Remodeling a bedroom in a 1980s townhome. The home was set up with switched outlets and no ceiling lighting in most rooms. The bedroom in question does have 12/3 cable w ground to the ceiling from the switch box, but my parents are set on having a fan without a light in that location. In essence, the red cable isn't being used for the fan, and we'd like to get light to a different ceiling location. I have access to the fan j box from both below and the attic space, but the 12/3 cable is tied to studs and run through ceiling joists, so I cannot pull new lines from the switch without tearing apart walls/ceilings.
My question is whether or how I might try to jump off of this unused red(hot) for a second ceiling fixture. The switch box has room for another switch; it currently has a switch for the outlets, the fan switch, and an empty space, as the old fan had the light and fan switched separately. For the new light, can I just run 12/2 w ground to the new light location from the fan j box, attaching black to red and white to other whites. I guess I'm not sure if it's okay to run two separate fixtures off of the 12/3 of the fan like that, or if it would even work.
I can figure out a smart switch fix on another circuit from the attic, but I'd prefer everything be hard wired and on the same circuit. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Chris
Best Answer
Yes, providing there is enough capacity in the j-box, you can just run 12/2 w ground to the new light location from the fan j box, attaching black to red and white to other whites.
12 awg requires 2.25 cu in per insulated conductor, plus adding one conductor to the count for all grounds. The fixture wires from the fan don't count.