Ceiling Fan Wiring

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jeff48356

Senior Member
Location
Livonia, Michigan
I'm just wondering what your opinions are on this:

Do you think ceiling fan boxes should be required by Code to be wired with 3-wire cable, rather than 2-wire? I often find myself needing to replace the 2-wire cable feeding a ceiling box with 3-wire because the customers want to install a fan. 3-wire cable is required in order to be able to operate the light and the fan separately from the wall without using pull-chains on fans. If the builder doesn't want to install a fan right away, that's fine -- just cap off the red at the switch and ceiling boxes. This way, if someone else wants to install a fan in the future, they can do so without rewiring anything.

Whenever I wire a room that ceiling fans are commonly used in, I ALWAYS run 3-wire cable and a fan-rated box, whether the end customer intends to install a fan or not.
 
readydave8

readydave8

re member
Location
Clarkesville, Georgia
Occupation
electrician
jeff48356 said:
I'm just wondering what your opinions are on this:

Do you think ceiling fan boxes should be required by Code to be wired with 3-wire cable, rather than 2-wire? I often find myself needing to replace the 2-wire cable feeding a ceiling box with 3-wire because the customers want to install a fan. 3-wire cable is required in order to be able to operate the light and the fan separately from the wall without using pull-chains on fans. If the builder doesn't want to install a fan right away, that's fine -- just cap off the red at the switch and ceiling boxes. This way, if someone else wants to install a fan in the future, they can do so without rewiring anything.

Whenever I wire a room that ceiling fans are commonly used in, I ALWAYS run 3-wire cable and a fan-rated box, whether the end customer intends to install a fan or not.
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We don't need for this to be required by code, no.

If I was looking for something to add to make service work more convenient (I'm not), I would require all panel boxes to be installed such that circuits could be added without disturbing or fishing behind finished walls.

But the NEC cannot consider every possible scenario. And I can charge more for fishing than I can for opening access panel.
 
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JFletcher

Senior Member
Location
Williamsburg, VA
jeff48356 said:
I'm just wondering what your opinions are on this:

Do you think ceiling fan boxes should be required by Code to be wired with 3-wire cable, rather than 2-wire? I often find myself needing to replace the 2-wire cable feeding a ceiling box with 3-wire because the customers want to install a fan. 3-wire cable is required in order to be able to operate the light and the fan separately from the wall without using pull-chains on fans. If the builder doesn't want to install a fan right away, that's fine -- just cap off the red at the switch and ceiling boxes. This way, if someone else wants to install a fan in the future, they can do so without rewiring anything.

Whenever I wire a room that ceiling fans are commonly used in, I ALWAYS run 3-wire cable and a fan-rated box, whether the end customer intends to install a fan or not.
Click to expand...


This is above and beyond NEC minimums. If you can upsell it, by all means.
 
growler

growler

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta,GA
jeff48356 said:
I'm just wondering what your opinions are on this:

Do you think ceiling fan boxes should be required by Code to be wired with 3-wire cable, rather than 2-wire? I often find myself needing to replace the 2-wire cable feeding a ceiling box with 3-wire because the customers want to install a fan. 3-wire cable is required in order to be able to operate the light and the fan separately from the wall without using pull-chains on fans. If the builder doesn't want to install a fan right away, that's fine -- just cap off the red at the switch and ceiling boxes. This way, if someone else wants to install a fan in the future, they can do so without rewiring anything.

Whenever I wire a room that ceiling fans are commonly used in, I ALWAYS run 3-wire cable and a fan-rated box, whether the end customer intends to install a fan or not.
Click to expand...

That is a design issue and not a safety issue.

There is nothing that is not safe about useing the pull chains or a remote, it's done all the time.

The code does not cover future expansion. You are required to meet code when you expand an electrical system but not before.
 
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JDB3

Senior Member
Location
San Antonio, Texas
I often use a fan rated box in areas where the owners may select a heavier than normal light fixture, especially in dinning or entry areas of some of the houses that I wire.
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
JDB3 said:
I often use a fan rated box in areas where the owners may select a heavier than normal light fixture, especially in dinning or entry areas of some of the houses that I wire.
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Nothing wrong with that. What was changed in 2011 was that if you run two separately switched ungrounded conductors to it you must use a fan rated box. That said I still believe this is design issues and shouldn't be a requirement. Might be wise to put fan rated box there, and many did just that before it was a requirement, but if there is not going to be a fan there NEC has no business requiring a fan box. Even if there is a fan there as long as it is independently supported from the box you still shouldn't need a fan rated box.
 
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