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RBM[_3_]

On 9/8/2011 11:14 PM, wrote:
On Sep 8, 10:34 pm, "hr(bob)
wrote:
On Sep 7, 9:07 pm, wrote:

"John wrote in message

...

From an earlier post, I have a top floor (second floor) apartment where
the
ceilings in the living room, 2 bedrooms, and a small hallway have now
been
removed. This was after the last tenant moved out and I am doing some
improvements to the apartment before a new tenant moves in.

Now that the ceilings are out, I want to add ceiling fan/lights in the
LR
and each BR, and a new hallway light and a new BR closet light. The
electrical panel is on a wall in the apartment.

I think I may want to split this up into two circuits -- one with two
ceiling fan/lights (LR and one BR) and the closet light; and the other
circuit with the other BR ceiling fan/light and the hallway light. Or,
I
could just put all 3 ceiling fan/lights and the hallway light and closet
light all on one circuit. Is either of these two options okay?

Also, for wiring the ceiling fan/lights and the hallway and closet
light, I
think the easiest option would be to run the power through the ceiling
to
each ceiling fan/light and the hallway and closet light -- then do a
3-wire
switch loop down to each ceiling fan/light control switch and a 2-wire
switch loop down to the hallway and closet light switches. Is there any
disadvantage to doing the wiring this way?

The alternative would be to run the power to each wall switch and then
do
3-wire connections up to the ceiling fan/lights etc. Any suggestions as
to
which way would be easier and way would make the most sense?

Thanks.

You'll be fine with one 15 amp circuit. Ceiling fan boxes tend to be
small, so routing the feed through them won't be practical. You would
also need to run cables with an extra conductor to the switches as
neutrals are now required by the NEC at all switch locations. I would use
large switch boxes, daisy chain the feed between them, then run whatever
cable is necessary from each switch to it's respective light, fan.
*I agree with RBM. The 2011 National Electrical Code requires a neutral
conductor at each switch location so bringing the feed directly to each
switch box works for that. Use deep switch boxes or 4" square boxes to
fit the wires and switches comfortably inside.

Thanks. I'll have to look and see what type and size boxes are out there.
I like using plastic old work boxes instead of metal boxes. At all 3 of the
locations where the ceiling fan/light switches will be going there is
already a single wall switch box that controls an outlet in each room. So,
I may end up replacing them with 3-gang deep boxes or something like along
those lines. That way, I could keep the original switch wiring and add the
ceiling fan and ceiling light control switches.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

you need three wires plus a safety ground going up to the fan/light
fixture, two switchable hot wires and a neutral wire, plus a safety
ground. The switch for the fan is simply off-on, you use a pullchain
to control the fan speed. Had this for 30 years in our bedroom, and
it works just fine as long as the fan chain is reachable.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

With the fans I've bought in the last 15 years, the
speed was controlled with the wall switch/controller
or a remote. The fans do have a pull chain, not
sure if it also controls the speed, but don't see
why anyone doing a new install would do it that way.

As long as you have a 3 conductor cable going from the switch, you can
use separate wall switches, dimmers, or speed controls for independent
operation of the fan and light. There are also combination devices which
incorporate both a dimmer and speed control into a single device, so
save space. I don't find them to work particularly well though.