"John A. Weeks III" ...
Rich Greenberg:
Tomes :
Folks,
It was easy for me to replace the ceiling fan/light in the upstairs
bathroom as I could attack if from the attic, where everything was
right
there and open for me. I now would like to do the same with the
ceiling
fan/light in the downstairs bathroom (1st floor), but my problem is
that I
don't have the handy attic to get at it from. I took off the cover
from
the existing light/fan, and I see the box, which is about the same
size as
the hole cut in the wallboard ceiling. I just do not see how I can
get
the box out without ripping apart the ceiling. I would really like to
be
able to do this without messing with the ceiling wall if I can.

Why do you think you need to get the box out of the ceiling? You
should
be able to just remove the screws holding it onto the box. This should
allow the fan/light to drop down enough that you can get to the
wireing.
Disconnect it, remove, install new one in the reverse of removal.

One issue to consider is if the box was reinforced for a ceiling
fan. If there was a fan there before, and it was installed up
to code, then you should be good to go. In that case, Rich's
advice is a good as gold...you should be able to make the swap-
a-roo without any cutting into the ceiling.


So the advice here is to just replace the guts inside the box and not use
the new box that comes with the new assembly. Hmmm. I am thinking that
the new stuff really wants to use the new box as it is already all put
together and all. I'll take another look at the stuff and consider this.
Thanks for a thought that I had not considered yet.
Tomes