Hello! Just purchased my first home and part of that came with some quality of life improvements. One of those improvements we wanted to make was placing a ceiling fan with a light in a bedroom that currently does not have a light or a fan. I removed the cover and discovered that the junction box says "acceptable for fan support." However the junction box is loose (upward pressure only) on the side the wires enter from. The other side is sturdy in both directions.
I don't exactly have easy access to the attic (mainly because I don't own a ladder yet and we have 9ft ceilings and the attic has a lip that is about another two feet.
Is that normal for the junction box to have that upward pressure give? Numbers on box Fan Support Stamp Overall of junction box Close up of numbers on box
Do I need to figure out where that looseness is or is it safe to mount the fan there, or should I just put a standard light fixture?
Any guidance would be appreciated.
Last edited by Jomom50; 09-05-21 at 06:19 PM.
Reason: Pic of fan support cert blurry
There are boxes and then there are boxes. I like to install a rugged box that I know will be solid and strong.
This is a "nail on" box. It's held to the joist with two nails. It is fan rated but in my opinion is not terribly strong. The side of the box away from the joist moves..... like you've found out. However it is fan rated and should support a fan ok. Nail on box for fan
For that type of installation I prefer to use a smart box. It has three screws that go thru the box into the joist. More secure. Smart fan box
So could I just knock that old box out pretty easily and replace it with something like this?
I have watched a few videos and it looks like most people just put a block of wood in the junction box and give it a few whacks to get the old one out.
The old one will come out pretty easily doing the wood/hammer trick. The box PJMax posted will be easier than the expanding box bracket you posted because the box is right next to the joist/truss. On the expanding bracket, the box will be shifted over due to the "leg".
Both PJ and Tolyn are right. But if the bell cover of the fan is big enough to cover the hole, I think the ceiling brace you choose is a bit easier to install and make sure it's very secure. Just my opinion. My son did the same thing about a week ago at his house using the expandable brace.
Sorry for the late reply. Things have been hectic. I was able to get the box out by using a two by four and a hammer. Took a little bit of effort cause that thing was really in there.
I replaced it with a box similar to that smart box, but ended up getting a Raco metal fan box at Lowe's. It was item number 37751 and model #294. It was fairly straight forward to install and align. It supports up to a 70lb fan and 150lb light fixture.
Upon starting the project I realized the hole in the ceiling was too big for the fan I had and needed to get a flush mount that covered a wider area.
However thanks to you guys I was able to get it in,, without paying some contractor to do it for me!
Thanks a bunch. I will attach a picture of the installed fan later.
Thanks again guys! Removed box Box on the floor, came out in several pieces. Box I usee Box on Lowe's website
I was replacing a ceiling light fixture this afternoon when all of a sudden there was no more power in the box. there are 3 sets of wires in the box: power coming in, another set of wires going out, and a third that runs to the wall switch. Nothing in the entire box is giving any power. I checked all the breakers and none were tripped. I even switched every breaker off and on again to be sure. Every other light fixture and outlet in the house is still working, which is what’s most baffling about this. It appears this light is in the mid-stream, as if it was the last thing on the circuit there would only be two sets of wires in the box (one coming in and one going out and back from the switch).
I’m at a completely loss for what could be happening. The only thing I can think of is if there is some hidden box in my ceiling where a wire has come loose, but I still feel like something else should have no power since power can’t be leaving the box. I’m attaching a photo of the wire configuration. The black wire at the top left is between the fixture and the switch. The bottom left cluster has the white wire going to the switch and the two blacks from the other sets of wires. The other two whites are joined. When I pulled off the old fixture. The cluster of 3 was wired and tucked up in the box. The light was wired to the single black wire and the two whites.
Anyone have a clue what could be happening here? It’s baffling to me. Thanks in advance.
[img]https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.doityourselft.com-vbulletin/1500x2000/2389e201_8605_4f12_82bd_ca27854457a6_5807ad210b0f08a419ff0f0656f972035f7139db.jpeg[/img]
Hi,
I just installed two motion sensing lights on the outside of my home and they are working, sensing motion, etc. Both lights are individually connected to toggle switches just inside my front door. The two lights are from two different manufacturers.
Question…can I replace those toggle switches with timer switches?
Asking this because, once I’m home for the evening and especially during the overnight hours, I don’t necessarily want the sensors to light up every time a car goes by, which they do right now. I really want the lights to work if I happen to go out for the evening so when I do arrive back home, the lights turn on, rather than leaving the lights the whole time that I’m not home. Seems like a waste of energy.
Do I need to delve into the world of home automation to accomplish this?
Thanks,
AndreaB
09-05-21, 06:17 PM
