Hyderabadghar/Do it your self/Wiring a Ceiling Fan/Light

When it comes to installing ceiling fans, homeowners commonly assume that a fan can be suspended from an existing ceiling box used for a light fixture. This is not the case. A ceiling-suspended fan weighing up to 35 pounds, for example, requires an electrical box that is approved for the weight of the fixture. (NEC Article 422-18a.) If it does not have this approval, an existing box must be replaced with a compatible one. It is also important to remember that the electrical box must be firmly secured to the structural framing. If the box is not completely rigid, the fan will wobble, vibrate, or even fall. A fan weighing more than 35 pounds must be supported independently of the electrical box. (NEC Article 422-18b.)

Adding a light kit to a ceiling fan is a popular option among homeowners, but be aware that some light kits produce only enough illumination for general-purpose lighting and not for task lighting. If you place a light kit on your ceiling fan, you can install wall switches to control the fan and light independently.

PROJECT BASICS

Project: Moderate
Estimated Project Time: 3 hours
Start Tips: Install your fan so there is 2 feet or more between the fan blade tips and the wall, 1 foot or more between the blades and the ceiling, and 7 feet or more between the bottom of the fan and the floor.
Safety Tips: You may need an assistant to hold the fan while you wire it.
Recommendation: Do-it-Yourself

TOOLS & MATERIALS

Ceiling fan/light	Insulated screwdriver
Drywall saw	Hammer
Fish tape	Long-nose pliers
No. 12-2g NM cable	Cable clamps (if boxes are metal)
No. 12-3g NM cable	Approved fan/light ceiling box
Cable ripper	Switch box of appropriate style
Multipurpose tool	Light switch
Wire connectors	Fan switch
Hanger bracket, as needed (for fans over 35 lbs.)	Stepladder

Fig. 2

Using fish tape, pull No. 12-2g NM cable from the breaker panel or a nearby available electrical source (if there is room on the circuit for the equivalent of two extra fixtures) to the switch-box opening and No. 12-3g NM cable from the switch box to the fan box opening in the ceiling.

Using a screwdriver and hammer, punch out a knockout in the switch box, install the switch box in the opening, and pull both cables (from the power source and to the fan) into the box. Secure the cables in the box with clamps. Using cable rippers, rip open about 6 inches of sheathing off each cable and strip 3/4 inch of insulation off each of the wires. Do the same for the cable in the fan box. (Figs. 1 and 2)

The three-wire cable from the switch box to the fan box allows you the option of controlling the light and fan independently. If you decide that you do not want to have independent control at the moment, run the three-wire cable anyway so you will preserve the option for later.

Fig. 3

2) Wire the electrical boxes
Although there are two ways to run power to a ceiling fan/light — through the ceiling box or through the switch box — the preferred way is to bring power to the fan/light through the switch box. This makes troubleshooting a lot easier should problems arise later and minimizes crowding wires in the ceiling box. (However, do not overlook the convenience of using a power source in an existing ceiling light that will be replaced by the new fan.)

After installing an approved, properly supported ceiling box, mount the fan hanging bracket that comes with the fan according to manufacturer's instructions. With many styles of fans, you can hang the fan body on this bracket while you make the electrical connections.

The unit may come with the wires for the fan and the light connections tagged. If so, connect these wires to the appropriate switch wires. Otherwise, follow this wiring suggestion:

In the fan/light ceiling box, splice together the black hot wire from the fixture and the black lead wire (hot) from the fan switch, and cap the connection with a wire connector. Connect the red (or blue) hot wire from the fan/light to the red lead wire (hot) from the light switch. Next, connect the white neutral wire from the switch box and the white neutral wire(s) from the fixture. Then splice the green grounding wire from the fixture to the bare-copper grounding wire from the switch box; if the ceiling box is metal, be sure to connect a pigtail ground wire from the grounding splice to the ground screw on the box (Fig. 3). After you are finished wiring, install the decorative escutcheon plate with screws and then attach fan blades according to the season and air flow you desire.

Fig. 4

In the switch box, pigtail the black feeder wire (hot) to both the light and fan switches, and connect the white neutral feeder to the white neutral wire from the fixture. Then connect the hot wires in the three-wire cable from the fixture to their respective switches; the red wire connects to the light switch and the black wire to the fan switch (Fig. 4). Push the switch wires into the box, screw the switches into place, and install the cover plate.