Wiring a ceiling fan

datimms

Following the hot weather, the only fan I could get my hands on is a ceiling fan.

So I've found out how to re-wire the ceiling rose (here), and the instructions for the fan say the fan can be configured in three modes:
1) Fan and light controlled by independent pull switches
2) Fan controlled by pull switch, light controlled by wall switch.
3) Fan and light controlled by independent wall switches

It comes supplied configured for 1, but offers no instructions for how to get the ideal configuration 2. Does anyone have any ideas? Don't really want to blow the electrics by experimenting!

Photos: http://s693.photobucket.com/user/datimms/library/Ceiling%20Fan
Is it just a case of taking the wire marked L on the diagram (which is the brown wire in the photo) and connecting it to the Red block in the re-wired rose (see upper link), which I understand is the unswitched loop supply?

Many thanks
Dave

Myser

Is there anything in the manual about wiring for the various switch configurations?

Also, does that particular light have two-way switching?

How competent are you with electrics and do you have an electrical tester/multimeter? Those neon screwdrivers/beeping volt sticks don't count!

datimms

datimms wrote: »

...
It comes supplied configured for 1, but offers no instructions for how to get the ideal configuration 2.
...

Unfortunately the "manual" is nothing more than a page of "what's in the box", a page of instructions with a few vague diagrams and a page of warnings.

The light just has a normal, single wall switch.

Myser

The red wire marked Light Supply in the diagram needs to be removed from the block and connected to the switch-live from the rose.

The other L/N terminals require a permanent feed. The three red wires connected together in a block should be your permanent live feed. The two blue wires connected into the same screw terminal in your rose should be a permanent neutral feed.

The blue wire in the same terminal as the brown wire in the rose is your switch wire for the light. That needs to be connected to the red wire from the fan block.

uk_messer

If there's no combined pull switch with the fan you only have the option of turning the light and fan on together unless you want to get messier and install a ceiling rose pull switch further away.

As far as your existing ceiling rose goes - your yellow sheathed wires are your earth. Your blue to the left connecting the blue light are your Neutrals. The reds in the middle are Live. The blue connecting to the right onto the brown light wire is your switched live. Normally a piece of red tape is stuck around it so not to be confused as neutral.

But if you don't know the above - you need to do some homework before you go any further and of course make sure everything is isolated before you touch anything.

AndyPK

Take it back and get one with a remote control.

Wall switch just does the light for winter.

Remote does the fan with 3 speeds.
Less than £100

datimms

Thanks everyone for your helpful posts.

It's good to see I was on the right lines. The fan has independent pull switches for the light and fan, so I don't think I'll have any trouble following Myser's suggestions. Won't a remote control unit still need the same wiring? Anyhow, I could have driven to my old man's to "borrow" a desk fan for half the cost of a remote control one! This fan was £20 in Argos.

Never really done anything like this before but I'm fairly handy and it seems like re-wiring a plug. Just needed some confidence in what wire to install where.

I'll let you know how I get on, just need to wait for an empty house so I can switch off the power without grumbles.

ValHaller

Potential safety issue

I have some suspicions about your wiring. From the photo of the ceiling rose, it appears that you have 3 yellow insulated wires going to what should be the earth terminal - rather than 3 green and yellow sleeved wires which are actually in the cable.

If the former is the case, it is not clear whether this would be 3 core and earth cables with the 3rd yellow core being used as earth and the uninsulated earth core being snipped or whether it might be some hamfisted attempt at 2 way switching.

If it is a hamfisted attempt at 2 way switching, beware - it cannot be used as earth and may render the metalwork of your fan live.

You really need to get this checked out, even if you don't use the fan.

datimms

2 way switching - as in having two wall switches to control the light?
Is it that the picture is not clear? Is there a better angle?

This installation is going in a bedroom. There is only one light switch on the wall but that's not to mean someone hasn't wired a bedside control and it's since been removed. I can't see any evidence of this though.

I can't see an electrician coming out to check that, or if they would I'm pretty sure it wouldn't come cheap as I live in London.

Oh well, back to the drawing board with this one it seems.

ValHaller

datimms wrote: »

2 way switching - as in having two wall switches to control the light?

Yes. It is unlikely in a bedroom.

The first thing to do is to confirm whether what I see from your photo is actually the case, whether the cable is 3 core plus earth with the yellow core going to the earth terminal or whether these wires are actually green and yellow sheathed bare wires, and what I a seeing is an artefact of the photo.

AndyPK

With wire colours red and blue it can only been 3 core and earth.
Very odd.