New Light

I want to install a ceiling fan in our spare bedroom. There is no light fixture in there right now. There is a switched outlet that I would like to run to the new fixture. I have access to the attic and the outlet so it won't be difficult to run the cable. Is this possible, and if so, what's the best the way to do it?

 

You can convert the wire to the switch to a feed if it is currently a switch loop. Then just run a 3-wire to the ceiling fan location.

Tell us exactly what wires are in the switch and the switched receptacle box.

 

I'm at work right now, so I couldn't tell you the exact wiring. I do know that the outlet is only controlled by one switch. When I was crawling around in the crawlspace earlier today I noticed the wire coming from the switch going in to the outlet and then moving on to another outlet. Does this help at all?

 

No. It depends on where the feed is. If it is in the switch box or at the receptacle.
Once we know this we can advice you what to splice to what.

 

Do you want the receptacle to remain switched? If you do then you need to run your cable from the receptacle to the fan. If you don't want the receptacle to be switched then run your cable to the switch. It might be possible to also unswitched the receptacle with the fan wire at the receptacle. you will need to open the switch and tell us the wires in there to be sure.

Tell us where you will be running the cable and we can tell you how to connect it.

 

Okay, sorry it took so long to reply. In the switch box there are three sets of wires. The grounds are together and the neutrals are together. The blacks are together with a pigtail going in to the switch. Then there is a red going in to the switch. I would prefer to not have the outlet continue to be switched, but if it is too much hassle I would be okay otherwise.

 

You can power the ceiling fan from either the switch or the receptacle, whichever is easier.

However, adding another cable to the switch box may be difficult and may cause you to exceed box fill. Where would you prefer to wire from?

 

It is going to have to be from the receptacle to avoid holes in walls, etc.

 

Run a 14/3 wire from the fan to the receptacle. If you want the receptacle to be come non switched then remove the red wire and connect the black wires to it. If the receptacle was 1/2 switched then replace it. The tab will be broken on the hot side.
Connect all the blacks together and to the gold screw of receptacle.
Connect all the whites together and to the silver screw of the rececptacle.
Connect the two reds together.

At the lfan use the red wire for switched power(lights) and the black wire for unswitched power(fan). White is neutral.

If this is a 20 amp circuit use 12/3 wire instead of 14/3.

 

Got it. Thanks!

 

Holes in the wall are not difficult to patch. By running from the receptacles you will not be able to run have the fan and light (if the fan has a light) switched separately. They will have to be switched together or one will have to be always hot.

If the fan you are installing has no light then you will have to leave the receptacle switched. If the ceiling fan has a light then you can leave the receptacle switched or make it always on.

If this is a 15 amp circuit then run 14-3 from the receptacle to the ceiling box you install for the fan. Make sure the ceiling box is rated for a fan. If this is a 20 amp circuit then use 12-3 wire.

At the receptacle connect the white wire to the other white wires. You may need a wire nut and pigtails.

At the receptacle connect the red wire to the red wire that is presently connected to the receptacle. You may need a wire and a pigtail to do this. If you want the receptacle to be always hot then remove this wire from the receptacle.

At the receptacle connect the black wire to the black wire that is presently in the box. You may need a wire nut and a pigtail to do this. If the receptacle is to be always hot then connect these wires also to the receptacle.

At the receptacle connect the ground wire to the other ground wires.

At the ceiling box you now have a neutral wire (the white one), a switched wire (the red one) and an always hot wire, the black one. You also have a ground. Wire as desired for the fan (and light).