Using 3-wire to Add an Additional Light?
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Using 3-wire to Add an Additional Light?
There is a ceiling fan on my back porch. It was wired using 3-wire cable to 2 switches inside the house (one for the fan, one for the fan light).
The builder did not put in a light kit for this fan, thus one of the switches is unused. I don't need a light kit anyway, so here's what I'm thinking...can I tap into the unused wire inside the fan box and continue the run of this cable to a new j-box? My backyard could use a flood light and this would be an easy way to add one with a dedicated switch.
Would this be considered an "acceptable practice" for using an otherwise unused switch?
The builder did not put in a light kit for this fan, thus one of the switches is unused. I don't need a light kit anyway, so here's what I'm thinking...can I tap into the unused wire inside the fan box and continue the run of this cable to a new j-box? My backyard could use a flood light and this would be an easy way to add one with a dedicated switch.
Would this be considered an "acceptable practice" for using an otherwise unused switch?
#2
Yes it sounds like this is OK. If you only want just a light in the new location, you only need 12-2 or 14-2 cable from the existing fan box to the new location; however XX-3 cable is not wrong, just overkill. Match the gauge of the existing cable #14 or #12.
#3
Member
Thread Starter
Thanks. Yes the plan was to match up the existing 12-gauge cable and continue the run to the new box with 2-wire.
Wanted to run the idea by the group just to make sure that practice didn't throw up any red flags.
Wanted to run the idea by the group just to make sure that practice didn't throw up any red flags.