ceiling-fanelectrical
I just took down a ceiling fan to find an electrical box that I've never seen before:
It appears to be wrapped around the ceiling beam. The center screw is drilled into the bottom of the beam. Looks like the two slits on either side have holes drilled into the beam, and that's what I would attach a new ceiling light fixture to.
Is this sort of thing ok? I've just never seen it before, not sure what it's called, and it if it's ok for code in New York.
Thanks
It sounds like this is what you're describing...
If this is indeed what you've encountered, you should remove the grounding conductor from the twist-on wire connector used to connect the white wires.
The only place grounded (neutral) conductors and grounding conductors should be bonded (connected), is at the main service disconnect.
If there are no grounding conductors in the house, it's not that big of a concern. As long as the wiring is done properly, you should have no problems at all. If there truly are no grounding conductors in the house, connecting fixture grounding conductors will have no effect. If you're really concerned about the lack of grounding conductors, you can install combination ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) breakers in the service panel.
This sentence also has me concerned...
I cannot use the metal ceiling box that was being used with the ceiling fan. I can only use the bracket, which is currently screwed into place, right into the "hole" in the ceiling.
Are you saying that the new light fixture is not installed in an electrical box?
If this is the case, you should correct that issue as well. All electrical connections must be made inside an approved, listed and labeled enclosure.
If the old fixture worked, Then you should be good if all is connected properly. When you say you "wrapped" the new wires onto the wire in the ceiling, I take it you mean just that, and perhaps taped them up (given the first picture) - I'm guessing they came untaped and shorted out when you put the fixture in place.
Cut and strip the wires in the ceiling, and use a correctly sized wirenut or other suitable wiring connector to connect them to the fixture wires.
Best Answer
Several manufacturers make that box. It's specifically for mounting ceiling fans or other heavy fixtures, which can then be screwed directly into the wood of the joist.
Here is one such box. Or here.
It's perfectly ok to use for a standard fixture, not just ceiling fans. It's just designed specifically to be able to screw heavy mounting screws directly into the wood of the joist.