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I'm replaceing two old ceiling fans in my kitchen with new. I bought one and put it up so I could try it before committing to the 2nd. So I have it wired and installed per instructions, but it does not turn on. I hope this is because the 2nd fan is not installed. I would think it's because both fans are on the same circuit?
See the photo. There are two wall switches, one at either end of the kitchen. Either can turn the fan off and on. The if the switches on the fan are on, the wall switch will turn on or off the fan and/or light. The wall switches are set up so that if the fans are running and/or the lights are on, flipping the other wall switch will turn the fan/light off. Hope this makes sense. See photo.
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You might want to post this to @real DonaldTrump's Twitter feed. I hear he is really smart.
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You need to negotiate a better deal with your fans... sad
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Three-way switches (switches that control devices from two locations) can be wired in a variety of ways.
One of the options is where the power runs from one switch, straight through the device(s) and ends at the other switch.
If that's the way yours is wired, then yes, having the other fan missing breaks the circuit.
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GGD wrote:
[quote=Uncle Wig]
There are two wall switches, one at either end of the kitchen. Either can turn the fan off and on. The if the switches on the fan are on, the wall switch will turn on or off the fan and/or light. The wall switches are set up so that if the fans are running and/or the lights are on, flipping the other wall switch will turn the fan/light off. Hope this makes sense. See photo.
Your wording is confusing, does "the fan" really mean "both fans". In the original setup, did both fans get power at the same time, controlled by either wall switch?
Yes. Assume both fans are turned on using their built-in switches. Both will run when either wall switch is turned on. Both fans will stop when either wall switch is turned off.
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Pull the switches and see if there's a red wire (standard wiring color) or the switch is marked 3-way (both need to be). That diagram is misleading -- the red wire (traveler) only has to run between the two switches and does nothing with the load (light/fan/whatever); it provides power to allow the other switch to oppositely control the load. The two loads should be wired in parallel, so having one missing should not matter.
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GGD wrote:
[quote=Uncle Wig]
There are two wall switches, one at either end of the kitchen. Either can turn the fan off and on. The if the switches on the fan are on, the wall switch will turn on or off the fan and/or light. The wall switches are set up so that if the fans are running and/or the lights are on, flipping the other wall switch will turn the fan/light off. Hope this makes sense. See photo.
Your wording is confusing, does "the fan" really mean "both fans". In the original setup, did both fans get power at the same time, controlled by either wall switch?
You probably have wiring like this diagram, and may have disconnected some of the connections needed to run to the other fan. The directions that came with the fan might not have been anticipating this wiring setup.
Feed is probably at one of the lights rather than at the switch, although the other light box is only showing a white, a black and a green ground wire so if there are none tucked up that's a slave to the one he has wired and it should work.
I'd go back and double check that none of the pairs of wires are not mixed up.
I'd bet a dollar the slave and feed wires are mixed up.
