Bath Fan with separate switch

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Jazzman

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Hello, I’m installing a bath fan in a bathroom that previously didn’t have one. I was hoping to install with separate switch.
Currently there is one wall switch that turns on ceiling light. Power source comes to light fixture first, so switch only has hot wire(with white wire now feeding power back to light(taped black). Any suggestions as to how I could accomplish this with “current” conditions?

THANKS!!!
 

John Gayewski

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Pretty sure you have to pull a new wire or there could be a product with a special remote/switch that could control both independently.
 

wwhitney

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A conventional wired solution would require replacing the 2 conductor (with ground) cable with a 3 conductor cable. There might be a wired solution that could use a special double switch and special receiver in a box next to the fan to allow the 2 conductor cable to carry the information provided by two switches. You definitely could leave the existing switch as is and add a wireless switch next to it, with a wireless receiver in a box next to the fan to provide the second switching function.

Cheers, Wayne
 

Jazzman

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A conventional wired solution would require replacing the 2 conductor (with ground) cable with a 3 conductor cable. There might be a wired solution that could use a special double switch and special receiver in a box next to the fan to allow the 2 conductor cable to carry the information provided by two switches. You definitely could leave the existing switch as is and add a wireless switch next to it, with a wireless receiver in a box next to the fan to provide the second switching function.

Cheers, Wayne
Hi there, thanks for all of the excellent solutions! I ended up finding a junction box nearby to run power to the fan. I’m adding a remodel box for a new wall switch because that was the simplest and least painful solution! Not elegant but I won’t need to listen to the fan every time I turn the light on!
 

wwhitney

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Hi there, thanks for all of the excellent solutions! I ended up finding a junction box nearby to run power to the fan.
That really only works properly if the junction box you found is one that currently has 3 different 2 conductor (plus ground) cables running to it (along with possibly unrelated, separately connected cables):

(A) constant power in
(B) a switch loop for the light
(C) switched power to the fan location.

Then you can add a 2 conductor cable for a switch loop for the fan, and replace cable (C) with a 3 conductor cable.

Any arrangement other than the above is going to involve mixing neutral between circuits, or creating a neutral loop that will can EMI from unbalanced currents, as far as I can see.

Cheers, Wayne
 

Jadnashua

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Current code, from what I've heard, now requires neutral at the switch box. It will work without it, but may not pass a code inspection for updates.
 

Fitter30

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Every home owner needs non contact power stick and reciprocal tester.

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