How to Install a Prewired Ceiling Fan

A ceiling fan adds class to a room, and helps cool the space in hot weather. Most modern ceiling fan units are pre-wired internally, so all you have to do is wire them to a ceiling electrical box. You can wire a ceiling fan just about anywhere that there is a ceiling light fixture, as long as the electrical box is mounted correctly to a ceiling joist.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Ladder
• 2 plastic wire nuts
• Electrician's tape
• Screwdriver

1. Turn off the power to the room at the fuse box.

2. Position a ladder under the electrical box and climb up. Remove any existing light fixture or plate that covers the box. Pull out the wires from inside the box, separating them and removing any tape or wire nuts from the ends. There should be a white wire and a black wire. There might also be a bare copper grounding wire.

3. If the fan unit came with a metal plate designed to go over the electrical box, secure it in position with the provided screws. Bring the fan unit to the top of the ladder. Some models contain a metal hook that allows the unit to hang from the electrical box while you connect the wires. If not, set the unit on top of the ladder while you wire it.

4. Connect the wires. Hold the ends next to each other (side by side), twist wire nuts over them and wrap them with electrical tape. Connect white to white, and black to black (or red). Connect the bare copper wire from the unit to the green grounding screw in the electric box. If there is a copper grounding wire coming out of the box, twist the end of it onto the same grounding screw.

5. Lift the fan unit to the ceiling and tuck all of the wires into the electrical box. Fasten the unit to the box as directed by the instructions. Generally, there will be a center screw thread and mounting screws around the edges.

Tips & Warnings

• Never work on an electrical box without turning off the power at the fuse box.