Ceiling Fan Help!


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Old 10-02-14, 11:10 AM
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Ceiling Fan Help!

Hey guys,

I'm trying to install a new ceiling fan (with remote control) but there's a lot more wires coming out of the box than the actual fan has. The room was being re-done and the gentlemen who removed the old fan already threw it away and I was not present to see them take it out so I could have an idea of which wires go where. The old fan had a light and 2 different switches, one turning the light on and the other the fan.

Any help would rock! (Pictures of my box and the fan are below)

•The Fan has a white wire and a black wire PLUS another black wire with the tip covered.
•The Box has 2 white wires and 2 black wires PLUS a red wire (and the ground)


PS - The fan is a Harbor Breeze Mazon Brushed Nickel 44-in

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Old 10-02-14, 11:38 AM
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PLUS another black wire with the tip covered
Not a wire. That is the antenna for the remote, ignore it. You have two wires. black and white. You have told us only half the wiring. The other half is at the switch. Tell us all the wires and how they are connected. (Ignore grounds. They will just be connected per code.)

At the ceiling how many 2-conductor cables (black, white) and are there any 3-conductor cables (white, black, red)?
 
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Old 10-02-14, 12:33 PM
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There is 1) three wire cable and 2) two wire cables.

In your picture.... we see something connected with two wires to the white splice and the black with the orange wire nut.... what is it ?
 
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Old 10-02-14, 12:45 PM
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Yep. There is (1) two conductor and (1) three conductor cables in the ceiling. I just have a bulb connected to it for now so I can have light in there.

As for the switches, there are two. Normal white, black and ground connected to both. Again, the old fan worked where one switch turned the light on and the other, the fan.
 
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Old 10-02-14, 02:03 PM
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Yep. There is (1) two conductor and (1) three conductor cables in the ceiling.
Are you sure that's correct ? I count 3 black and 3 white wires. That tells me 3 cables.

With switch wiring.... there is NO normal wiring. There are many ways to switch something.
White and black on both switches makes no sense. Can you double check that too ?

You're telling us that the switchbox for the fan has two switches in it. One controlled the fan and the other controlled the light.... is that correct ?
Do you not see any red wires in the switchbox ?
 
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Old 10-02-14, 02:04 PM
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Something doesn't jive if you have black and white on two switches and have a red at the ceiling. The splices are not made up a switch loops or they are incorrectly wired.
 
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Old 10-02-14, 02:20 PM
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A picture of the switches are below. I removed them and put them back and yes, it's just black, white and ground on both. I know it's strange, which is why I'm confused. As for the ceiling, upon further look, there are two white, two black and a red from one end and a white and black from the other.

Since there's not much to work with on the fan. I was thinking forget the red, and just hook up all the whites together and all the blacks.

PS. I'm thinking because the fan is remote controlled, then one of those two switches will be obsolete, am I right?

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Old 10-02-14, 02:40 PM
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You currently have a light connected.... does it work from one of the switches ?
 
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Old 10-02-14, 05:23 PM
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Sure does. The left one. The right one also depending which wires I use.
 
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Old 10-02-14, 05:47 PM
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So then what is the problem ?

Using the switch you currently are using.... connect the fan white and black to where you currently have the light connected.
 
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Old 10-02-14, 05:47 PM
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Then you have answered your own question. Simply connect the fan the same way you have the light connected and cap off any remaining wires. Just make sure that is a fan rated box. I can't tell from the picture. If fan rated it has posts not ears for fixture mounting* and uses 10-24 not 8-32 screws for mounting the fan. Fan rated should be marked on the box.

Remember to connect all grounds per code.

*Alternately if it has ears and is fan rated there would be threaded holes in the back of the box aligned with the ears and a screw long enough to go in both sets of threaded would be used.
 
 

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