DIYbanter - View Single Post - Ceiling fan install

Nate Nagel

wrote:
Before I start, I'll note that I'm about 50/50 on calling in an
electrician over this. I don't want to waste money and this seems
like a very simple electrical install, but I also don't want to either
kill myself or my new ceiling fan.

Anyway, I just bought a ceiling fan to replace another one that had
mysteriously died just after a somewhat shady electrician had come in
and done some work. We called him back, he tested the wiring and said
we had power, so yeah, the fan was just dead. It *was* old, and a
cheap piece of junk. So we bought a new one.

I decided I was going to hang it myself. I took the old one down and
then used a neon tester to test the wires. I have only one black and
one white wire; nothing else. I assume the junction box itself is
grounded, my neon tester lights up when i touch black wire to junction
box.

Problem is it *also* lights up if I connect white wire to junction
box, which doesn't seem right and isn't what other sites have said
should happen. Seems this wire is live, or the junction box is.
Wondering if this killed my old ceiling fan.

Am I off track here? Should I call in an electrician or am I just not
testing right? Everywhere I've read says black to ground should light
my tester, white to ground should not.

Thanks for any help...

You gotta do some more investigatin' - do you have a voltmeter?

I'd be interested to see what is inside the switch box on the wall as
well, if there is one.

good luck

nate

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