You need two switches to control a fan with lights.
A ceiling fan keeps you comfortable in summer, and in winter it can save energy by circulating hot air that tends to collect near the ceiling. If your fan comes with an optional light kit, it should have four wires. Although the colors can vary according to manufacturer, the green one is ground and the white one is neutral. The black wire is the hot wire for the fan, and the red one is the hot wire for the lights. There are two ways to wire the red wire, depending on whether you want the lights on a separate switch.
Instructions
1. Draw the outline of a switch box on the wall at a convenient location. Use a double-gang remodeling box if you want the fan and light to have separate switches. Use a single-gang remodeling box if the lights have a pull-chain, and you only need a switch for the fan.
2. Run a length of three-strand electrical cable from the panel through the basement or attic. Drill a 1/2-inch hole in the top or bottom plate of the wall on which the switch is located, pass the wire down and pull it out of the hole. Run another length of cable from the switch to the fan. Use three-strand cable if you are wiring one switch and four-strand cable with an extra red wire if you are wiring two.
3. Feed the ends of the cables at the switch through the back of the electrical box and fit the box in the hole. Rotate the screws until the anchors behind the box contact the drywall, then tighten the screws to affix the box to the wall. Cut 6 inches of sheathing off the ends of the cables with a utility knife, then strip the ends of the insulated wires with a wire stripper.
4. Wire two switches by cutting open two 10-inch lengths of spare cable and removing the , then stripping both ends of each wire. Twist the two 10-inch lengths of wire together with the black wire coming from the panel and screw on a wire cap. Connect the end of one of the wires to the top brass terminal of one switch, and the end of the other wire to the top brass terminal of the other switch. Tighten the terminal screws with a screwdriver.
5. Attach the black wire leading to the fan to the bottom brass terminal of one switch, and the red wire to the bottom brass terminal of the other. Twist both of the white wires together with pliers and screw on a wire cap. Wrap the ground wire from the house circuit around the ground crew on one terminal, then extend the end to the other switch and wrap it around the ground terminal on that switch. Wrap the ground wire leading to the lamp around the ground terminal on one of the switches, then tighten the ground screws with a screwdriver.
6. Wire a single switch by attaching the black wire from the house circuit to the top brass terminal and the black wire leading to the fan to the bottom brass terminal. Twist the white wires together and cap them, then connect the ground wires to the green ground screw.
7. Twist the white wire in the fan with the white wire coming from the switch and cap them, and the green wire in the fan with the bare ground wire. If you are wiring a double switch, twist the red wires together and the black wires together and screw on wire caps. The caps will be provided with the light. If you are wiring a single switch, twist the red and black wires from the fan together with the black wire from the switch.
Tags: black wire, brass terminal, wires together, around ground, black wires