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Wiring a bathroom fan light combo to replace light only

 
 
Reply Sat 12 Aug, 2017 11:43 am
Hi, I need help with something that's probably really simple for someone who knows electrical, which I don't. I have a bathroom with no vent fan. Went to HD and bought a home netwerks ventilating bath fan, model 7130-02-bt. I thought I could simply swap it out with the existing light fixture and switch I'm using, but there's one minor difference and I'm lost.

Here's my original switch with the standard black, white, and green wiring. I've swapped out these switches before, but that's about it. https://ibb.co/k6UMRa

Then here's the new fan/light with black, white, green wiring that seems like will just be connected the same way the old light fixture was and is doable. https://ibb.co/mLy9CF

Now when I look at the new switch and want to start what I thought would be simple, there's an extra red wire on top of the black, white, and green. https://ibb.co/cNA6sF The wires are labeled and of course there's a wiring diagram in the manual https://ibb.co/bOzAKv

I know this seems like it would make things easy, but I'm not understanding it at all. I'm not getting how I swap out a standard, three wire switch with one that has four wires. I tried to google how to handle the extra red wire, but it seemed like the answer was that it replaces the black hot wire. If that is the case, that's still leaves the black then as an extra wire. I found one guy with the exact same thing as me on YouTube and tried to follow his wiring, but he had two original switches as one controlled the light and one the fan whereas I'm coming off of a single light switch. I don't know if that's the root of my problem and if so what I do about it. Anyway, I'm not following and if anybody has a simple explanation I'd really appreciate it.
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Type: Question • Score: 1 • Views: 1,884 • Replies: 11
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engineer
 
  2  
Reply Sat 12 Aug, 2017 12:30 pm
@dan62103,
There are two black wires going to your old light switch. One comes from the house power, the other goes out to the fan/light. Figure out which is which. The one from the house power gets connected to the black wire in your switch. The one going out to the fan get connected to the red wire.
dan62103
 
  1  
Reply Sat 12 Aug, 2017 12:36 pm
@engineer,
I can probably figure that out. But then what about the white wire on the new switch?
0 Replies
 
dalehileman
 
  0  
Reply Sat 12 Aug, 2017 06:25 pm
@dan62103,
Dan I'm wondering if you can use an ohmmeter, as it could explain all the wires on your new switch

Can you read us the labels

Green is usu 'ground,' which would be connected to its frame

'Bout that wiring diagram, let's see it
dan62103
 
  1  
Reply Sat 12 Aug, 2017 10:56 pm
@dalehileman,
Thanks for the replies. The last response made sense except it leaves the white wire coming off the new switch and I'm not sure what's supposed to happen with it. The pic of the wiring diagram is in the link here https://ibb.co/bOzAKv The cables from the switch are labeled: green - ground, black - power, red - switch, white - fan. So I can figure out swapping the cables from my old switch correctly to the black, red, and green. I just don't understand what to do with the white now.
dalehileman
 
  1  
Reply Sun 13 Aug, 2017 11:00 am
@dan62103,
Quote:
The pic of the wiring diagram
Dan it'd help just a whole lot more if you showed us the actual diagram

There's no way we can know. For instance, with some switches the light and fan are independent so eg, at 3 consecutive throws it's one, t'other, or both. Need ohmmeter....
dan62103
 
  1  
Reply Sun 13 Aug, 2017 11:51 am
@dalehileman,
Thank you. I don't see a way in this forum to imbed pics. I linked a pic of components in my original message and in my reply. This is a pic of the wiring diagram https://ibb.co/bOzAKv Is the link not working for you?
dalehileman
 
  -2  
Reply Sun 13 Aug, 2017 12:14 pm
@dan62103,
Quote:
Is the link not working for you?
Alas 103, I'd hoped t'was a schematic

Eng, where are you
dan62103
 
  1  
Reply Sun 13 Aug, 2017 12:22 pm
@dalehileman,
... it is a picture of the schematic from the manual that is labeled "wiring diagram". In the other links I have a picture of the fan'a wiring, picture of the existing switch, and picture of the new switch. I'm not sure where the disconnect is here. What is it that you would like to see differently?
dalehileman
 
  -1  
Reply Sun 13 Aug, 2017 01:37 pm
@dan62103,
Like, Dan, eg, schem of new switch

Eng, help
dan62103
 
  1  
Reply Sun 13 Aug, 2017 01:50 pm
@dalehileman,
Well I guess I'm going to throw in the towel here. With this https://ibb.co/bOzAKv I've now given a link to the picture I took of the schematic or wiring guide to the new switch 4 times. If I'm off the mark that much I guess maybe I need more help than I thought and will just move on. Thanks for the attempt.
dalehileman
 
  -1  
Reply Sun 13 Aug, 2017 01:56 pm
@dan62103,
Sorry Dan but I think you've somehow got ahold of the wrong line there. What I get is the page from some sort of booklet, not a schematic

Eng, you other guys, where....????
0 Replies
 
 

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