Install Ceiling Fan Without Electrical Box

Keep in mind what makes a ceiling fan electrical box different from a traditional light fixture box is the bracing.

Install ceiling fan without electrical box.

Do not rely on a wall switch to protect you from electrical shock. Inspect your current electrical box to ensure your project won t involve installing a ceiling fan box. Disconnect the cable from the box. Hold a 1 2 inch thick pancake box against the ceiling centered on a joist and trace around it with a pencil.

Installing a ceiling fan chandelier or other heavy light fixture in an existing ceiling requires the right junction box j box. The electrical box or junction box is a code requirement that was established to prevent fires and other electrical accidents. If the box has a cable clamp remove the locknut. Attach new electrical box.

Hold a vacuum cleaner wand next to the saw to catch the dust. Cut along the line with a drywall saw. The box shown has a slot that the cable slides through. 20 2019 the family handyman senior editor gary wentz will show you how to remove an old light and install a ceiling fan mounting bracket so you can properly install a new ceiling fan.

If you re wondering how you install a light fixture without an electrical box the short answer is that you don t. How to install a ceiling fan mounting bracket family handyman updated. Ceiling fan boxes must include bracing that attaches to the ceiling joists to support the greater weight and vibration that comes with a ceiling fan installation. Pry the tab and pull the cable out.

Pry out the box s mounting nails and pull the box down from the ceiling. In most cases an electrician installs a rough in electrical box before hanging any type of ceiling fixture. The family handyman editor in chief gary wentz will show you how to remove an old light and install a ceiling fan brace so you can properly install a new c. Feed the electrical cable coming from the ceiling through the knockout hole in the pancake box.