How Do I Wire a Double Light Switch Combo to Turn on My Light and Fan?

Ceiling Fan with Lights

Wiring two light switches to control a fan and light is a simple project that even the rank beginner can complete successfully. The hardest part of this project will be routing the 12/3 w/Gr. Romex to the fan and light combo. The type of single-pole, single-throw light switches that you will need depends on whether they are being installed in a single-gang device box, a box designed for one switch or device, or in a two-gang box. With a single-gang box you will need to use stacked switches, two switches on one strap. With a two-gang box, you can use two standard switches. Both types of switches are wired the same way.

Things You'll Need

• Wiring permit
• Screwdrivers
• Noncontact voltage tester
• 12/3 w/Gr. Romex
• "Old Work" two-gang device box
• Fan rated ceiling outlet box
• 3/8-inch drill/driver
• Spade bits
• Fly cutter
• Portable jigsaw
• Metal cutting blades
• Wood cutting blades
• Wire fishing tape
• Cable cutters
• Razor knife
• Wire cutters
• Wire strippers
• Needle nose pliers,
• Two single-pole, single-throw light switches
• Black plastic electrical tape.

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Instructions

1. 

   Project Planning

   Turn off the circuit breaker to the circuit that you will be working on. Remove the cover plate to the old switch and remove the switch from the box. Use the noncontact voltage tester to make sure the wires are actually safe to work on. Disconnect the wires from the old switch and set it aside.

2. 

   Portable jigsaw

   Place a metal cutting blade in your jigsaw. Slip the blade between the old device box and the wall stud it's nailed to. Cut through the two nails and pull the box and its wires from the wall opening. Remove the cables from the box and secure them so they don't slip down inside the wall. You will need the one bringing power from the breaker panel.

3. 

   Jigsaw with blade installed

   Remove the current lighting fixture, if there's one and remove the lighting outlet box as you did the switch device box.

4. 

   2-Gang, "New Work" Device Box

   Run a length of 12/3 Romex from the switch box opening to the lighting to the fan box opening in the ceiling. The easiest way to do this is to work from above, from the attic or attic crawl space. Drill a 5/8-inch hole down through the walls top plate, the horizontal framing member at the top of the wall, into the wall space where the switches are to be located. Feed the cable down through this hole far enough so it extends into the room 10 to 12 inches. Run the cable along the side of the attic's floor joist or perpendicular to them through holes drilled in them to the ceiling fan's location. Cut this cable long enough so it will extend 6 to 8 inches into the box.

5. 

   Battery powered drill

   Drill all the holes so that the near edge of the hole sets back at least 1 1/4 inches from the near edge of the framing member. Likewise, when running cable along the sides of a framing member position it at least 1 1/4 inches from the near edge of the framing member and secure it with staples at intervals not exceeding 48 inches. These are National Electrical Code (NEC) requirements.

6. 

   Spade bit

   Cap off the ends of the old wires going to the original lighting outlet with wire nuts and push it back into the wall. Slip the end of the cable coming from the breaker panel and the end of the new cable into the new "Old Work" box and push the box into the wall. Secure the box in place. Repeat this step for the fan outlet box except the only cable entering it will be the new one.

7. 

   screwdrivers

   Remove the outer jacket from the new cable with the razor knife. Remove 3/4 inch of insulation from the ends of the individual wires.

8. 

   Needle nose pliers, diagonal cutting pliers, and Lineman's pliers

   Cut two 6-inch lengths of black wire and strip 3/4 inch of insulation from their ends and two 6-inch lengths of bare copper grounding wire for pigtail splices. You can strip these wires from a short piece of the new cable.

9. 

   razor knife

   Splice the two black pigtails to the black wire coming from the breaker panel. Hold them side by side and twist them tightly together in a right hand twist. Screw on a wire nut to complete the splice. Splice both bare ground wires entering the box with the two pigtails. Splice the two white wires together.

10. 

    Adjustable wire strippers

    Make loops in the end of all the wires with the needle nose pliers. Attach the two black power pigtails to the bottom brass screws on the switches. Place the loops around the screws in a clockwise direction and tighten the screws. Attach the grounding pigtails to the octagon shaped green screws. Attach the red and black wires going to the fan-light to the top screws on the switches.

11. 

    Wire nuts

    Wrap the terminal screws with tape. Secure the switches in the box with the "captured" 6-32 screws. Install cover plate.

12. 

    Black plastic electric tape

    At the fan outlet box, splice the black wire to the black wire from the light, splice the red wire to red fan wire, and splice the white wire to the white wire. Splice the bare grounds together.

13. Install the fan on the box.

14. Turn on the circuit breaker.

References

• hammerzone: Electrical Fixture Installation: Installing A Hunter® Ceiling Fan
• thisoldhouse: How to Install a Ceiling Fan
• "National Electrical Code": National Fire Protection Association; 2008 Revision

Resources

• Fine Home Building Magazine: Rough Electrical Wiring; Clifford A. Popejoy; December 2001
• Fine Home building Magazine: Installing Electrical Boxes and Receptacles; Rex Cauldwell; June1996