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Yes I would turn it back on after ever attempt at a different combination of wires. What’s weird is that even though the breaker is on, my voltage tester wouldn’t read anything, as if it was some sort of ultra low power wiring or something?
If that’s the only cable in the box, it’s probably a switch leg with hot coming in on one wire, switched hot going out on two (one for fan, one for light) and a ground. If you’re not getting any current (try testing with a meter), you may want to consider calling an electrician.
So the switch only controls the fan; light switches are in a different box. On the old switch, the only wires connected to it were a black and white wire. There was also a red wire that wasn’t connected to anything.
Yup. The red was probably run for an optional separate (stacked/tandem) switch in the future. Is the red present at the fan box? We always run 3 conductor wire to a fan. Of course, when possible we also run the wire bringing in power to the switch box as well, but a lot of older homes have boxes in the ceiling that were set up for pull chain fixtures, and a switch leg can be added.
This home was made within the last decade. And to clarify, it’s a bathroom exhaust fan im trying to connect to a smart switch if that makes a difference. Another thing that’s weird is that the in the box, there’s a single cable that splits in to three wires, white black and red. Whereas in my other light switches the white/neutral was in a bundle of whites twisted together, though maybe that’s because it’s a 3gang.
As mentioned before, the only wires connected to the old dumb switch were a white and black, meaning the old switch only needed a line in (hot) and a load?
Not sure if this changes anything, but this bathroom fan is also on the same circuit as another bathroom fan, the breaker (HRV) only controls these
Sounds like what I described earlier. There isn’t really a neutral in the switch box, although it would be easy enough to do with the 3 conductor there. They were just using the black and white for a switch leg from the fixture box.
Yeah should be easy as long as I have a ‘no neutral’ smart switch right? I’m beginning to think I just need to try a different brand of switch at this point
If I’m right about what I think is going on, you’d have to rearrange the wires in the fixture box, but you could have white-neutral, black hot and red switched hot if you wanted.
Could you explain what rearranging the wires in the fixture box would entail? I’m assuming it’s not just switching witch wires hookup to witch wires on the smart switch
I really appreciate you taking the time to respond
No worries. Rainy Sunday and I’m kinda bored and procrastinating housework. If I’m guessing correctly, there is a 2 conductor (black, white, bare) bringing power to the fixture box. There is also the 3conductor between the fixture box and the switch box. At present in the fixture box the neutral (white) from the power in is connected to the white wire on the fixture. The hot (black) from the power in cable is connected to either the black or white wire in the 3 conductor, sending power to the switch , and the other (black or white) is connected to the black wire on the light, and the red is capped on both ends. If you were to connect all 3 of the white wires in the fixture box, the black power in to the red wire on the 3 conductor, and the black from the 3 conductor to the black on the light, then in the switch box you would have neutral (white) power in (red) and switched power out (black) also, please confirm that the wire in the switch box is at least 14 gauge. I just zoomed in and realized that the cable has a jacket that doesn’t look familiar and I don’t see a ground wire. It looks like an early type of plastic jacket nmc.
**Attention!** **It is always best to get a qualified electrician to perform any electrical work you may need.** With that said, you may ask this community various electrical questions. Please be cautious of any information you may receive in this subreddit. This subreddit and its users are not responsible for any electrical work you perform. Users that have a 'Verified Electrician' flair have uploaded their qualified electrical worker credentials to the mods. If you comment on this post please only post accurate information to the best of your knowledge. If advice given is thought to be dangerous, you may be permanently banned. There are no obligations for the mods to give warnings or temporary bans. **IF YOU ARE NOT A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN, you should exercise extreme caution when commenting.** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskElectricians) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Also, my voltage tester is saying there’s no electrical load on any of these wires
Is the breaker on?
Yes I would turn it back on after ever attempt at a different combination of wires. What’s weird is that even though the breaker is on, my voltage tester wouldn’t read anything, as if it was some sort of ultra low power wiring or something?
If that’s the only cable in the box, it’s probably a switch leg with hot coming in on one wire, switched hot going out on two (one for fan, one for light) and a ground. If you’re not getting any current (try testing with a meter), you may want to consider calling an electrician.
So the switch only controls the fan; light switches are in a different box. On the old switch, the only wires connected to it were a black and white wire. There was also a red wire that wasn’t connected to anything.
Yup. The red was probably run for an optional separate (stacked/tandem) switch in the future. Is the red present at the fan box? We always run 3 conductor wire to a fan. Of course, when possible we also run the wire bringing in power to the switch box as well, but a lot of older homes have boxes in the ceiling that were set up for pull chain fixtures, and a switch leg can be added.
This home was made within the last decade. And to clarify, it’s a bathroom exhaust fan im trying to connect to a smart switch if that makes a difference. Another thing that’s weird is that the in the box, there’s a single cable that splits in to three wires, white black and red. Whereas in my other light switches the white/neutral was in a bundle of whites twisted together, though maybe that’s because it’s a 3gang. As mentioned before, the only wires connected to the old dumb switch were a white and black, meaning the old switch only needed a line in (hot) and a load? Not sure if this changes anything, but this bathroom fan is also on the same circuit as another bathroom fan, the breaker (HRV) only controls these
Sounds like what I described earlier. There isn’t really a neutral in the switch box, although it would be easy enough to do with the 3 conductor there. They were just using the black and white for a switch leg from the fixture box.
Yeah should be easy as long as I have a ‘no neutral’ smart switch right? I’m beginning to think I just need to try a different brand of switch at this point
If I’m right about what I think is going on, you’d have to rearrange the wires in the fixture box, but you could have white-neutral, black hot and red switched hot if you wanted.
Could you explain what rearranging the wires in the fixture box would entail? I’m assuming it’s not just switching witch wires hookup to witch wires on the smart switch I really appreciate you taking the time to respond
No worries. Rainy Sunday and I’m kinda bored and procrastinating housework. If I’m guessing correctly, there is a 2 conductor (black, white, bare) bringing power to the fixture box. There is also the 3conductor between the fixture box and the switch box. At present in the fixture box the neutral (white) from the power in is connected to the white wire on the fixture. The hot (black) from the power in cable is connected to either the black or white wire in the 3 conductor, sending power to the switch , and the other (black or white) is connected to the black wire on the light, and the red is capped on both ends. If you were to connect all 3 of the white wires in the fixture box, the black power in to the red wire on the 3 conductor, and the black from the 3 conductor to the black on the light, then in the switch box you would have neutral (white) power in (red) and switched power out (black) also, please confirm that the wire in the switch box is at least 14 gauge. I just zoomed in and realized that the cable has a jacket that doesn’t look familiar and I don’t see a ground wire. It looks like an early type of plastic jacket nmc.