Fan/Light Switched Together - Power Source at Fixture

At the ceiling box - The black wire from the switch connects to the ungrounded fixture conductors {aka hots} for both the fan and the lights. The white wire from the circuit power supply cable serves as a grounded leg {aka neutral} for both the fan and the lights.

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 both the fixture and switch ends of the cable going between the fixture and switch , wrap a piece of black electrical tape around the white wire 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 wire coming from switch.
• 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 supply 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 supply 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 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 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 you need onward power from the switch then

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

Fan / Light switched together - Power source at Fixture

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.