Six fans on patio


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Old 02-23-16, 05:10 AM
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Six fans on patio

My son has a large patio and him and his wife want to add six fan/lights to this area. This will be old work project, so I will need to add circuit, I was thinking to run 12-2 power to first fan then jump to the next fan and so on. The big question is the switches, do I need to have six switches? Can I use one switch that will shut off and on all fans and then use remote to turn on off the ones on want on?
Will this be up to code on one switch, will it even work on one swich? If you use 3 amps for each fan and lights will circuit work, because that is about 18 amps if all were on at the same time. Do I need to run two 12-2 circuits, because of the amps, or say you do not need lights on all fans. I could use some help here, so if one of you can draw HELP.
 
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Old 02-23-16, 07:05 AM
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A quick Google shows one amp or less for most ceiling fans. A 60 amp incandescent bulb half an amp. So 20 amp on #12 should be fine. One switch would be okay or use 12-3 and two switches. Of course check the actual amps of the fans you buy.
 
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Old 02-23-16, 07:26 AM
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I got the 3 amp useage off some paper work for a fan and light that I have installed. If I am hearing you right I can bring power 12-2 to the first fan then run 12-3 to a switch and that will control the six fans/lights? Is this up to code to wire the fans using one switch and remotes to turn on off the fan in uses? I understand their are many lights that are controlled by one switch in a house, but I want to be sure that I am not over looking something with amp use or someother problem that I am not seeing.
 
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Old 02-23-16, 09:36 AM
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If I am hearing you right I can bring power 12-2 to the first fan then run 12-3 to a switch and that will control the six fans/lights?
Yes, but not what I meant. Because code now requires a neutral at the switch box even if not needed it is best to bring power to the switch box. You would then run 12-2 to the first fan.

My 12-3 comment referred to using two switches with half the fans on each switch just for convenience.

Note if you use one switch and first bring power to the first fan then yes you will need to use 12-3 so you can run a neutral to the switch. However I would not go that way. Simpler to just bring power to the switch. That way you only need 12-2 for one switch.
 
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Old 02-23-16, 02:05 PM
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This is stucco patio and I wanted to do the least amout of damage to the stucco, so that was the main reason I wanted to put power to the fan. If I can fine power that will allow me the amp draw I will need then I can maybe use a receptacle and bring power to a switch. That may be a long shot, so I should continue planning a new circuit, Is this a case where I may pass on hooking up a neutral if I run a 3 wire from the switch to run the fan and light. If their is no latitude on the neutral than you will always need to run power to the switch box so you have a neutral hook up.
 
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Old 02-23-16, 02:26 PM
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Is this a case where I may pass on hooking up a neutral if I run a 3 wire from the switch to run the fan and light. If their is no latitude on the neutral than you will always need to run power to the switch box
As I said you can run power to the fan first but in that case you must use 12-3 from the fan to the switch. White at the switch is capped off. Black is used to bring power in and red carries it out.

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Old 02-24-16, 04:05 AM
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Thanks for all the help I will let you know how it turns out.
 
 

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