I’m looking to install a ceiling fixture where none exists. I believe power is already routed through the joists where I’d like to install. Can I have a contractor open the ceiling and put in a wireless relay for power that can be controlled via wireless switch on the wall? Or do I need new wiring that is controllable via directly wired switch?
Electrical – Install ceiling light with wireless switch
electricaliot
Related Solutions
So long as you will not overload the circuit (figure out what all is on the circuit), you should be fine.
Was it a single pole switch to begin with? Before running your own wire, there should have just been two wires tied to the switch (and a ground); the power coming in and the wire running out to the old light. The other wires should not be wired to the switch unless you want the switch to cut the items off as well (if they are downstream of it).
I drew up a quick, crude sketch of what you'll need to run this setup, regardless of what else is there. Get it down to the basics first and work up is the best way to troubleshoot.
Coming into your box should be the main hot line, I believe you said it was red. Pigtail off of it to the two commons on your new double switch and wire nut them all together.
Next, take your old wire that ran to your light and connect it to one of the other screws. This is where you'd decide which switch to control which item.
Take your new wire that you ran from your fan and connect it to the last screw. Then back at your fan/light, wire one of the lights to the fan and one to the light. Twist together and cap off the neutrals and you should have a working system.
I'm not certain of what those other wires are there for based on your description.. were they connected to the old switch? But, this will get the fan and light working.
Also, like mentioned in Iggy's answer, this won't allow you to control the fan speed from the switch, it'll just cut it on and off.
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Best Answer
The way house wiring is done in practice one cannot simply wrap an insulation piercing tap around a wire and get power. This is done all the time in cars, but not in houses. If a wire in the attic happened to be passing over the center of a room where you wanted a ceiling fixture, code and practice do not allow a simple tap.
Nevertheless, it is easy to get power to a ceiling fixture by cutting a wire and making proper connections. To tap into a circuit this way one usually is required to make two cuts and add some cable in between in order to get enough slack to make all the proper connections.
Hard wired wall switches are still the standard for controlling ceiling fixtures, but no doubt remote switching is possible. Check the electrical inspection where you are to see if what you are contemplating is allowed by the local code.
EDIT
If there is a switched receptacle in the room, then the standard thing to do would be to add a cable from the switched receptacle to a new ceiling box. The cable can always go from the switched receptacle or may from the switch box IF there is a neutral there.
Sometimes the switched receptacle is one of a duplex receptacle and the other receptacle is always powered. If so, then both receptacles can be made always powered. You might not need a switched receptacle, if there is an overhead light which is switched