wiring a ceiling fan with light and only two wires

Switching the light and fan from the same switch with power at the switch (Single switch)ġ.

Switching the light and fan from separate switches (Two switches).

Using the same switch for switching both the light and fan (Single switch).

Switching the light and using the pull chain for the fan (Single switch).

Powered ceiling fan and/or light without any switches (no switches).

We’ll go through each type of switching methodology and discuss what each entails in terms of wiring and controlling your ceiling fan/light. Read all the instructions and safety information that comes with your ceiling fan. When working with electricity, always remember to turn off the power, test the wiring with an electrical tester (or voltmeter) to ensure the power is off, secure the panel box so no one can accidentally re-engage power while you are working, and consult a professional to ensure you are doing things correctly and within the specifications of your state and local codes. Permits may be required for interior electrical work. It’s always important to follow the local codes in your area when wiring a ceiling fan and light. A pair of actual wire strippers will do the job more accurately and about 10x faster. It also ensures you don’t get bogged down trying to use, for example, a razor knifed to strip wires. Having the right tools will help the project go smoothly. For some, that will be any combination from no switches (using the included pull chains for powering the fan and/or light) and having separate switches for the light and fan. Note - the Neutral is not connected to the actual switch, the two Neutrals are connected together using a connector block.The main thing to consider wiring a ceiling fan and light is determining how you want that fan to be controlled. One '2-Core + Earth' cable takes Live and Neutral to the switch back box, a second cable takes the Neutral and Switched Live to the light.

The 3-wire system is less common than the 2-wire system, it includes a Neutral at the switch as well as the Live and Switched Live wires.įigure 2: One example of a 3-wire lighting System.Īn example of a 3-wire lighting circuit is shown in Figure 2. If you have a 2-gang or 3-gang switch you may have black and grey wires, however these will have a brown sleeve on them as they are also switched live wires. Note - the switched live has a brown sleeve on it, this highlights that the wire is actually a live wire, even though it is blue, this ensure that it is not confused with a neutral wire. Switched Live is only live when the switch is on (this is where it gets its name from). The blue wire is known as the Switched Live and takes power to the light. The brown wire is Live (also know as permanent live), this brings the live supply to the switch. But for the sake of simplicity we ignore the Earth wire when explaining wiring as it plays no active role in the day-to-day workings of your light circuits.Ī 2-wire system includes two wires - Live and Switched Live.įigure 1: A standard 2-wire lighting System.Ī standard 2-wire lighting circuit is shown in Figure 1. The Earth is a very important part of the electrical system and all switches, appliances and lights must be correctly earthed. However, the third wire, which typically has a green/yellow sleeve is the Earth wire.

The term is slightly confusing as the system will actually include three wires. This is the most common lighting system in Europe, almost all homes use this system, especially in the UK and Nordic regions. The simple explanation is that a 2-wire system does not include a Neutral wire at the light switch, the 3-wire system does include the Neutral at the switch. This application note explains the difference between 2-wire and 3-wire lighting systems and helps you understand which version you have in your installation.įirstly, what do we mean by 2-wire and 3-wire systems. This is an important point as many products, such as relays, cannot work if installed into a 2-wire system. You'll often see us refer to 2-wire and 3-wire lighting systems.

Wiring a ceiling fan with light and only two wires