ceiling-fan
I live in a house that was build in 2015, this outlet currently mounts a light fixture. I want to replace the lights with a ceiling fan but I am not sure if the current outlet box will support the fan. The fan is 23 lbs in weight.
The text printed on the box
Carlon
4" Ceiling Box
20 CU. IN. VOL
328 CU. CM.
I have taken some picture and shared them at link below.
You have two issues:
Strength of the hickey - Some hickeys are cast from cheap pot metal and would be sketchy. Some are steel but bent in the shape of a U with one open side, also problematic. Heavier cast iron ones with support on both sides wold probably be better.
Strength of the crossbar - Also an issue. consider a heavier duty type or even a full round. Then consider doubling the cross bar up with small bolts joining the pair.
Supplement - In line with other answers and comments, there are real risks installing a fan with other than a properly rated fan box. Perhaps most important is the security of the box itself. The fan depends on the plate, the plate on the hickey, the hickey on the stud and the stud on the box. Is the box well enough attached that it can't be loosened by fan vibration? Also, if the plate is not pulled tight against the box, the fan is balanced on the single point of the extension coming from the hickey.
This should allow the dimmer to control the recessed lights, and the remote to control the fan/light.
Of course this assumes that power comes to the switch first, and one of the wires in the cable is always hot.
Based on the info you've provided, it should look something like this.
According to the documentation for the dimmer, the black lead is LINE and the red lead is LOAD.
Best Answer
It looks like just a plastic ceiling box without any extra support. If that is the case, the answer is no, you would definitely want to replace it with a fan box which you can get in kit form. See the picture. You can find these kits at Lowes for under $20.
The nice thing is that it looks like you have a single cable coming in which makes the replacement much easier than if you had splices to take apart and try to get wired back together in the new box.
To get the old one out, it will probably take a hammer and screw driver. Bust it out, pry it out, whatever. Be ready for insulation to possibly fall out and make a mess. The new kit has a brace bar with feet on each end that need to be able to sit flat on the top of the ceiling drywall, lath & plaster, or whatever ceiling material you have. The brace bar expands as you twist it to spread across and wedge itself between the ceiling joists. You have to line it up with the center of the hole. Then the box attaches by way of four screws and a little horse-shoe shaped hanger that mounts over the bar. For a fan you should use the #10 screws. This kit I've shown can support up to 110 pounds.