How to Wire a Fan With a Light
- 1). Understand the electrical wires that will be connected to complete the project. In the switch junction box, a power, or "hot" wire and a ground wire run from the service panel to the switch junction box. These deliver electricity to the two switches and provides a ground connection. From the fan with light to the switch box, there are two switch legs: an exhaust fan control wire and a light control wire. These deliver electricity from the two single pole switches to the exhaust fan and light separately when each switch is turned on or off. Finally, there should be a ground and a neutral wire from the exhaust fan and light to the service panel. At the fan-light assembly, there should be a "light" and "fan" tag to identify the wires for making the correct connections.
- 2). Shut off the circuit breaker controlling the exhaust fan and light junction and switch box. Test with a volt meter to make certain there is no electrical current flowing in the wires where you will be working.
- 3). With insulation strippers, remove about 3/4 of an inch of insulation from the ends of all wires. These are the four wires in the exhaust fan and light switch junction box, and the three wires at the exhaust fan and light assembly.
- 4). Position the two single pole switches so that the lettering on the "on" and "off" switches is oriented correctly. After the wiring is completed, the switches will be mounted to the junction box in this direction.
- 5). Make the electrical connections at the switch junction box: 1. Hot (colored) wire to the hot set screw located at the bottom of the single pole switch 2. Ground (green) wire to both ground set screws (green) located on the back of both single pole switches, using a jumper wire 3. Exhaust fan switch leg (colored) wire to the set screw located at the top of the first single pole 4. Light switch leg (colored) wire to the set screw located at the top of the second single pole switch; and, 5. Cut a short section of wire (same color as the "hot" wire) and connect from the bottom screw of one switch to the bottom screw of the other switch. Two wires will be connected to one screw; this is the "hot" wire running in and the jumper wire to the other switch.
- 6). Make the electrical connections at the fan and light assembly: 1. Exhaust fan switch leg (colored) wire from the switch box to the exhaust fan (colored) wire from the fan-light assembly 2. Light switch leg (colored) wire from the swich box to the light (colored) wire from the fan-light assembly 3. Neutral (white) wire from the service panel to the white wire from the exhaust fan-light assembly; and, 4. Ground (green) wire from the service panel to the ground (green) wire from the fan-light assembly. Screw wire nuts on all wire connections and wrap with electrical tape.
- 7). Using 6/32-inch mounting screws, 2 each, mount the two single pole switches to the junction box. Install a double switch cover plate.
- 8). Turn electricity back on at the circuit breaker. The single pole switches now operate the exhaust fan and light.
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