The second part of this section deals with the wiring of ceiling fans with lights, as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1 - Ceiling fan with light
NOTE 1: Pull chain, slider or other styles of switches, for the fan and/or light, that are mounted within the fixture can be ignored. If wall switches are used to control the fan and/or light the switches on the fixture should be turned to the ON
position.
The wires that exit the ceiling fan/light fixture must then be connected to the wires found in the electrical box. There are many configurations possible. The following diagram highlight the most common.
For the purpose of the diagrams we assume that if there is only one wall switch it powers the light and the fan is controlled by a switch on the fixture (the reverse is possible by changing the wire in the fixture identified as fan to light and the wire identified as light to fan. The wall switch can be an ON/OFF
switch, a variable speed control or dimmer. There is no difference to the wiring.
These drawings are based on the wiring methods that an electrician would use in new construction. Wiring may differ somewhat if a switch or fixture was added at a later date.
Click on picture for larger view.
Fan & Light Combo
Power Enters At Ceiling Box
As Last Fixture On Circuit
No Wall Switches
Power Enters At Ceiling Box
Circuit Continues On
No Wall Switches
Power Enters At Ceiling Box
As Last Fixture On Circuit
One Wall Switch For Light
Power Enters At Ceiling Box
Circuit Continues On
One Wall Switch For Light
Power Enters At Ceiling Box
As Last Fixture On Circuit
Two Wall Switches - Light & Fan
Power Enters At Ceiling Box
Circuit Continues On
Two Wall Switches - Light & Fan
Power Enters At Switch Box
One Wall Switch
Power Enters At Switch Box
Two Wall Switches - Light & Fan
An electrical box acts as a junction box. This means that the circuit could split at this point and run to numerous other devices and fixtures. If this box is used to split the circuit then there could be many black, white and ground wires connected together. This scenario could apply to any of the wiring diagrams presented.