Fan Support Boxes

Status
Not open for further replies.
D

dpenbert

Member
Location
Missouri
I have outlet boxes listed "acceptable for fan support" that have threaded posts for screws to mount fans separate from the box ears. NEC article 422.18 states that any fan weighing more than 35 pounds shall be supported independent of the box. If the fan is mounted to the box ears and also the threaded posts, will this meet the requirement stated in 422.18?

Thanks,
--------------
DWP - St. Louis,MO
 
Re: Fan Support Boxes

422.18 has been revised for 2005. It states that a fan shall be supported independently of the box OR by a box that is identified for the use (the 35# automatic restriction is removed). If the box that you are using is limited to 35 pounds and the fan weighs more than 35 pounds then you will need to support it independently. Since the ears are part of the box that would not satisfy this requirement.
 
Re: Fan Support Boxes

It doesn't say independant of the two 8-32's.

It has to be supported separately. You could weld the fan to the box but that wont stop the box from coming loose.
 
Re: Fan Support Boxes

Suggestions on a good way to support the fan independently when I have a suspended structural ceiling(Gypsum Ceiling), suspended from concrete grade?
 
Re: Fan Support Boxes

I don't understand what kind of ceiling it is.

Is it T-bar or joists? Is it concrete above the ceiling?
 
Re: Fan Support Boxes

We used to use a "powder actuated tool" to shoot a threaded stud into the concrete and then use "all-thread" to support fixtures.
 
Re: Fan Support Boxes

You could use a couple lengths of rigid with mounting flanges on both ends. Anchor to the concrete, put a 2x12 on the other end.

What haskindm says wasn't there while I was typing. That sounds good.

[ August 18, 2005, 02:59 PM: Message edited by: physis ]
 
Re: Fan Support Boxes

PATs are great... Just make sure the concrete you are driving into isnt old or already showing signs of cracking/crumbling...
 
Re: Fan Support Boxes

Go to Arlington Products they have fan support stuff for almost any setup you wish. There is a actual device thats ul approved for fans that weigh less than 35 lbs which is just about any Home depot Fan.
In South Florida all fans nust be installed on listed identified fan boxes. The AHJ is the South Florida Building Code.
I have prior to Hurricane Andrew taken a 3/4 inch sheet of plywood buy at Home Depot 2 foot by 4 foot shave a little off the edges with a sander and installed above the cieling panel by laying in the grid and then screwed a pancake fan box from arlington thru a cutout in the tile into the plywood. They also have a box designed to be clamped to a 2 X 4 stud that you can bridge across steel beams for fan support.
But stay away from unistrut devices the fans wobble like crazy the key to sucess is get the box as ridgid as is humanely possible otherwise I dont care if its the most expensive fan built or a Blue Light special it will wobble to the point where the stop in the fan support wears off and the fan spins in its mounts till it snaps the wiring ( I have fixed 4 of these so far)

Our meat and potatoes is fans and fixtures so since moving to Florida 15 years ago we have learned a lot about what does and does not work.
In addition Lowes sells a fan box that is awesome comes with all the parts and a plastic cover so that you can install your box after roughing inspection than cover the box with the plastic cover and after the painters leave and you are trimming out the room/house what ever you have a clean unpainted box/wiring to work with

Have a special day today. :cool:
 
Re: Fan Support Boxes

Can you find out who the manufacturer of the T bar ceiling is because they should have a system for suporting this fixture :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top