Whether you are looking to wire a ceiling fan with lights to one power switch or add a fan in a room without a switch source this guide will teach you how to wire a ceiling fan using four common scenarios and the best wiring methods.
Wiring a ceiling light with 2 wires.
One example of a 3 wire lighting system.
The hot and neutral terminals on each fixture are spliced with a pigtail to the circuit wires which then continue on to the next light.
Untwist the fixture wires from the house wiring.
Use a phillips screwdriver to unscrew the mounting screws and bring down the light fixture.
Twist the ends of the two light fixture lead wires together.
The 3 wire system is less common than the 2 wire system it includes a neutral at the switch as well as the live and switched live wires.
After hooking up all the wires tuck them back in the bracket and put the faceplate up.
An enthusiastic homeowner can save the cost of a professional by knowing which wires connect to which.
It is helpful to have someone to hold the fixture as you uncap the wires and remove any electrical tape.
If your device does not have lights the same step applies.
Connect the electrical wire to your source of power using the pliers and wire nuts and fish it through the joists until it reaches the light switch.
Depending on the age of the home there may be one or more cables found in the ceiling junction box.
Wiring ceiling fans can seem complicated but the task really just depends on the type of fan you are installing and how you want it to operate.
If you see a brown wire in a ceiling light it could be the hot or ground wire but probably not the neutral.
Most light fixtures have two electrical wires with colored insulation and a copper ground wire.
The source is at sw1 and 2 wire cable runs from there to the fixtures.
You can also connect the blue wires or the blue to the black wire.
These cables are used for distributing power to the light fixture the wall switch and may provide power to wall receptacle outlets as well.
An example of a 3 wire lighting circuit is shown in figure 2.
Remove the old ceiling light.
When completing your 4 wire ceiling fan switch wiring remember to connect the black wire to the unit s black and blue wires.
You can identify the wires with a multimeter but the two part test requires the light to be energized.
Multiple light wiring diagram.
For your safety wear rubber gloves when conducting it.
Drill through the floor in the correct stud bay and send the wires for the switch and the light up to the switch using the fish tape.
This diagram illustrates wiring for one switch to control 2 or more lights.