Adding recessed lighting
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Adding recessed lighting
I have a ceiling fan with lights that is controlled by a dimmer switch. The dimmer switch has two controls on it; one for the fan and one for the lights. The switch has one power source, and then two wires {both hot jwhen switch is on } that are pigtailed to wires that go up to the fan. So, two hot wires going up to the fan, I assume. I want to put recessed lighting in this room by grabbing power from the wires that go to the fan. I will remove the fan while I work on the lighting. What I would like is to have one of the controls on the dimmer switch control only the recessed lighting, and the other control the fan and its light. How can I go about doing that? Does anything have to be changed in the switch? I haven't removed the fan yet, so I don't know if I have 14/2 or 14/3 wire up there. I assume 14/3. I hope some of you can visualize what I've written and give me some advice.
#2
If you have two switch legs up to the ceiling fan box adding cans should be pretty straightforward as it sounds like you already have the wiring in place. You will just need to run a cable from the ceiling fan box to your cans, daisy chaining the cans so only one cable leaves the ceiling fan box. Match the wire size of the existing wiring. Connect the cans to the dimmer switch leg in the ceiling fan box and move the ceiling fan light wire to the fan switch leg. You could also leave the ceiling fan light on with the can lights but that is up to you.
#3
If that is single gang fan/light switch.... it wouldn't make much sense to put the fan and the light on one dimmer and the room lights on the other. Either don't use the light on the fan or connect all the lights together.
#4
Member
Thread Starter
So, to clarify, both the fan and fan light will be on the fan switch leg to isolate them from the canned lighting. If I want the fan light to come on with the canned lighting I should switch it over to the dimmer switch leg. Great! I appreciate the help. Thanks!
#6
Member
Thread Starter
Yes, the fan light was on the dimmer switch leg. I will connect the canned lighting to the dimmer switch leg and put the fan and fan light on the fan switch leg. I will not connect the fan motor to the dimmer switch leg. Thanks for helping me understand this better.
#7
Member
The dimmer should be marked with the maximum wattage it can handle. Sum the actual wattage of all the lights you plan to put on the dimmer to make sure you don't overload it. And many, if not most, LED bulbs can't be dimmed unless both the dimmer and LED bulbs are dimmable.