install ceiling fan when the existing box uses a metal hanger bar
We want to replace the existing ceiling light in our daughter's room with a ceiling fan. We bought a Hunter Ridgefield model and reading through the directions it says the ceiling plate must be screwed into a wood brace that is directly above the electrical box. But the existing box is supported by an expandable metal hanger bar attached to each ceiling joist and not a piece of 2x4. How am I supposed to attach the ceiling plate to the ceiling then? Thanks. Mark Normally you fasten the fan to a fan rated junction box. I would be very surprised if that isn't an approved method. You can get fan rated boxes that install from the room if you don't have access from above. You would remove the old box and bend the metal bars out of the way and install the new box. So I can't use the existing ceiling box and metal hanger bar at all? It is 41 years old and original to the house so maybe it wouldn't be good enough. But even if I got the fan rated junction box you showed, my Hunter directions make no mention of such a box. All the directions show there being a wood support brace between the joists and using the supplied 3 wood screws to attach the ceiling plate to the wood brace. If I got the fan rated junction box, is there a way to attach the ceiling plate to it? You may be able to remove the existing box (access from above?) and just install the expandable one ray showed. If no access..cut the power at the panel, get the wires out of the way, cut or bend the cheap metal hanger and remove it. Don't sweat the 2x4 with box attached instructions. The metal expandable ones rated for fans are better and stronger. But how would I attach the ceiling plate to the new metal fan rated box? It will have holes that match up with the fan rated box...that's why its called fan rated. The box and brace has bigger threaded holes for larger screws than a regular light fixture. Bet if you look the plate has multiple slots that will match up. It may even come with machine screws and washers..if not the expandable fan box should. My fan only came with 3 wood screws, no machine screws that length (or close to it). So definitely no way I can reuse my existing ceiling box? I looked at some pictures I took of it in the attic a few weeks ago and forgot that it's not metal, but rather a brownish fiberglass looking material (the house was built in 1970). Probably a big no-no to try to use it? Yes...its not what you want to use. Think that might be called Bakelite and its really brittle..won't take vibration. If you can get in the attic above, you can use a metal brace with box or the 2x4 and separate fan rated box. Secure the 2x4 with screws (my pref...deck or wood screws..not drywall) or nails at the correct height for the box, so its flush with the interior. Definitely need a fan rated box. The fan rated boxes will come with screws to attach the brace to the box. One reason they are fan rated, they don't rely on short 3/4 screws to go into a lip bent over in the box. They extend up and fasten to the tapped back of the box, so they are probably 2 1/2 or 3 long. The box set up mentioned by Ray can be installed from the hole in case you don't have access. The bar and ends will go up and you will twist the bar like a turnbuckle. Both ends will go out. on the ends are barb like things that grab the ceiling joists and prevent movement. Also when stood on end, the stands on the end will space the bar to where the provided box will extend to the edge of your sheetrock. It's a matter of reading the directions and growing another left hand So this is what I bought: Shop Raco New Work Ceiling Fan Brace at Lowes.com This should have everything I need right? Looking at the parts I guess I'll need to make my own short grounding wire to ground the box. It did come with a grounding screw. I also noticed a Steel City kit, not sure which is better. I do have access to the attic so that's why I bought the new construction kit. Yes, that is what you need. I just put it all together here on my desk real quick and it seems like it will do the job. Now to force myself into the attic sometime soon. Ugh! Thanks everyone for the help. I'll come back if I run into more problems. Mark Well happy to report that we got the fan up yesterday and it's running great. Thanks again for all the help. I do have another question. We are going to put the same fan up in our other daughter's room. Her current ceiling light is on a dimmer switch and I'm wondering if that's OK to use for the fan? Both the fan and fan light will be wired to the single switch. Is it OK to use the dimmer switch? I imagine it would be OK for the fan light, but I'm not sure about the fan itself. Thanks again. No, the dimmer switch won't work on your fan. The manufacturer makes a switch combination for lights and fans. The one problem you will have in not separating the light and fan will be when you turn down the fan speed via the dimmer, you will also dim the lights. Not a good idea. Any way to rewire the fan from the switch with a 3 wire cable? That way you could have definite control over the fan and light separately. No real easy way to run a new 3 wire. I guess I'll just get a regular single pole switch to replace the dimmer with and then have it run both the fan and light. That's how we did it in our older daughter's room yesterday. And it's how my wife wanted it instead of them being on separate switches (not sure why, but why argue to do more work when the wife doesn't want you to???). Is it possible to keep my existing dimmer switch and for us to just make sure whenever the fan is on to leave the dimmer all the way on? In other words, just use the dimmer for the light? The light will get infinitely more use than the fan, and our daughter is only 1 so it's nice to be able to use just a little bit of light sometimes in her room. Someone is bound to forget. A fan speed control will though also dim lights so you could swap out the dimmer for a fan control. The big difference is the lights will srart out bright instead of dim. You could also add a remote control to the fan.
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