Home Projects: Ceiling Fan install with no existing wiring

[@2008tfe]

Here is the fan that the "boss" picked out. I see what you did there. Lol. You're 100% correct.

[@aztekamx87]

great video, those wire connectors look great , will use them for now on , thanks a lot!

[@jeffrichied4521]

at 2:45 I see you tapped into a junction box that was already in the attic. If this didn't exist, how could you run the new wire to the ceiling fan? Could you tap into the circuit that the closet light is on? I've installed ceiling fans and switches where wire was already run, but running the wire is the part of my project I'm not really clear on. Any resources you'd recommend since this might too long to answer in comments. Thx much! ...and great video!

[@briancnc]

Sure, that would have been my next go to. The most important thing is that you stay within the maximum of the circuit so if it's a 15A circuit and only powering some general purpose receptacles and closet light you should be good to add a fan but have to always consider total current draw if all are used at full capacity.

[@wdj1960]

It would have been nice if you described which ceiling fan wires connected to the electrical wire you ran

[@RADMAN0257]

He didn't mention much if anything about how to wire the new fan. I'm pretty sure he needed a 2 conductor wire (black/white + green/ground), probably 14 gauge, to run power from the feeder box he found in the attic, down the wall, to where his new box/fan switch was. Then another 2 conductor wire to run up the wall from the new box/fan switch to the new fan box in the ceiling. He use a 3 conductor wire which included a red wire, like used in a 3-way switch application. I assume he didn't use the red wires. In the new box he would connect all the new white wires (neutrals) together and then connect one black wire to one connector on the new switch and the other black wire to the other connector on the new switch. When the switch is on the power from the feeder box he used in the attic gets sent to the fan.

[@floydatwell7384]

Hi Brian, I like you demo video it was very helpful. The couple of thing I wished you had gone into more detail is how you wired up the new power wire to the light switch to the power wire in the junction box in the attic. A little more visual look at how the off center bracket hanger you used connected to the joist in the attic was attached. The 3rd thing would be how you connected the fan electrical wiring to the 3-wire in the ceiling since that is a little confusing. I know you would connect the fan's blue & black to power on a 2-wire black power lead, but I am not sure how you connected the 3-wire electrical cable to the new light switch in the wall, did you not use the red wire or did you use the red wire and make it hot and connected it to the blue wire on the fan. Not knowing makes it hard to visualize how they were all connected.

[@briancnc]

The wiring can be done in different ways and some switches are different but basically you can run an extra wire for individual fan speed control. If you are only switching power then you can only control fan speed and lights separately at the fan itself with the pull chains. This is usually what people do when they swap a light with fan but is limiting.

[@garrettf4435]

Great video. Thanks for sharing! Could you make the fan speed adjustable with a type of "dimmer" switch on the wall as well?

[@briancnc]

Yes, this one has it.

[@freak29ful]

If there was already a power , there’s no need to connect to the junction box right ? All you need to do is run the 14/3 ?

[@briancnc]

Yes

[@trevhaydon5090]

Nice job Brian, Well explained and demonstrated. Thank you. All the best from North London UK

[@briancnc]

Thank you Trev!

[@klebermachado5656]

Hello Brian , i love your videos ! very informative and easy to understand ..... good job @ 11:30 the screws on the finish plate aligned perfect ... small details that makes a a simple task well done ....great job...

[@briancnc]

Thanks Kleber!

[@JonnyDIY]

Thank you, great video. Were you able to get the lights to be dimmable?

[@ryanplays4634]

Best vodeo

[@briancnc]

Thanks Ryan!

[@awajservicesinc.5059]

The fan name is Holly Springs

[@bendarling3495]

What would this typically cost for the labor and materials?

[@briancnc]

Hard to say, depends on the area but if you were to hire an electrician in the northeast I would say it would be no less than $500 including materials, up to $800 if they have to pull cable in an awkward place like a crawl attic like I did.

[@charlesgilliland532]

Clocked screws - craftsman

[@sleddog3092]

Bro I could see it on your arms. That attic must have been boiling like mine

[@PhantomEG]

Where can I find the connector used for that box?

[@briancnc]

Look on the video description I put links

[@PhantomEG]

BrianCNC thank you

[@Apache-Helicopter-Life]

Great video and nice work. I do have one question, why did you run 14/3 or 12/3 in place of 14/2? Light and fan Blue and Black hot run off black hot feed. Just a question. Thank you.

[@briancnc]

If you feed both fan and light a common switched power than you can't control them separately with a wall switch or adjust fan speed with that switch either. The cost difference is insignificant and you lose a lot of function trying to save a few bucks on one conductor.

[@Apache-Helicopter-Life]

BrianCNC makes sense. This seems to be the right way vs how the majority are installed having to use the pull strings to give separate function control. Thanks for the response, take care.

[@Quhnen]

@@briancnc How is the 14/3 wired in the junction box with the 14/2 wires? I am assuming the junction box has all 14/2 wires.

[@briancnc]

@@Quhnen If you mean the outlet box? Depends on your setup but still need a power feed, line + neutral + ground to either the switch or the fan box. A lot of people have existing lights in the ceiling so they can convert to a fan by either pulling a cable to the wall and installing a switch, pull chains (no need for pulling anything) or all of the more expensive newer fans now have remote switches, which is nice but I am not a fan of putting a battery remote switch on something that's permanently installed.

[@Quhnen]

@@briancnc Actually I meant the junction box in the attic where you drew your power from. Was it 14/3 or 14/2 in that junction box. If it was 14/2, how did you wire the 14/3 line that you rant to it?

[@georgelouis6515]

What about the math?

[@briancnc]

what math?

[@georgelouis6515]

BrianCNC the kind that has to do with electric and voltage for the light and fan so it does blow and burn the house down. This looks easy but if I do it myself I’d need a volt meter.

[@briancnc]

​@@georgelouis6515 There are only two nominal voltage potentials in a typ. american residential home - 120VAC or 240VAC split phase (typ for large appliances like ranges or clothes dryers. I made some assumptions, such as it's nominal 120V because what I'm tapping off of is the closet, which I had pulled cable on previously and know that's 120VAC but I always put my meter leads on the feeder before wiring in. In american homes a lot of consumers or potential consumers get lumped onto single circuits, enough to drive someone mad. My house is no different, turn off a breaker and a bunch of random devices/receptacles get de-energized, from one of the side to the other. While there isn't any serious math to be done you should always make considerations such as not overloading any circuit and staying under the safe threshold. You can also take your clamp on ammeter on the circuit lead to the breaker at the panel and see where you're at in a "typical" situation, IE normal operating with some things on. Of course most local building code will follow national electrical code you should always consult with a professional if you're not comfortable with electrical work and also if you don't know what you're doing. This project isn't for everyone, it's for 'entertainment' only.