Separated from installing ceiling fan

I can get to the wires that run from the top part of the outlet to the switch, in the attic. Those wires are r,w,b + ground. The wires on the back of the switch are the r+b. Bigger problem is that the house is a partial pre-fab(spray foam wall insulation)so I can't just drop a line down through the wall. Any and all help is greatly appreciated. I have already installed the fan. Thank You.

 

Sounds like you have conduit. Is that correct? Is this an existing ceiling fan?

 

Welcome to the forums!

Since the wiring goes through the attic between the receptacle and the switch, you may be able to make a connection there. Pull the receptacle and tell us how that's wired now.

Otherwise you may need rto use a remote controller.

How did you get power to it?

 

Well the fan is installed with no power going to it, it has 2 wire + ground. The receptacle has a 2 wire romex going to it as well as a 3 wire romex which runs to the switch. It's not conduit but ROMEX. And not existing, installed from scratch(well except for the power so far).

 

I don't understand. If it has 2 wire + ground where does that cable go?

 

That tells us the makeup of the cables that enter the box. What we need to know is where each wire comes from and how they're connected now.

Also, what do you want to wind up with? Three switches, for the fan motor, light and receptacle, or two, or what? Does the fan have a lifght on it?

Are you saying that the 3-conductor NM runs through the attic to get from the receptacle to the switch and that the cable feeding your fan is just lying loose in the attic?

 

hopefully to switched power.

 

Nashkat, yes the cable for the fan is not hooked up that's why I'm here. I would like to use the existing flip wall switch without adding any more switches. I will get some pics of the receptacle configuration or show an accurate wiring schematic. Yes, there is 3+ ground in the attic from the receptacle to the switch and the switch is only using 2(r,b)of the wires. The bottom part of the receptacle is fed through the wall coming from another receptacle in the same room. The switch is not feeding the receptacle, the receptacle is feeding the
switch, if that makes sense.

 

Does the fan have a light on it?

No need. Just tell us how the wires are connected or spliced.

The neutral is required in the switch box, so all three are "in use."

No, what makes sense is that the power from the panel comes in on the 2-conductor and makes one of the two receptacles always hot and feeds to the switch and back for the other one.

You should be able to change that to do what you want.

 

Yes it has a light and I still want to use the single existing switch for both.

I will get the specifics on the receptacle but it sounds like you already know the config.

When I pull out the wall switch the r,b are attached to the switch and the neutral(white) is wire nutted to another neutral behind the switch. The neutral is not attached to the switch.

Yes what you say about the 2 conductor is accurate but it runs though the wall and not the attic so I cannot get to it.

 

OK, how many cables are in the switch box, how many wires are in each, and how is each wire terminated or spliced in that box?

The switch you have now doesn't need a neutral. Some do.

A fan motor shouldn't be controlled by an on/off switch unless the built-in control - the pull chain switch - is left on High. We can get into appropriate wall controls for your fan/light combo after we get the wiring sorted out.

Do you have a multimeter (preferably analog but it doesn't have to be)?