So I have a bathroom that has a light over the vanity and a light in the center of the room. There is a switch that controls each separately on the the wall at the entry door. The light in the center I am replacing with a light/fan combo. From what I gather the light and fan can be controlled independently of each other.

My question is how can I control the vanity light and fan light with one of the wall switched while using the other to control the fan without having to run extra wires or cut out any drywall? I will be able to install the fan from above in the attic and would rather no have to wreck too much of the bathroom walls otherwise.

Any tips or advice will be greatly appreciated.

thanks!

 

Not going to happen without running a 3 conductor wire.

 

Joe suggests one method.

Another method is to use the existing feed to the ceiling light to control the fan and pull a piece of two wire to the vanity light to run the new light. You should be able to work from the attic down to the vanity light.

 

You will have to run another wire from the ceiling to the switch. There will already be one wire in the attic that goes through the top plate above the switch. The challenge will be to feed the wire down into the wall cavity and capture it and pull it through the box. If it was me, working alone, I would remove the box, pull the wire and replace with a remodel box of appropriate size. If room in the box for the extra wire, you could install a stacked switch where the top switch works the light and bottom works the fan.

Question is, does power go to the ceiling box first, or the switch box first and then to the ceiling light?

 

I guess I will be climbing into the attic to see if the power goes to the ceiling box first, or the wall switch. Those double switches I assume are available thru regular stores like depot etc?

 

Yes, the stacked switches are readily available in both standard and deco styles.

 

You can't see from the attic. You check by opening the switch box. Tel us how many 2-conductor cables there and how they are connected. If you have a black and white on a switch then power comes in at the fixture not the switch. If you have two or more whites connected only to each other then likely power comes in at the switch. (With two switches in the box it is possible to have one switch loop and one powered by power to the switch box.)

Note you won't add new wires you will add new cable.

 

So here is what the box looks like in the bathroom...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0ddlvhuhn6...05237.jpg?dl=0

 

Based on the picture power comes in at the switch. That should make this easy. Do you have a multimeter or test light? (a non contact tester won't work.) You need to deternine which cable at the switch box is power in. (Can probably do it without a meter or test light but it is easier with one.)



Power in is one of the two center cables.