Ceiling fan under an arbor?

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dtaylor6347

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Terrell, TX.
I had a recent call from a builder about installing a outdoor rated ceiling fan under an arbor??? Is this possible, and if so what box would you use for the installation. I have checked with my local suppliers and have been unable to find a box rated for a ceiling fan and also NEMA 3r rated. Any information would be useful.:-?
 
dtaylor6347 said:
I have checked with my local suppliers and have been unable to find a box rated for a ceiling fan and also NEMA 3r rated. Any information would be useful.:-?
Click to expand...

Who says the box has to be both?
:wink:
 
dtaylor6347 said:
I had a recent call from a builder about installing a outdoor rated ceiling fan under an arbor??? Is this possible, and if so what box would you use for the installation. I have checked with my local suppliers and have been unable to find a box rated for a ceiling fan and also NEMA 3r rated. Any information would be useful.:-?
Click to expand...

Is this really an outdoor fan or is the roof watertight? Is the fan going to be subject to rain?
 
dtaylor6347 said:
From talking with the builder this is only an arbor and the fan and boxes will be subject to all weather.
Click to expand...

I have never seen a ceiling fan that can work in those conditions. I am sure someone makes them but I bet they have their own enclosure that you pipe into.
 
dtaylor6347 said:
From talking with the builder this is only an arbor and the fan and boxes will be subject to all weather.
Click to expand...

There are many wet location fans available and you don't have to use a fan rated box if you secure the fan into the structure.
 
Thanks for the link.... gave them a call and no box. The other option of mounting the fan to the structure and the box separately is the only other option I could come up with as well. Thanks for the help!!
 
If you run out of options, perhaps the builder will be willing to allow a small pyramidal cap over top of the fan/box, at the very least protecting it from vertical rain.

And if that doesn't work, you can always support one of these with unistrut and you're good to go. All setup for wet locations and everything.
 
Interestingly enough, I installed a wet-location-rated fan in an arbor about 3 months ago; here's what I did:

1. I Sawzalled two 1.5"-deep notches in each of the two intersecting 2x8's about 2.5" each side of center (four cuts) and broke out the wood in the middle, leaving a 5" wide, 1.5" deep recess.

This gave the box a space to fit into so the fan canopy could contact the 2x8's, rather than leave a gap between the canopy and the bottom edges of the wood.

2. I mounted a round cast box in the recess, open side down (of course), using two 1" stainless-steel screws. I then mounted the fan bracket over the box, using two 3.5" stainless-steel screws.

The 1" screws support the box via the cast-in ears. The 3" screws pass outside the round box and directly into the wood, eliminating the need for a fan-rated box.

The arbor has a fiberglass panel roof, so there's no direct rain, but the canopy, fan-motor body, and switch housing all have drain holes in the bottom surfaces anyway.
 
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