Replacing The Switch On A Ceiling Fan/Light Fixture

Disclaimer: If you attempt to follow the instructions below; I take no responsibility or liability for the following.

So, I'm walking through Lowes and I walk by these 2 women who are looking at ceiling fans and talking to one another. "I can't believe I have to buy a whole new fan just because the chain broke off at the switch." The other women says, " I know. Are you sure you want to spend over 200 dollars?" I interrupt. "Sorry to interrupt but you can replace the switch for about 20 dollars." The women look at each other and gasp. "REALLY?? How?" I ask them to walk with me over to the next isle where the switches are.

I explain to them the following:

The replacement switch needed is a: SPST Pull Chain Switch The SPST stands for Single pole, Single Throw

Materials Needed:

• SPST Pull Chain Switch $4.00
  
• 4- #16 Twist-on Wire Connectors $3.00
  

Tools Needed:

• Screwdriver (to disassemble the fan/light fixture) Everyone should have this!
  
• Klein Wire stripper/cutter tool $12.00
  

Please read this all the way through before attempting. Do the repair in your head first and make sure everything makes sense.

1. Safety First!!!

The first thing you have to do is turn off the power to the light/ceiling fan.

• If you have switch on the wall that turns the light/fan on/off, simply turn it off. Unless there is a wiring problem, this should interrupt the current going to the light/fan.
  

• If you have a pull chain - pull it. Be careful, this will turn off the light but - There is still a current going to the light fixture. The black wire going to the fixture is still "hot".
  

Now the mantra here is: "I can touch the black wire (load) separately and I can touch the white wire (neutral) separately. I just cannot touch them at the same time." If you touch them both at the same time, you complete the circuit and WILL get shocked.

"Holy crap, what kind of shock are we talking about?!?!" You ask startled! Well, if you have a electrical system that is to code and newish the light circuit is 15amps. It will feel like a" zzzipp", like a bee sting that gets worse until you let go! No worries, it's unpleasant enough that you will let go immediately. If you are unconvinced and would like to mitigate the whole nasty possibility of a shock, do the following:

1. Leave the light fixture/ceiling fan on.
2. Plug in a floor light to a wall outlet, turn it on.
3. Find your circuit box and open it up.
4. Find the circuit that is labeled "Lights" and turn it off.

When you come back into the room you should find the ceiling light/fan OFF (as well as all of the overhead lights in the house) and the floor light that is plugged into the outlet ON. If this not the case - STOP. You could have a serious wiring issue. Call me or and electrician.

There are only a few tools that you need to own that have only one specific purpose. A good wire stripper/cutter tool by Klein is one of them. They look like pliers and are about 12 bucks from Home Depot or any other hardware store. This tool will make the rest of replacing the switch A LOT easier and insure that it will work properly.

2. Light Demolition

• If you have an expensive ceiling fan/light, once you take the glass cover that covers the bulbs and metal outer piece covering the switches there should be a plastic disconnect that when disconnected will allow you to remove the whole bottom piece complete with bulbs.

• If the bottom piece (lights) can not be separated, the job is a little harder but not impossible. Since I don't know which fan/light fixture you have, you will have to remove parts until you can expose the broken switch.
  

With both scenarios above, there are two pull chains. One for the fan and one for the light. I am assuming that you have been able to expose the broken switch. Keep track of which screws/parts go where to make the reassembly easier.

3. Switch Repair:

You are now ready to cut away the broken switch. Usually, both of the wires that come from the switch are black. I don't know why this is I know it can be confusing.

• Follow each wire away from the switch. One should go to a black wire (load) and one should go to a white wire (neutral). Mark the black (load) wire (on the side that will remain after you cut it) with a small piece of tape or something.
  
• Cut the black wire first and then the white wire second close to the switch. This will give you enough of the wire needed to re-connect the switch.

Look at the picture below.

This picture should also be on the back of the packaging that held your new switch. Hold the switch as shown and mark the "load" line with a piece of tape. This will connect to the black line that was marked before it was cut.

Now it is time to prepare the wires. There are 4 wires. 2 black wires from the new switch and two wires, one white and one black, from the ceiling fan/light. Using your new wire stipper/cutter tool, find the hole with a "16" on it. This is the size of the wires. Insert one of the wires about 1/4" and squeeze. Without letting go, slid the tool away from the wire. The rubber part should slide away leaving the all the wires exposed. Do this to the remaining 3 wires.

Re-connecting the switch. Looking at the picture to the left or on the back of the packaging, place the new switch the same way as it is pictured. Switch on the left wires on the right. The top wire is the black or "load" wire. Connect it to the black wire on the ceiling fan/light fixture by first twisting the copper wires together. Then take a wire connector and twist that onto the two twisted copper wires. You should feel the connector tighten. Do the same with the other black wire coming from the switch and white or "neutral" wire coming from the ceiling fan/light fixture.

Now its time to re-assemble the ceiling fan/light fixture. I hope you remember how you took it apart!! The only left over piece you should have is the old switch!!

All back together?!?! Good job!! All that is left is to go out to the breaker box and turn the "lights" circuit on if you turned it off.

Then - TURN ON THE CEILING FAN/LIGHT!!!! You did it!! You just replaced a switch!! You SO totally rock!!! :)