When ceiling fans are installed in most homes, they are attached to a light kit. The majority of the time, people will elect use a fan that already has the light fixture attached to it. This prevents the possibility of the light kit not actually fitting or working properly with the new fan. These fan-light combinations require about the same amount of wiring expertise as simply installing a standard ceiling fan. The main difference is that the owner must decide whether to put the fan and light on the same switch or give them each their own switch.
One switch will usually serve quite well to help the fixture to function.
Nearly every fan-light combination comes with pull string switches installed so that the fan and light fixture can be operated independently of each other even if the combined fixture is on a single wall switch. The problems come up when you decide to install dimmers on the fan or the light. Another difficulty can arise if the fan is installed on a high ceiling so that the pull switches are out of reach without attaching excessively long strings or chains to extend them to within arm reach.
When using the pull switches is not practical, installing the light and fan on separate wall switches are the best choice.
By wiring the light and fan to their own respective wall switches, you can achieve a level of control that is lost when the two are combined. Once the wiring is completed, you have the ability to turn on the fan without the light and vice versa without having to travel to the fixture and pull the chains. By installing dimmer or infinite type wall switches, you can adjust the fan speed or the lighting ambiance from the wall also with more control than is usually offered by the manufacturer installed switches.
Begin the installation by running the wiring from the wall switch or switches to the location of the fixture.
Turn off the power to the fan at your circuit box to prevent electric shock. You will need to bring power from a source with live hot and ground wires to the ceiling fan-light combination fixture. Wires will have to be ran from that location to the switches to route the ground wires to the switch so that the switch will break the circuit on the ground and not the hot side. You may need to reinforce the bracing that will suspend the ceiling fan if you are replacing a simple light fixture. A good brace running from rafter to rafter will be needed to give adequate support. Attach the box to this brace or buy a special box designed to support ceiling fans.
Install the mounting bracket for the ball that suspends the fan from the ceiling.
The fan will come with a bracket that will allow you to slide a ball type of joint into place so that the fan can actually swing from the ceiling. Put the fan itself together according the directions with fan and light assembly. Let the wires hang out the upper side of the fixture. A second set of hands can come in handy if you have never installed a fan before. Put the ball into place and attach the rest of the joint to hold the fan in position. Affix the hot and ground wire attachments to the proper wires to supply power to the fixture and attach the switch wires. The instructions will tell you which wires drive the fan and the light.
The black wire coming from the power source is the hot wire.
The white and uninsulated wires are the grounds. The white ground should pass through the wall switches before completing the connection to the fan and light. To wire them both on one switch, attach both the fan and light wires together and use them as one wire when making the circuit attachments. For a separate switch install, attach the hot wires together, but the ground should be split into to wires to go to the switches. The returning insulated grounds should attach to the ground of the fan and the ground of the light as separate items.
Once the wiring is completed, test your fixture before completing the final installation.
Restore the power to your fixture. Turn on the switch and test your fan and light. If it works, you can attach the final coverings and tighten up any connections. You should be ready to put away the tools and enjoy your light and fan.
