At the ceiling box - the black and red wires coming from the switches are
both ungrounded switch legs {aka hots}. You will have 2 ungrounded fixture
conductors {aka hots}, one for the fan and one for the lights. The ungrounded
fixture conductor {aka hot} for the fan connects to the black wire from
the switch and the ungrounded fixture conductor {aka hot} for the light
connects to the red wire wire coming from the switch. The white wire from the
switch cable serves as a grounded leg {aka neutral} for both the fan and the
lights. This arrangement allows you to switch separately the fan and lights
(fan from one location and lights from 2 locations)
Bare wires are together and grounded to box and if the fixture has a green
wire or a grounding screw , it gets grounded also. Bares and green wires are
equipment grounding conductors.
On the cable between switch box 1 and 2 , wrap a piece of black electrical
tape around the white wire (at both ends) to indicate that this white wire
is being redesignated and used as a ungrounded switch leg {aka hot}.
Be sure to read all documentation that comes with your fan / light combo
fixture.
If you need onward power from the fixture then
If only switched power required onward then at existing fixture
- onward cable - black/white/bare
- connect black from onward cable
to the black OR Red wire coming from
switch {depending
onwhich switch(s) you want the onward switched power
to be
controlled from}
- connect white from onward cable
to white wire coming from switch.
- connect bare from onward cable
to bare coming from switch
and
to electrical box if metallic.
- At the onward cables destination, the black is the switched ungrounded
conductor
{aka hot}, the white is the grounded leg {aka neutral}, and the
bare is the
equipment grounding conductor.
If only unswitch power required onward then at existing fixture
This is not possible with this configuration
as no unswitched
ungrounded conductors {aka hots}
exist at the fixture location.
If 2 separately switched power is required onward then at existing
fixture
- onward cable - black/red//white/bare
- connect black from onward cable
to black wire coming from switch.
- connect red from onward cable
to the red wire coming from switch.
- connect white from onward cable
to white coming from switch.
- connect bare from onward cable
to bare coming from switch
and
to electrical box if metallic.
- At the onward cables destination, the black and red wires are separately switched
ungrounded
conductors {aka hots}, the white is the grounded leg {aka neutral},
and
the bare is the equipment grounding conductor.
If you need onward power from the switch
NOTE: In regards to the switch box locations - in this configuration
onward power is only available at switch box 1. Switch box 2 has no grounded
leg {aka neutral} and therefore onward power is not possible at switch box
2. Descriptions bellow are based on switch box 1 location...
If only switched power required onward then at existing switch
- onward cable - black/white/bare
- connect black from onward cable
to either of the following wires {but not both}...
[aa]
pigtailed to the black wire going between switch box and fixture
[bb]
pigtailed to the red wire
The choice will depend on if
you want the onward switched power to be controlled
by one switch at one location
or by the 3 way switches at the 2 locations.
- connect white from onward cable
to white coming from circuit power supply cable.
- connect bare from onward cable
to other bares and
to electrical
box if metallic.
- At the onward cables destination, the black is the switched ungrounded
conductor
{akahot}, the white is the grounded leg {aka neutral}, and
the
bare
is the equipment grounding conductor.
If only unswitch power required onward then at existing switch
- onward cable - black/white/bare
- connect black from onward cable
to black from the circuit power supply cable.
- connect white from onward cable
to white circuit power supply cable.
- connect bare from onward cable
to other bares and
to electrical
box if metallic.
- At the onward cables destination
, the black is the ungrounded conductor {aka hot},
the
white is the grounded leg {aka neutral}, and the bare is the equipment
grounding conductor.
If switched and unswitched power required onward then at existing
switch
- onward cable - black/red//white/bare
- connect black from onward cable
to black circuit power supply cable.
- connect red from onward cable
to either of the following wires {but not both}...
[aa]
pigtailed to the black wire going between switch box and fixture
[bb]
pigtailed to the red wires.
The choice will depend on if
you want the onward switched power to be
controlled by one switch at
one location or by the 3 way switches at the 2 locations.
- connect white from onward cable
to white circuit power supply cable.
- connect bare from onward cable
to other bares and
to electrical
box if metallic.
- At the onward cables destination
, the black wire is the unswitched
ungrounded
conductor {aka hot},red wire is the switched ungrounded
conductor
{aka hot} , the white wire is the grounded leg {aka neutral},
and
the bare wire is the equipment grounding conductor.
If 2 separately switched power is required onward then at existing
switch
- onward cable - black/red//white/bare
- connect black from onward cable
to the black wire going between switch box and fixture
- connect red from onward cable
to the red wire coming from switch2 or fixture.
- connect white from onward cable
to white coming from circuit power supply cable.
- connect bare from onward cable
to bare coming from circuit
power
supply cable and to electrical box if metallic.
- At the onward cables destination, the black and red wires are separately switched
ungrounded
conductors {aka hots}, the white is the grounded leg {aka neutral},
and
the bare is the equipment grounding conductor.{red being controlled
by the
3 way switches at 2 locations, and the black being controlled by 1 switch
at 1
location}
Fan / Light switched separately
power source at switch and light controlled by 2 3way switches and fan at one
location only
If wiring multiple fixtures be sure to check the following guidelines
concerning how to do it and what not to do: Wiring
Multiple Fixtures.
If you are new at understanding the "politically correct" electrical terminology
and need clarification of the terms used, we strongly urge you to read the Clarification
of Definitions and Terminology guide. This will explain the terminology
used in this article.