes never gave whatsoever thought to wiring upwards a second switch. Mostly, this happened because homes didn't have a powered ceiling fan. As a issue, many homeowners must use a single switch to control the lite and/or both aspects of their ceiling fans. The wiring for this type of electric connection looks like this:

As yous can come across, nosotros switched the hot line going to the low-cal kit past inserting the switch. Many people use simple 12/2 (Romex) with a ground wire to make this loop. If you practise this, wrap blackness electrical tape around the exposed white wire. This indicates (to you or anyone else who works on the circuit in the future) that it is indeed a "hot" wire and non a neutral line.

While we show a small strip of electrical record, nosotros recommend actually wrapping it around all the exposed white wire. Note that we opted to wire the fan motor straight to the power source. That lets us use the fan's pull string to plough information technology on and off. This as well keeps the fan usable regardless of the position of the wall switch. Make your connections for the neutral and basis wires, and yous're all set.

3. Switching the Light AND Fan from the Same Switch (Single Switch)

This is a slight adaptation of the above method. Information technology switches power for both the fan and the light kit from the wall switch. This lets you plow the fan on and off with the wall switch (forth with the lite). Y'all don't take to walk over and pull the chain to stop the fan motor. This wiring method is completely up to y'all. Some prefer method #ii, while others (myself included) typically opt for this method. Here'due south how this electrical connection looks:

Notation that power is fed through the switch. Both the fan motor and the lite kit get their power from the switch. As expected, the neutral and grounds are simply tied together and all is well.

4. Switching the Lite and Fan from Split Switches (Two Switches)

This is the most versatile way to electrically wire a ceiling fan with a light kit. Information technology allows for separate control over both the fan and the light in the room. There are too lots of actually convenient switches that put this dual control into one bang-up little parcel. Some even requite you lot the ability to dim the lights – definitely a nice touch! There are endless choices when information technology comes to combination dimmers/switches you tin can use with your fan or fan/calorie-free.

Of form y'all can e'er only wire up 2 single pole switches and you're all set up. And here is what the electrical wiring would await like for this state of affairs:

It looks more than complicated, but don't sweat it. The basic idea is that your power supply line is feeding both switches. Each switch then feeds either the fan (blackness wire) or low-cal kit (bluish wire). All that'due south left at this signal is to tie together all the ground wires and neutral wires (respectively). Keep in mind again that we assumed 12/ii with ground for the lines going to and from the switches, so be certain to clearly label them as "hot" wires by wrapping black electric tape around the white ends.

While code makes certain stipulations, there are typically unlike ways to accomplish a wiring connection. Case in point, the to a higher place method was shown using standard 12/2 wire. If you opted for 12/3 wire, y'all could accomplish the aforementioned dual switch connections with a trivial chip less work:

What you are doing here is using the single hot (black) wire to power both the switches. You can practice this by jumping a longer length of wire to both switches. Jumping means that you strip the insulation abroad from a small area of wire. Brand it just big enough to loop effectually the hot terminal. You lot and so loop that exposed wire around the hot terminal of the first switch. Finally, strip the end and connect that to the 2d switch. The hot returns are so the red wire and the white wire which you tape black (on both ends) to designate it as a hot wire.

You can besides jump the basis wire. This method of jumping wires is nice in that information technology eliminates the demand for wire basics. It also makes for a simpler wiring scheme (and gives you more room to work in the box!)

Here'southward a similar fashion to do it using 12/three wire with wire nuts in lieu of a jumper wire:

v.  Switching the Lite and Fan from the Same Switch with Power at the Switch (Unmarried switch)

This is identical to state of affairs #3 above. However nosotros wanted to outline the wiring differences when the power is actually at the switch instead of in the ceiling. Nosotros find this method is encountered in roughly fifty percent of the time in older homes. It peculiarly occurs when electric wiring originated in the crawl infinite. Additionally, there is a sort of clean-ness to this method.

It likewise offers two helpful advantages. First, the wires are consistent. You have no re-labeling of neutral wires. Secondly, this method of wiring makes swapping out ceiling fans easy. Cutting power at the switch eliminates all ability to the ceiling box. Notation that nosotros nonetheless recommend deactivating the breaker and checking your wires with a voltmeter, just it's worth noting nonetheless.

Helpful Tips

Be sure to check the power source earlier first the job – even if you've already tripped the breaker. We've seen several cases where more than one power source was routed to a item ceiling box. We got quite a surprise when we reached inside! It's also important to note that while some ability supplies come in via the switch (and not from to a higher place) the basic methodology described here doesn't alter. What does alter is that yous can safely deactivate the ceiling fan box simply past turning off the switch. This is handy when replacing ceiling fans with a similar model. Nevertheless, we still recommend shutting downward the billow, lest someone walk in on y'all and attempt to plough on the lights!

Stripping Wires

When stripping wires, we prefer to use a stripping tool as opposed to a razor blade. There are several on the marketplace, from $2 tools that are simple stripping devices to fancier wire strippers that accept cutouts for 10/two, 12/2, and 14/2 cablevision.

Don't Use the Included Wire Basics

Never use the included "wire nuts" that come with ceiling fans. They well-nigh never have a metal inner winding and are commonly undersized. That makes them difficult to utilize, if not unsafe. Instead, exist certain to take hold of a minor array pack at your local home improvement or hardware store. While typically non necessary, we recommend taping any wire nuts later on you make those connections. Wire nuts are normally very reliable, but it never hurts to add an extra layer of protection to keep them from always unwinding. This is just a good habit to get into and costs side by side to zilch in terms of time or money to implement.

That's All, Folks!

Hopefully, this guide will go you on your style to installing a ceiling fan and making all of the required electric connections to get it upwardly and running smoothly. A ceiling fan makes a corking improver to about whatever room. It'due south one of the easiest projects to complete and really makes an bear upon in your home. It can also make you lot look and feel like a real handyman.

Source: https://www.protoolreviews.com/wiring-connecting-ceiling-fan/

Posted by: mcghiesant1952.blogspot.com

Share this post