How to Install a Ceiling Fan

Installing a Ceiling Fan your self can provide a moderate challenge for first timers, but its not near as hard as it looks. We are going to assume in this "how to" that there is existing wiring, wire box etc where a light once was or was planned to be.

If there is not currently an existing light, switch, wire box and wiring then it might be a little much for a first timer.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• phillips screw driver
• 3 wire nuts
• wire stripers
• ladder

1. The first step is to put together your ceiling fan. Each one is a little different but they all come with a full set of easy to follow instructions. It will be a lot easier to put it together in the floor than on top of your ladder. You will normally only need a Phillips screw driver for this.

2. make sure the electricity is off to the place you are planning to hang your light. The best way to do this might be just to flip the breaker off.

3. Look at your wires coming out of the ceiling. In most older homes you will have a black, white and copper (or green) wire. Some new homes have a switch that operates the light and one that operates the fan separately, if this is your case you will have another wire that is either a blue or red one. Use your wire strippers and make sure you have the wires skinned back about 1/2 an inch.
   
   For the purpose of this "how to" we are going to assume you only have a black, white and Copper (green) wire. Meaning you only have one switch that controls the entire ceiling fan.

4. Now look on your ceiling fan and see what wires you also have. make sure you strip back the coating on these wires also about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. Since the room only has one switch that controls the entire ceiling fan, you will need to go ahead and twist together the black wire and the Blue or red wire (some lights have a blue wire some have a read, they serve the same purpose). This will allow the one switch to send power to both your fan and the fans light.
   
   **** if you don't have a blue or red wire disregard some brands/models may have this done internally.

5. Now you will want to put up your ceiling fan harness bracket that come switch your ceiling fan. The bracket just screws to the wire box in your ceiling. Normally you will have only 2 screws n the bracket, one on the left and one on the right, these will align with 2 screw holes on your wire box.

6. Now carefully pick up your ceiling fan and put the ball swivel into your ceiling fan harness. Make sure you fan is secure. Most fans have groves cut into the swivel ball that will align with groves on the ceiling fan harness.

7. now your ceiling fan is basically up, you just have to match up the wiring. Remember Black to black, white to white and copper (green). to Copper (green).
   
   Holding the wires close together you just screw the wire nuts on top to them. The wire nuts will get tight and the 2 wires twist together.
   
   As a common rule - bare white wires and black wires - don't get hooked together.

8. Gently push the wires out of the way of any potentially moving fan parts and go turn your power back on and test your fan and light to make sure it turns on and off.
   
   ***If it doesn't work property, turn the power off and check your wire connections.

9. Now that every thing works all you have to do it put your cover plate in place and your finished. (it should be a cone shaped piece that fits against the ceiling, refer to your instructions on putting your fan together if you are not sure what this is)

Tips & Warnings

• Put you fan together first - don't try to put it together piece by piece while on top of a ladder
• if your fan or light doesn't work - check your wire connections.
• In most residential wiring the black and white wires are never connected to one another
• sometimes it is easier to twist your wiring together before screwing on your wire nuts.
• make sure the power is off - small home light replacements are easy and safe to do as long as you make them that way
• make sure you properly tighten your ceiling fan harness - this is what keeps your fan from falling
• Wire nuts are necessary - please don't wrap the bare wires in black electrical tape!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We see this so often in homes. The wires get hot and can melt the tape and start a Fire!!!!!!

[jasmor81]

on 10/15/2008 it sounds like you might have a loose connecting. or make sure you have pulled the chain and the ceiling fan is on.

Check you connection between your black wires and blue wires.

that should do it

[Aprilb897]

on 10/3/2008 I have one switch as stated above but my fan still doesnt work, the light works but not the fan. I have the black(ceiling) hooked up to the fan black and blue, the white hooked up to the fan white and the copper hooked up to the fan green down rod. Please help!