The ceiling fan wiring diagram images here show you how to wire a ceiling fan 4 wire setup. With attention to detail and clear explanations, you’ll be able to:
- Wire a ceiling fan – no switches (the fan and light are both controlled by pull chains)
- Wire a ceiling fan with one switch – (1 switch) with a pull chain or both light and fan operated by the switch
- Wire a ceiling fan with two switches – (2 switch) all possible configuration
- 12/3 wire ceiling fans: The ceiling fan wiring diagram samples in this post are all for ceiling fans with 4 wires.
Wiring a Ceiling Fan – No Switches
The wiring diagram for 4 wire ceiling fan wiring with no switch is quite simple. It is shown below.
Your ceiling fan should have four wires as shown – with those colors being the most common.
What do ceiling fan wire colors mean? (4 wire)
- *Black wire powers the fan.
- *Blue wire powers the light or lights.
- *White wire is the neutral wire.
- *Green wire is the ground wire.
How to wire a 4 wire ceiling fan – no switch.
Here are step-by-step instructions for 4 wire ceiling fan wiring when the fan has no switches.
First, strip any of the supply, switch or fan wires that haven’t been stripped yet. Using a wire stripper, remove ½” to ¾” of the housing. Have wire nuts handy.
1. Locate and isolate the black wire from the power supplied to the fan in the junction box (typically Romex wire).
2. Hold together both black wires and the blue fan wire. Twist a wire nut onto three to connect them together.
3. Hold together the bare wire on the white ceiling fan wire and white wire from wiring coming into the box. Twist a wire nut onto the white wires.
4. In the same way, connect the ground wires – the green fan wire and the remaining wire from the power supply wiring. Complete the connection with a wire nut.
Tip: If your wire colors are different see the wiring diagram in the Installation Manual for which colors are used for each of the purposes stated above.
How do you control a ceiling fan with no switch?
Ceiling fans with no wall switches are controlled by pull chains to turn on and off the light and start the fan and choose fan speed.
Wiring a Ceiling Fan with One Switch
Ceiling fan wiring with one switch gives you two options.
The first is wiring a fan with a switch for the light and using the pull chain for the fan.
The second is to wire a ceiling fan with one switch that controls the light and fan together.
Here are explanations for both options with wiring instructions.
Wiring a Fan With a Switch for Light and Pull Chain for Fan
This approach is also called switching the light, i.e., using the switch for the light only.
A ½” to ¾” of housing should be removed with wire strippers prior to installing a ceiling fan.
Step-by-step instructions for wiring a ceiling fan with a switch for the light:
1. Supply power to the fan and to the switch:
Wrap a small amount of electrical tape around the jacket or covering of the white wire going from the switch to the fan. Wrap tape near both ends. It is going to be used as “hot,” and this makes that fact visible to anyone working at the ceiling or at the switch that the white is being used as hot.
Hold together the bare ends of the “hot” wires. These wires are the white wire coming from the switch (you just put electrical tape on it), the black fan wire and the black wire on the power supply side. See the diagram above, if needed.
Apply a wire nut to secure the three wires together.
2. Supply power to the fan light:
Hold together the bare ends of the blue light power wire on the fan with the black wire going to the switch. Apply a wire nut.
3. Make the neutral connection:
Connect the white fan wire with the white wire from the power supply side. Hold the bare ends together and apply a nut.
4. Ground the fan:
Connect the green fan ground wire to the remaining wire in the power supply bundle and in the bundle going to the switch. In the wiring diagram for ceiling fan with one switch above, these bare wires are shown as orange in color.
5. Connect wires to the switch:
If this is a ceiling fan replacement, this might already be done. It might be a good idea to take off the switch cover to ensure it is wired as shown in the diagram above.
Position the switch so that the ground nut is on the bottom as shown. Connect the ground wire to it. And connect the white and black wires as shown.
Wiring Ceiling Fan and Light Operated With One Switch
The advantage of this wiring approach is that both fan functions are operated with one switch. And you can turn off the fan using the pull chain, if you only want light.
Refer to the wiring instructions above for details – Wiring a Fan With a Switch for Light and Pull Chain for Fan
Key Question: Is power supplied to the ceiling fan from the switch side or from the opposite side? This determines how to wire a ceiling fan with one switch.
Option 1 – Power From the Fan Side
1. Supply power to the switch:
Put a piece of tape on both ends of the white wire coming from the switch. This identifies it as “hot.”
Hold together the bare ends of the white wire you applied tape to and the black wire from the power supply side.
Apply a wire nut to hold the three wires together.
2. Supply power to the fan light and fan:
Hold together the bare ends of three wires: They are the blue and black wires of the fan and the black wire going to the switch. [See diagram]. This ensures that both functions are powered together.
Secure them with a wire nut.
3. Make the neutral connection:
Connect the white fan wire with the white wire from the power supply side. Hold the bare ends together and apply a nut.
4. Ground the fan:
You are going to combine and connect 4 ground wires together in this step.
*You might need a larger-size wire nut.
First, cut a short piece of bare ground wire – about 3” to 4” long.
Next, combine these 4 wires: The bare wires from the power supply side and the switch side, the green fan wire and the small piece of wire you just prepared.
Connect the loose end of the bare wire you just cut to the ground nut on the junction box.
Finally, secure all 4 wires with a large wire nut.
Electrical Note: Some wiring diagrams don’t show or require the fourth ground wire – the extra piece of wire connected to the ground nut.
Check the wiring instructions that come with the fan. It won’t hurt to have it – and it is required in some installations.
Option 2 – Power From the Switch Side
As you can see, the fan is the end of the circuit. Power to the ceiling fan comes through the switch.
If you’ve been reading through these instructions for wiring a ceiling fan with one switch, then you’ll be familiar with the terminology. Review the above content, if necessary.
This allows us to streamline these instructions. Refer to the diagram above as needed.
1. Hold the ends of the white neutral wires together and apply a wire nut.
2. Hold the ends of the fan power wire (black) and fan light wire (blue) to the black supply wire, and apply a nut.
3. Join the remaining wires of the fan and the wiring coming from the switch. These are ground wires and are bare copper.
If the wiring manual for the fan requires it, attach a small piece of ground wire to the grounding screw, as shown in the diagram. Join it to the other two ground wires, and apply a wire nut.
Wiring a Ceiling Fan With Two Switches
Wiring two ceiling fan switches allows you to easily control both functions independently.
And you have multiple options for wiring a ceiling fan with two switches.
Again, streamlined language will be used here. If the language is unclear, refer to explanations above for other wiring options where it is explained.
Option 1 – Two Lines, each to its own switch:
Fan Switch
1. Put electrical tape on both ends of the white wire to indicate it is a “hot” wire. Connect it to the black/hot wire on the supply side. Don’t add a nut yet.
2. Connect the black wire from the switch to the black fan wire. Place the wires together, and twist on a wire nut.
3. Connect the remaining wire, orange in the diagram is for bare copper, to the green ground wire in the fan. Don’t add a nut yet.
Light Switch
1. Repeat Step 1 above for the white wire. Now, add a wire nut to hold the three wires together.
2. Place together the black wire from the switch and the blue wire for the light in the fan. Secure them with a nut.
3. Repeat step 3 above for the remaining wire. Now there are three ground wires. Add a wire nut to secure them together.
Option 2 – One 12/3 Line with Red Wire (Jumper Wires Only)
Every wiring diagram to this point has shown 12/2 Romex wire (meaning it has a hot and neutral wire plus a bare ground wire).
The next ceiling fan wiring options use 12/3 Romex that adds a red wire to the others.
This ceiling fan wiring uses jumper wires to directly connect the switches together. There’s a variation on this approach below.
At the Fan Switch
First, you are going to use the white wire as a “hot” wire. So, wrap electrical tape around it a couple times at both ends.
Secure:
1. The white wire (with electrical tape) to the top terminal (aka post) on the switch.
2. The black wire to the bottom terminal on the switch.
3. The bare copper (shown as orange) ground wire to the grounding screw on the switch.
At the Light Switch
1. Attach the red wire to the top terminal on the switch.
2. Run a jumper between the lower terminals on each switch to power both of them (wire color isn’t technically important, but using a black wire indicates it is a “hot” wire.
3. Run a jumper between the grounding screws on each switch.
Tip: In steps 2 & 3, you will have to loosen the screws to add the second wire. Retighten the screws to securely hold the wires.
At the Fan
1. Hold bare ends of the red and blue (fan light) wire, and connect them with a wire nut.
2. Place together the white “hot” wire with black electrical tape and the black fan wire. Attach them with a nut.
3. Connect the white fan wire and white supply wire – the neutrals – and secure them with a nut.
4. Connect the bare copper wires from the switch and from the power supply to the green fan wire. Cut and strip an additional ground wire, and connect it to the grounding nut on the junction box. Now, secure all 4 wires with a nut.
Option 3 – 12/3 Wire (Jumpers Connected with Wire Nuts)
At the Fan Switch
1. Attach the black wire coming from the fan to the lower terminal on the fan switch.
At the Light Switch
1. Secure the red wire from the fan to the lower terminal on the light switch.
Tie the Switches Together
1. Cut short pieces of ground wire, and secure them to the ground screws on each switch. Connect the other ends to the ground wire coming from the fan.
Connect the three ground wires together with a wire nut.
2. Cut and strip the ends of a two piece of black/hot wire, and attach them to the top terminals on each switch.
Then, use a nut to secure those black wires to the white wire (with black tape) coming from the fan.
At the Fan
Use wire nuts to connect:
1. The red wire from the switch and blue fan light wire.
2. The black wire going to the switch with the black fan wire.
3. The white wire with black tape going to the switch to the black wire from the power supply.
4. The ground wires from the switch and power supply.
You can also attach a small ground wire to the ground screw in the junction box and secure it to the others, as shown in the 12/3 ceiling fan wiring diagram.
Option 4 – 12/3 Wire with a Light Dimmer Rheostat
A rheostat gives you the ability to dim the lighting instead of it being either On or Off.
The standard switch powers the fan.
At the Dimmer
1. Connect the black wires as shown. You’ll need to cut and strip an extra piece to run from the wire nut to the fan switch to power the fan.
2. Secure the ground wires as shown – green from the rheostat and orange/copper for the others.
You’ll need to cut a separate piece of ground wire to run from the wire nut to the ground screw on the fan switch.
3. Secure together the white neutral wires coming from the power supply side and leading to the fan.
At the Fan
Secure:
1. The black wires as shown to power the fan.
2. The red wire and blue wire to power the fan.
3. The white wires.
4. The orange/copper wire from the switch and the green fan wire to ground the fan. Cut a short piece of bare ground wire to secure to the other ground wires and the ground screw in the box.
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