I am trying to figure out the best way to plan a new wiring project. I am installing a new ceiling fan with a light and adding 6 recessed lights to the same room. I was planning on running 14/3 from the breaker box to a new switch box and connecting the red and black to a new 15amp duplex breaker at the breaker box. 1/2 the duplex would be dedicated to the ceiling fan, 1/2 to the recessed lights. I would run 14/3 to the fan, and 14/2 to the recessed lights. Does this seem like a reasonable way to do this project? Any other suggestions would be helpful, I am in the planning stage....

Thanks!
-Bob

 

Bob, you probably wouldn't need two circuits for that load. You will most likely come under 1000 watts, which a 15 amp circuit would handle easily. You couldn't make a multiwire branch circuit (MWBC) without the handles of the breaker tied together (I guess "duplex" means they are), as they will be sharing a neutral. I would go with a single breaker and 14-2wg.

 

I agree with Larry, there is no need to put the ceiling fan on its own circuit.

 

Thanks Chandler & PCBoss- Ok, so I run 14/2 from the breaker box to the switch box on a 15 amp circuit. When it comes to wiring the fan (which I don't have yet)- my understanding is that it will require 14/3 from the switch box (one hot for the motor and one for the light). Do I just connect both red and black that run to the fan to the black from the 14/2? Also, the recessed lights would utilze the same incoming black for power?

 

I assume you want two switches in the box, one for fan, one for fan light plus recessed lights. Is this correct or did you want three switches, fan, fan light, recessed lights?

Also have the cables been installed already or is this all new?

 

I plan (but have not purchased) an integrated switch for the fan/light - one physical switch that has a button with speed control on it and button for the light with dimmer. The recessed lights will be on a separate dimmer switch. I have not run the cable yet, or installed the breaker.

 

In that case, you want 14-2 power in to the switch box, 14-3 out to the fan box, 14-2 out to the first recessed light.

At the switch box, wirenut two 6" black pigtails to the incoming black power wire. Run one of the pigtails to one of the hot terminals on each of the two switches. On the fan switch, connect the outgoing 14-3 black to the light side of the switch, connect the outgoing 14-3 red to the fan side of the switch. On the can light switch, connect the outgoing 14-2 black to the other terminal on the switch. Connect all the grounds to each other, to the switch ground screws and to the box if it is metal. Wirenut all of the whites together.

At the fan box, red to the motor hot wire, black to the light hot wire, white to the neutral wire(s), bare to bare/green.

At the first recessed light, wirenut three blacks, three whites, three grounds; chain the 14/2 from light to light so forth.

 

Thanks for your help. I appreciate the detail on how to do this job. Much clearer about what I need to do.

Cheers! & if your ever in Tucson I'll buy you a beer.

 

Cheers! .................................