Double pole switch question

I have a room with a single fan/light combo with a double pole switch (two one/off switches on either side of the room).

I'd like to run new recessed lights on this switch with one side on a dimmer. I'd like to keep the fan, with a fan speed controller, on a separate switch.

What would be the easiest way to do this?

Should I use the existing wiring for the lights, and run 14/3 to all the new stuff? Then run new wiring for the fan, installing a 2 gang old work box to accomodate this? Or is there a better way?

 

No, they are single pole. You have two duplex 3-way switches. Easiest is to come from the ceiling box. You would use 14-2 not 14-3 cable from the connection to the light in the fan and run the cable to the new light. Your light switch would control both the fan light and the new light. Is that what you want.

 

I just want one switch to have a separate fan speed control and a dimmer for the recessed lights. The other switch can just be used to turn on/off the lights. That's what I was hoping to pull off.

 

Then perhaps I don't understand the wiring you described.

• Do you currently have the light controlled by a three way switch. That is two switches one on each side of the room?
• Do you currently have the fan controlled by a three way switch. That is two switches one on each side of the room?

Do the switches you have look like this?

And do you have one of these on each side of the room?

 

I'm not following either.

 

Is the fan on a speed control switch now? I'm also confused.

 

I'm reading it the same way - I try to imagine it's a simple three way switch layout with one switch on each of two walls but I can't convince myself that's correct when I read the original post.

 

Does one pair of switches operate the fan and the other pair operate the fan light?

 

Sorry for not being clear.

I have two switches in my room. They both look like a standard light switch:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]48249[/ATTACH]

They both control only the light of a fan/light combo. When both switches are on or off, the light is off. When one is on and one is off, the light is off. The fan appears to work independently, running off the pull chain whether the lights are on or off.

What I am hoping to do is leave one switch as is, while installing a on/off + dimmer switch for the light AND a fan speed control switch. I understand I'll probably have to go from a 1 gang work box to a 2 gang old work box, but I'm hoping to set it up so that I have both dimmer control and fan speed control from the wall. Just not sure how to go about this.

 

That is very different from what you first wrote. Do both switches say on/off? Show us pictures of the switches connected but pulled out so we can see all the wires and how they are connected.

 

I cannot imagine how two single pole switches operate the same light. Unless they are wired in series?

 

Here's a picture of the current setup.

The first switch (where I preferably install the dimmers):



And the other switch:

 

You appear to have a miswired 3-way switch circuit. In the top photo it looks like you have a white wire on the ground. Does that switch have an unused black screw? If not it is the wrong kind of switch.

As to running additional lights I see no ground wires. Ungrounded circuits can not be extended.

 

Could I simply wire up everything for the new lights (recessed) instead of the fan/light (that is currently wired)?

 

If the circuit is ungrounded it can not be extended, no exceptions. That existing circuit though needs to have the correct switch. That needs to be fixed. As to the lights if there is no ground in the current circuit you will need to a run a new circuit from the panel for the lights.

 

Understood. Well I'm hoping to at least get the attic wiring done for my sister before leaving her house. How could I wire the cans up to have everything in place for an electrician? Disconnect the existing fan light and use its red and run 14/2 wire to the cans?

 

Most electricians want to do the whole job. They don't want to be resonsable for your work.