A ceiling fan light's pull chain may need annual replacement.
The ceiling fan light is often the main source of lighting in a room, and the light on the fan usually operates with a pull chain. Constantly pulling on the light pull chain to turn the light on and off can eventually break the switch. Pull-chain switches are made of plastic and universally sized to fit in any ceiling fan. Because of the inexpensive construction of the switch, replacing the switch often can be an annual task.
Instructions
1. Disconnect the electricity to the ceiling fan at the main breaker panel. Turn off the breaker that supplies electricity to the circuit.
2. Remove the screws from the switch housing cap, using the appropriate screwdriver, to expose the wiring for the pull-chain switch. The switch housing is located beneath the ceiling fan blades and holds the light fixture to the fan.
3. Remove the retaining nut from the light pull chain on the ceiling fan. Depending on the manufacturer of your ceiling fan, the pull chain for the light may attach to the switch housing cap at the very bottom of the fan, or it may attach through the wall of the switch housing. The retaining nut holds the pull-chain switch in place.
4. Remove the ceiling fan light fixture by disconnecting the wires. Untwist the wire connectors joining the white wire from the light to the white wire from the fan. Untwist the wire connector holding a black wire from the light's pull chain to either a black wire with a white stripe or a blue wire. These wires identify the light wires, and the wire color depends on the manufacturer of the fan. Move the ceiling fan light fixture to a sturdy work surface.
5. Remove the remaining wire connector that joins the remaining black wire from the pull chain switch to the black wire from the ceiling fan light.
6. Attach a black wire from the replacement pull-chain switch to the black wire from the ceiling fan light, using the twist-on wire connector you removed from the original pull-chain switch.
7. Insert the threaded throat of the replacement switch through the opening in the switch housing wall or the switch housing cap. Thread the pull chain from the switch through the retaining nut and twist it to the throat of the switch.
8. Connect the white wire from the ceiling fan light fixture to the white wire from the ceiling fan, twisting a wire connector over the paired ends. Connect the light wire from the ceiling fan to the remaining black wire from the pull chain switch in the same manner.
9. Reattach the switch housing cap to the switch housing. Turn on the breaker that supplies electricity to the ceiling fan circuit.
Tags: wire from, pull chain, switch housing, black wire, ceiling light
