Add a light to a ceiling fan

[Cpoorbaugh1]

This has to be brain dead easy, but I'm now 0 for 2 attempts. After I install the light kit on the fan, I test the light before I button up the new install and each time I get around 8 volts on the two leads (Line and neutral) dedicated for the light. The only thing I can figure is there is a module or two in the wiring for the basic fan that is dividing voltage between fan speeds and the light, and a lightening strike took out the light side of the module. Fan works perfectly-the two light leads are clearly marked-I can't believe there is any wiring adaption needed to have voltage go to the light kit....has anyone else encountered difficulty installing a light kit on an existing ceiling fan?? Am I missing something??

[Keefelane66]

From the internet “ Some people do not connect the blue when they install the fan. The bonnet is the skirt that covers up the wires in the ceiling box. In there you should find a blue wire that is not connected to anything. This is for the light.”

[villagetinker]

I agree with above, in our house NONE of the fans had the blue wire connected at the ceiling. When I went to do this i found the extra RED wire from the wall switch box. This allowed my to remove the existing single switch and replace it with a dual switch, one for the fan and one for the light, after I connected the RED wire to the blue wire and made the necessary connections at the new switch.

[Stu from NYC]

I agree with above, in our house NONE of the fans had the blue wire connected at the ceiling. When I went to do this i found the extra RED wire from the wall switch box. This allowed my to remove the existing single switch and replace it with a dual switch, one for the fan and one for the light, after I connected the RED wire to the blue wire and made the necessary connections at the new switch.

This is why we hired a handyman to do our light kits.

[Michael G.]

This is why we hired a handyman to do our light kits.

But handymen takes money and many people look for ways to save in these inflation times.

[Stu from NYC]

But handymen takes money and many people look for ways to save in these inflation times.

Many years ago got an electrical shock and that helped to tell me there are things that I should trust to more knowledgeable people.

[retiredguy123]

Slightly off topic, but I never understood why someone would want to put a light on a ceiling fan. It reminds me of the ceiling lights they used to put in the middle of every room back in the fifties. Light from a table lamp is so much more pleasing and less harsh on the eyes than a ceiling light.

[Michael G.]

Slightly off topic, but I never understood why someone would want to put a light on a ceiling fan. It reminds me of the ceiling lights they used to put in the middle of every room back in the fifties. Light from a table lamp is so much more pleasing and less harsh on the eyes than a ceiling light.

Depends.
Some ceiling fans are above dining room table where a light is necessary.
But for a fan, I never like a fan cooling off the food.

[Stu from NYC]

Slightly off topic, but I never understood why someone would want to put a light on a ceiling fan. It reminds me of the ceiling lights they used to put in the middle of every room back in the fifties. Light from a table lamp is so much more pleasing and less harsh on the eyes than a ceiling light.

Like having light in the middle of our bedroom and my office. Comes in handy very often.

[retiredguy123]

Depends.
Some ceiling fans are above dining room table where a light is necessary.
But for a fan, I never like a fan cooling off the food.
I want a light above the dining room table, but I definitely don't want a ceiling fan there blowing air on the food. The builder usually installs ceiling fans in the living room and in the bedrooms, and a hanging light fixture in the dining room. The bedrooms and the living room are where I don't want ceiling lights.

[Elainef]

Can anyone recommend a good Handiman to install light kits to 2 of my fans? I just moved in to a home in Oceola Hills.

[DaleDivine]

Like having light in the middle of our bedroom and my office. Comes in handy very often.

I like lots of light especially in my office.
:ho::ho:

[tallmanf]

Not worth the $100 saved when your house burns down.

[Luggage]

A light centrally located can be very effective and all that is needed. Further it has a wall switch. Where as the table lamp may not

[Stu from NYC]

A light centrally located can be very effective and all that is needed. Further it has a wall switch. Where as the table lamp may not

That is why we were surprised when we purchased our home two years ago the previous owner did not have light kits in any of the three bedrooms.

[DaleDivine]

This has to be brain dead easy, but I'm now 0 for 2 attempts. After I install the light kit on the fan, I test the light before I button up the new install and each time I get around 8 volts on the two leads (Line and neutral) dedicated for the light. The only thing I can figure is there is a module or two in the wiring for the basic fan that is dividing voltage between fan speeds and the light, and a lightening strike took out the light side of the module. Fan works perfectly-the two light leads are clearly marked-I can't believe there is any wiring adaption needed to have voltage go to the light kit....has anyone else encountered difficulty installing a light kit on an existing ceiling fan?? Am I missing something??

Welcome to TOTV...
:welcome::)

[Kgcetm]

And for the same reasons. Dark is still dark.

[GNXGuy]

I wrote this up in response to somebody else’s inquiry a few months back. Maybe this will help actually is very simple

The kichler fans are actually an Excellent quality fan and you can buy a universal LED light kit at Home Depot that plugs into the fixture. I just installed light kits on all the fans in my mothers new house and I also wired it so one wall switch turns the fan on and the other wall switch turns the light on the fan by simply rewiring and disabling the switch that turns on the useless wall outlet for a lamp. easy Peezy takes about 15 minutes per light completely installed. At the wall switch Just remove the red wire from switch That controls the wall outlet and then unbundle the red wire that’s in the group of black wires and move that red wire to the existing switch—- super easy.




This has to be brain dead easy, but I'm now 0 for 2 attempts. After I install the light kit on the fan, I test the light before I button up the new install and each time I get around 8 volts on the two leads (Line and neutral) dedicated for the light. The only thing I can figure is there is a module or two in the wiring for the basic fan that is dividing voltage between fan speeds and the light, and a lightening strike took out the light side of the module. Fan works perfectly-the two light leads are clearly marked-I can't believe there is any wiring adaption needed to have voltage go to the light kit....has anyone else encountered difficulty installing a light kit on an existing ceiling fan?? Am I missing something??

[gemini5001]

Manny The Handyman LLC
352-530-2583 home/office
610-570-5303 cell

[retiredguy123]

A light centrally located can be very effective and all that is needed. Further it has a wall switch. Where as the table lamp may not
There are lots of simple options to control lamps remotely.

[Rzepecki]

Slightly off topic, but I never understood why someone would want to put a light on a ceiling fan. It reminds me of the ceiling lights they used to put in the middle of every room back in the fifties. Light from a table lamp is so much more pleasing and less harsh on the eyes than a ceiling light.

But they don’t provide enough for doing anything other than reading in bed.

[MrGolf]

Call Larry Days. I’ve used him for various projects. He gets it right the first time. 508-561-8020.

[rjm1cc]

Slightly off topic, but I never understood why someone would want to put a light on a ceiling fan. It reminds me of the ceiling lights they used to put in the middle of every room back in the fifties. Light from a table lamp is so much more pleasing and less harsh on the eyes than a ceiling light.

And I do not see why you would put up a fan and not add the light. It is there when and if you need some extra light in the room. Maybe you only use it a few times a year but you have the option.

[Miboater]

I bought 3 Progress Lighting light kits from Amazon for my home in Hawkins. They were about $90 each but about $70 cheaper than the Kichler light kits. The connectors on the light kit plugged into the connectors on the fan and took about 15 minutes to install.

I do like the extra light in the bedrooms when needed.

[phousel]

Slightly off topic, but I never understood why someone would want to put a light on a ceiling fan. It reminds me of the ceiling lights they used to put in the middle of every room back in the fifties. Light from a table lamp is so much more pleasing and less harsh on the eyes than a ceiling light.

Gee IDK! Maybe fan is in bedroom. Ceiling light is very helpful there.

[rtinder]

This has to be brain dead easy, but I'm now 0 for 2 attempts. After I install the light kit on the fan, I test the light before I button up the new install and each time I get around 8 volts on the two leads (Line and neutral) dedicated for the light. The only thing I can figure is there is a module or two in the wiring for the basic fan that is dividing voltage between fan speeds and the light, and a lightening strike took out the light side of the module. Fan works perfectly-the two light leads are clearly marked-I can't believe there is any wiring adaption needed to have voltage go to the light kit....has anyone else encountered difficulty installing a light kit on an existing ceiling fan?? Am I missing something??
My sister wants to remove the lights from her ceiling fan but does not have the cover. Since you won’t be needing it, may she have it? What brand fan is yours?

[jamorela]

Slightly off topic, but I never understood why someone would want to put a light on a ceiling fan. It reminds me of the ceiling lights they used to put in the middle of every room back in the fifties. Light from a table lamp is so much more pleasing and less harsh on the eyes than a ceiling light.

I had lights installed in my livingroom and office/bedroom. Love them. Wish I had done it to other guest bedroom!

[Garywt]

We added light kits to 4 fans last year. Followed the directions on the box. Did not check the voltage as we just put a lightbulb in and if it works we are good. Sometimes just because something is marked does not mean it is correct.

[Stu from NYC]

We added light kits to 4 fans last year. Followed the directions on the box. Did not check the voltage as we just put a lightbulb in and if it works we are good. Sometimes just because something is marked does not mean it is correct.

Very true but if the lightbulb blows up and all your lights go out it could ruin your day.

[JMintzer]

There are lots of simple options to control lamps remotely.

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/BiodegradableCalculatingKinglet-size_restricted.gif

[derkster]

Where did you find the light kits

[jamorela]

Where did you find the light kits

Lowes

[Shoogley]

Many years ago got an electrical shock and that helped to tell me there are things that I should trust to more knowledgeable people.
Shocking. Early in life a practical joker told me green was the red and “boom” to a $6000 piece of equipment. I am colour blind and asked for help instead of using a voltmeter. God made electrons, neutrons morons.

[charmed59]

We have added lights to all our fans. Or rather, replaced all the fans for other reasons, and looked for ones with lights. We only use them when we drop something we can’t see with our table lamps, which is way too often. Without the lights the floor would be littered with errant pills.

[Stu from NYC]

Lowes

We got our in Lowes but the first person we asked told us we must get a kit made by the light manufacturer. Wrong wrong wrong as we learned when asking another person working at Lowes.

[Cpoorbaugh1]

Well, it appears as if the "previous fan installer" didn't tack together the BLUE lead with the black up in the canopy when installing the fan. HOWEVER, this also means i have to take down the whole dang thing just to tie in one little "new" lead. HHMMM. That explains a lot as to why I only had partial voltage likely coming down from the neutral. I should have known. I'm going to have to rest up a day or so before tackeling a total removal and re-assembly. GGGRRRR But many thanks for the info.

[Cpoorbaugh1]

Wow, someone ran 14/3 with ground or 12/3 with ground from the switch back box to the overhead box?? Electricians don't usually take the initiative to include that 3rd conductor as a nice convenience for the home owner. You lucky....

[photo1902]

Wow, someone ran 14/3 with ground or 12/3 with ground from the switch back box to the overhead box?? Electricians don't usually take the initiative to include that 3rd conductor as a nice convenience for the home owner. You lucky....

TV builders have done that for years

[TomPerrett]

Flip the switch

[rsmurano]

Every fan I have installed had a set of wires with a plug at the end for their compatible light kit. Did you buy a compatible light kit?
If you bought a light kit for the Kichler fan that came with your house, you could buy a new fan with wood looking blades and a light for the same or less than what you probably paid for just your light kit. I did, I replaced every fan in the house a week after we moved in and sold the kichler fans.

[rogerk]

I STRONGLY recommend an electrician. It's not over-kill. The difference in price is relatively little. The risk of a short starting a fire in the ceiling is not worth it. Less than an hours work for a qualified electrician. Ask Pike's Electric for a quote over the phone and compare the cost.

[Topspinmo]

But handymen takes money and many people look for ways to save in these inflation times.


Isn’t there some rule if you hire someone to do electrical work on you’re house they have to be certified electrician?

[Topspinmo]

Flip the switch

Only if the wire connected at ceiling as suggested.

[Stu from NYC]

Isn’t there some rule if you hire someone to do electrical work on you’re house they have to be certified electrician?

I have had handyman come to my house to do some basic electrical work and do not believe he had any electrical certification/

Are you thinking of a union?

[retiredguy123]

I have had handyman come to my house to do some basic electrical work and do not believe he had any electrical certification/

Are you thinking of a union?
Legally, a handyman is not allowed to do any electrical work in your house unless he is a licensed electrical contractor with a Florida license. The same rule applies to plumbing work. You can install a ceiling fan or light kit yourself, but if an unlicensed handyman does it, the work is not legal. It has nothing to do with being in a union. It is about the type of Florida license the contractor has. Here is the website where you can verify the type of license any contractor has. I will hire a handyman to do minor electrical work, but, if he claims to be licensed to do it, I always check his license status, and if he is lying, I won't hire him. Or, if he is doing work hidden inside a wall, I want a licensed electrical contractor. It's not worth the liability risk.

Licensing Portal - License Search (https://www.myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp?mode=0&SID=)

[Stu from NYC]

Legally, a handyman is not allowed to do any electrical work in your house unless he is a licensed electrical contractor with a Florida license. The same rule applies to plumbing work. You can install a ceiling fan or light kit yourself, but if an unlicensed handyman does it, the work is not legal. It has nothing to do with being in a union. It is about the type of Florida license the contractor has. Here is the website where you can verify the type of license any contractor has. I will hire a handyman to do minor electrical work, but, if he claims to be licensed to do it, I always check his license status, and if he is lying, I won't hire him. Or, if he is doing work hidden inside a wall, I want a licensed electrical contractor. It's not worth the liability risk.

Licensing Portal - License Search (https://www.myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp?mode=0&SID=)

Thanks for the info. Handyman has done a number of basic jobs for us including sensor for outside light pole and light kits with good success but will keep this in mind for the future