whole house fan wiring
 

I want to install a fan in the hallway ceiling of my upstairs. Do you need
to run a dedicated line to the service panel or can you run a hot from a
close source like a wall plug or such?

whole house fan wiring
 

"lilo" wrote in message ...
I want to install a fan in the hallway ceiling of my upstairs. Do you need
to run a dedicated line to the service panel or can you run a hot from a
close source like a wall plug or such?


Many of the whole house fans that I have seen are 1/3 to 1/2 HP which is not
usually big enough to require a dedicated circuit. However I have seen some
wired by others where the lights will dim or blink momentarily when the fan
comes on because it shares the same circuit. In other words, the best way
to go is with a separate circuit.

whole house fan wiring
 

On 7/8/2008 5:02 PM lilo spake thus:

I want to install a fan in the hallway ceiling of my upstairs. Do you need
to run a dedicated line to the service panel or can you run a hot from a
close source like a wall plug or such?

If it's a small fan (in terms of how much current it draws, say 1 or 2
amps max.), then you can feed it from a nearby outlet, or a junction box
or some such. Just make sure the circuit you're adding it to isn't close
to its capacity (meaning the rating of the circuit breaker feeding the
circuit).


--
"Wikipedia ... it reminds me ... of dogs barking idiotically through
endless nights. It is so bad that a sort of grandeur creeps into it.
It drags itself out of the dark abyss of pish, and crawls insanely up
the topmost pinnacle of posh. It is rumble and bumble. It is flap and
doodle. It is balder and dash."

- With apologies to H. L. Mencken

whole house fan wiring
 

"lilo" wrote in message ...
I want to install a fan in the hallway ceiling of my upstairs. Do you need
to run a dedicated line to the service panel or can you run a hot from a
close source like a wall plug or such?
Typical whole house fans will draw 7 to 10 amps, so you may be able to get
away with tapping something close, but I agree with John Grabowski, you'd
be better off running a dedicated line. Another thing you should consider
is motorized louvers. Typical fans use a lot of Vacuum just holding open
the louvers.

whole house fan wiring
 

On Tue, 8 Jul 2008 20:02:29 -0400, "lilo" wrote:

I want to install a fan in the hallway ceiling of my upstairs. Do you need
to run a dedicated line to the service panel or can you run a hot from a
close source like a wall plug or such?

Yes, but you mean outlet or receptacle. The plug is the thing on the
ned of a cord. It makes me think you plan on connecting a cord to the
fan and plugging it to an outlet. You're not going to do that, I
hope.

whole house fan wiring
 

On Tue, 8 Jul 2008 20:02:29 -0400, "lilo" wrote:

I want to install a fan in the hallway ceiling of my upstairs. Do you need
to run a dedicated line to the service panel or can you run a hot from a
close source like a wall plug or such?



Most house fans do not require a separate circuit. However the
advantages of a separate circuit will reduce the chance of overloading
and allow you more control (covering the fan during the off season).
You have to consider the fan wattage and the current load on the
close-by circuit you wish to use.

whole house fan wiring
 

On Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:05:33 -0400, Phisherman
wrote:

On Tue, 8 Jul 2008 20:02:29 -0400, "lilo" wrote:

I want to install a fan in the hallway ceiling of my upstairs. Do you need
to run a dedicated line to the service panel or can you run a hot from a
close source like a wall plug or such?



Most house fans do not require a separate circuit. However the
advantages of a separate circuit will reduce the chance of overloading
and allow you more control (covering the fan during the off season).

I guess what you mean is that with a separate circuit you can turn off
the breaker and lower the chance you'll accidentally turn the fan on
when it is covered. But that only works if you remember to switch the
breaker off, and it doesn't require a separate circuit if you don't
forget to not turn the fan on, and even if you turn the fan on with
the cover on, isn't it just going to blow the cover into the attic?

You have to consider the fan wattage and the current load on the
close-by circuit you wish to use.