Fan Light Switched Separately - Power Source at Switch, Light Controlled by 2 3-Way Switches and Fan at 1 Location

This article describes a fan light switched separately with a power source at switch, and the light is controlled by twp 3-way switches and fan at 1 location.

At the ceiling box - the ungrounded conductor {aka hot} from the fan connects to the black wire from the switch.. The ungrounded conductor {aka hot} for the light connects to the red wire coming from the switch. The white wire from the circuit power supply cable is the grounded leg conductor {aka neutral} for both the fan and light. The white wire from the switch connects to the black wire from the circuit power supply cable. This will provide an constant switched ungrounded conductor {aka hot} for the fan and a switched ungrounded conductor {aka hot} for the light.

Wrap a piece of black electrical tape around both ends of the white wire going between the switch and the fixture to indicate that the wire is being used as a ungrounded conductor {aka hot}. Also do the same to the white wire going between switch box 1 and 2 , as this wire is also being used as a ungrounded conductor {aka hot}.

Bare wires are together and grounded to box (if metallic) and if the fixture has a green wire or a grounding screw , it gets grounded also. Bares and green wires are equipment grounding conductors.

Be sure to read all documentation that comes with your fan / light combo fixture.

If you need onward power from the fixture

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 of the 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 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

• onward cable - black/white/bare
• connect black from onward cable to black wire coming from circuit power source cable
• connect white from onward cable to white coming from circuit power supply cable
• connect bare from onward cable to bare coming from circuit power source cable 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 fixture

• onward cable - black/red//white/bare
• connect black from onward cable to black wire coming from circuit power supply cable
• connect red from onward cable to the black wire OR Red wire coming from switch {depending on which switch(s) you want the onward switched power controlled from}
• 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 is the unswitched ungrounded conductor {aka hot}, red is the switched ungrounded conductor {aka hot}, the white is the grounded leg {aka neutral}, and the bare is the equipment grounding conductor.

(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 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.

If you need onward power from the switch

This is not possible with this configuration as no grounded leg {aka neutral} exists at the switch locations.

Fan / Light switched separately, power source at light and light controlled by 2, 3-way 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.