Wiring a Ceiling Fan
Most ceiling fans come complete with a light, a variable speed motor, and a reverse switch.
This seems like a lot to think about when you're doing all the wiring, but it is really easy.
The fan manufacturers take all the guesswork out for you.
The most important thing to remember is that ceiling fans are fairly heavy and they need a strong light box to hold them in place.
If you're building a new home, then you can put a fan light box in the ceiling instead of a regular light box.
A fan light box is made of metal and usually extends between two floor joists or rafters for extra strength.
Be sure to turn off the circuit breaker in the breaker box to kill the power.
Also make sure to communicate to other members in the house what you are doing so they don't accidentally turn the breaker on.
When you're ready to install the ceiling fan, you will need to take apart the fan housing from the canopy.
The canopy is the base of the fan that connects to the light box in your ceiling.
It will have the wires that you need to connect to the wires in the ceiling light box.
The functionality of the fan will determine how many wires it has.
If the ceiling fan has a light, there will most likely be four wires that need to be connected.
There will be a black wire for the fan, a blue wire for the light, a white neutral wire, and a green ground wire.
The black and blue wires from the fan can both be wired to the black wire from the light box with a wire nut.
The white wire from the fan will connect to the white wire from the light box, and the green wire will connect to the copper ground wire from the light box with wire nuts.
Once the electrical connection is finished, the wires should be secured and tucked neatly into the ceiling light box.
Now the canopy of the fan can be attached to the mounting screws in the light box.
Make sure the screws are tight.
Now you can install the fan housing to the canopy to secure the fan motor.
This is done with the housing screws.
Make sure these screws are tight also.
Once that is finished, you can install the fan blades.
Most fans will only allow the blades to fit in one way.
Now, you can turn the breaker on and test the fan to see if it works.
This seems like a lot to think about when you're doing all the wiring, but it is really easy.
The fan manufacturers take all the guesswork out for you.
The most important thing to remember is that ceiling fans are fairly heavy and they need a strong light box to hold them in place.
If you're building a new home, then you can put a fan light box in the ceiling instead of a regular light box.
A fan light box is made of metal and usually extends between two floor joists or rafters for extra strength.
Be sure to turn off the circuit breaker in the breaker box to kill the power.
Also make sure to communicate to other members in the house what you are doing so they don't accidentally turn the breaker on.
When you're ready to install the ceiling fan, you will need to take apart the fan housing from the canopy.
The canopy is the base of the fan that connects to the light box in your ceiling.
It will have the wires that you need to connect to the wires in the ceiling light box.
The functionality of the fan will determine how many wires it has.
If the ceiling fan has a light, there will most likely be four wires that need to be connected.
There will be a black wire for the fan, a blue wire for the light, a white neutral wire, and a green ground wire.
The black and blue wires from the fan can both be wired to the black wire from the light box with a wire nut.
The white wire from the fan will connect to the white wire from the light box, and the green wire will connect to the copper ground wire from the light box with wire nuts.
Once the electrical connection is finished, the wires should be secured and tucked neatly into the ceiling light box.
Now the canopy of the fan can be attached to the mounting screws in the light box.
Make sure the screws are tight.
Now you can install the fan housing to the canopy to secure the fan motor.
This is done with the housing screws.
Make sure these screws are tight also.
Once that is finished, you can install the fan blades.
Most fans will only allow the blades to fit in one way.
Now, you can turn the breaker on and test the fan to see if it works.