Hello Everyone,

This is my first forum. Can't find a job so trying to stay busy. Want to install ceiling fan in sunroom. See pics attached. I have done plenty of light fixture but never had to install a brand new box. Removed light fixture and see there is not box and hole is right over where two joists cross each other. I assume I need to cut a new hole somewhere but do not know where exactly.

Can you tell me where to cut the hole so that the dry wall repair will be very easy?

What kind of box should I use in this situation and where should it attach?

Thank you very much,

JS

 

First thing is to get fan rated box. No reason you can't keep the fan in he same location. You can use this type

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/QP5uZnD.jpg" width="600" height="600"/>

You'll need to make the hole a bit bigger and maybe do a bit of patch work.

 

thank you for the help. If I go with just a light fixture, what box should I use?

 

Use the same one or any round or octagon box. If you use the fan rated one, then it's ready for later.

 

Same box..... light or fan. There are many choices.

 

Can I use the metal pancake box version? That way I dont have to cut any drywall.

 

Reason I ask is that I thought you could only use metal boxes outside or if you used metal sheathing around the wires.

 

A pancake box would be fine to use there. You'd just put a connector in the box to bring the wire thru.

 

dang Pj. Nothing is ever easy. I stalled the pancake perfectly. But the fan I have cannot connect to it. Wonder how I find a fan that can connect to pancake? Any thoughts? Thanks Again. You are awesome.

 

Show us some pics of what you mean. The fan ceiling plate should snug up to the box.


<img src="https://i.imgur.com/kTBl3zG.png" width="485" height="603"/>

 

Definitely and good idea Norm. See pics attached. I think this fan mount requires deep octogon box which I dont have room for. You know of a type of fan that I can install onto this pancake? I not, any suggestions on what to do?

 

Are sure you're putting that bracket in the right direction?

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/r4BADil.png" width="1351" height="483"/>

https://ringp.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/mounting-bracket-and-wires-to-attach-to-ceiling-fan.jpg

This is simialar to what you have just a different box

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...MyhgegUIARCDBA

 

So the brace does not need to fit up in the box? the brace has slits in it rather than holes so I figured the brace would eventually move and cause the fan to wobble.

Attachment 113912Attachment 113913

 

You got it.

I added a few edits and links to my last message.

Your fan bezel will screw onto those wings of the bracket.

 

Oh. So just to confirm....the octagon shaped fan bezel does not have to wedge up into an octogon box? and it wont wobble?

 

That's correct. Fan wobble is a result of imbalance of the blades. Your kit might have a few counter weights that can be used to off set any wobble you might have. A little bit of wobble is not uncommon. Sometimes at different speeds the wabble may be better or worse.

Good luck. Send a pic when it's all installed.

 

thanks. Getting close. Need help wiring its been a long time. See pics. currently have a dimmer switch which was controlling old light in this room. There is a open spot in the switch box for a separate fan control currently with a capped black and red wire. red wire has no charge and the black is hot. Should I actually connect the red wire in the wall to the dimmer switch so that it controls the light? I read online that red goes to lights.

Also, when connecting the fan switch (not shown in pic),..should the hot wire go on the top or bottom? Both top and bottom screws are brass by the way. Its just a simple switch with no speed control.

Thank you....I will definitely send pic when done.

 

What does your instruction/installation sheet say?

Depends on how the fan was wired from the factory. And how you want it wired. One wall switch to control both light and fan or two switches to control fan and light separately.

Usually the light and fan are separate pull chains. All you need to do is provide a hot wire to the black and blue (tied together) wires in the fan housing, and tie all the whites together. And of course the ground wire to the frame. You will remove the dimmer switch and install a normal on off switch in the wall. All you need is the hot black to the fan black and blue. Cap off the red wire. If you want to control the light and fan from separate wall switches then you must separate the light (I think the blue wire) and run another hot line (maybe your red wire will provide that) to that from a new wall switch. Possibly that dimmer could be used for just the light.

Perhaps some of our electrical experts might chime in to verify what I'm saying. I installed many ceiling fans in various configurations but I forget from fan to fan exactly how the wiring goes. Hence close attention to the instruction sheet.

Or you could buy a separate remote to control the fan and light as separate. You still would have one single wall switch as a master for both, but the remote will separate out the fan and light. That's how I did my master bed room fan.

BTW...Provide make and model of fan. That will help us help you.

 

To answer you question about the switch. A black (hot) wire will go to the top of the switch and the black from the fan wiring will go to the bottom. The switch is nothing more than a way to break or cut the flow of electricity to the appliance.

Is that red wire capped off at the fixture as it now stands? If so you can pig tail from the power source feeding the wall switch (I assume power from the circuit box is coming to the wall switch first) and then use that red wire at the fan junction box to power the light (blue wire) as a separate utility. Again the pigtail from the power source will go on the top of the switch (brass wires or dimmer wire) and the red will go to the other dimmer wire. Again the dimmer will make or break or limit the power to the light.

 

Sorry for delay. It is the Lake Canton Ceiling Fan by harbor breeze model 41705, 41706

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Harbor-Bree...ade/1000831710

Yes. The red switch was capped off at both locations.

 

Hello All,

Need help wiring its been a long time. See pics. Currently have a dimmer switch which was controlling old light in this room. There is a open spot in the switch box for a separate fan control currently with a capped black and red wire. Red wire has no charge and the black is hot. Should I actually connect the red wire in the wall to the dimmer switch so that it controls the light? I read online that red goes to lights.

Also, when connecting the fan switch (not shown in pic),..should the hot wire go on the top or bottom? Both top and bottom screws are brass by the way. Its just a simple switch with no speed control.

link to see fan below. Install instructions are availble on the website at the bottom of the page.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Harbor-Bree...ade/1000831710

Thank you.
JS

 

OK.
So at this point in time do you have any questions?
I looked at the directions of this model fan and so far it matched everything I mentioned. Blue wire is for light. black is for fan, white is neutral.

I just bought the Barnstaple Bay 52 inch model. Same fan different name. Halfway installing at my cabin. I'll be doing the remote control set up for this unit.

 

THREADS COMBINED. Please keep all posts related to this topic in this thread.

Red can go to the lights..... it doesn't have to.
No polarity on fan switch.
As long as you know which way it's connected when you connect it.

 

Not right now. Can I hit you up later? I want someone to help me figure out what all the wires go to in this box. Trying to learn online right now.

 

No problem. Hoping some of the electrical experts might chime in.

Try to verify one thing for me. Where does the power come into? The switch box on the wall or the at the light fixture. That will make a difference in how you wire up the switches. You don't have a lot of room in that box. You may have trouble fitting in separate wires for light and fan as opposed to combining them. That's where the remote might help.

 

It comes into the wall where the switches are. however, how do I know which one?

 

Use a VOM. You're going to expose all the wires in the switch box making sure they are not close to touching each other. Turn on the power at the circuit box. Very carefully use the VOM to touch the black and white wire coming from one of the cables. If it shows voltage, that's your hot cable coming into the box. The others go to the light/fan fixture and should not show any measured voltage. Turn off the circuit breaker and mark the hot wire cable.

If you feel uncomfortable measuring live wires then call an electrician.

 

What is your question ?

You currently have a dimmer connected to the black wire.
You have a red wire there waiting to be connected.
You can't miss which one is hot as the hot wires all go to one splice.

 

Pj and norm,

assuming I did it right this should be my last 2 questions. I labeled the connections in the pic. 1. Are they right?

As for the light connections...I connected
blue to red wire
blk to blk
white to white
green to bare

2. are these right as well?

thanks,
JS

 

Looks right to me. So now connect the other end of the red to the blue for the light and the black to the fan black.
Try it. Does the light work? Can you dim it?
The only possible problem is the switch markings (on/off) might be backwards. If so just switch them around.

 

On/off look ok. The hot is on the bottom of the fan switch. Is that right?

 

shouldn't make any difference. Remember the switch is only to make or break the connection.

 

Pj and Norm,

Light installed. works fine. Do I need to ground the fan and light switches? I cannot get the crimp thingy off of the other grounded wires. If it is a safety issue I will figure something out, otherwise I will leave it as is.

Also, Pj what are your thoughts on whether to load goes on top or bottom of the switch? I read online opposite of what Norm suggested.

Thanks,
js

 

Looks excellent.

The switches don't need to be grounded. But the fan should have a ground wire going to the frame. Just tie all the ground wires together and have one pigtail attached to the fan.

What does the installation diagram tel about the load wire?

 

installaton diagram does not say whether load wire should connect to top or bottom of the fan switch. I am guessing it does not matter, do you? I grounded the wire up in the ceiling to the fan ground wire as well as the green nut on the box. I think thats what you are saying.

 

Correct!
I'm waiting to see that fan and light in action.