Possible to wire a bathroom exhaust fan to a ceiling light?

[MTG#10]

Need some advice from all you handy Planeteers. Let me start off by saying Im not very handy at all when it comes to shit like this but I'm going to try it anyway.

What I'm wanting to do is install a bathroom exhaust fan in a big walk-in closet. I'd like to install it right next to the ceiling light, would it be possible to wire it to the light so when I turn my light on the exhaust fan turns on too? If so any tips/recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

[BlackHelicopters]

This is bizarre.

[FlaChief58]

Originally Posted by MTG#10

"Its too cold"

Just tell her that you will get estimates on having a quality exhaust fan installed. If she pays for it, you will have it done. If not, take that shit outside

[Frosty]

I'm hoping this is a walk-in closet and not some small coat closet.

[Tombstone RJ]

Originally Posted by MTG#10

"Its too cold"

If it's an attached garage I gotta call BS on this. I'd tell her to put on a coat and go into the garage. If she still complains about how cold it is then put a space heater out there for her.

Anyhow, I'm sorry I have to lecture you on this but here goes: by putting a freaking ventilation fan into her closet, you are enabling her self destructive behavior.

grow up man. wear the friggen pants.

if she has to suffer a little because she's well, stupid, so be it.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Originally Posted by Tombstone RJ

If it's an attached garage I gotta call BS on this. I'd tell her to put on a coat and go into the garage. If she still complains about how cold it is then put a space heater out there for her.

Anyhow, I'm sorry I have to lecture you on this but here goes: by putting a freaking ventilation fan into her closet, you are enabling her self destructive behavior.

grow up man. wear the friggen pants.

if she has to suffer a little because she's well, stupid, so be it.

Dude, what if she's a smokin hot supermodel. You'd be fixing up her closet real nice too !

[CrazyPhuD]

Originally Posted by MTG#10

"Its too cold"

Say 'Your nipples disagree'?

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Originally Posted by MTG#10

Its for someone to smoke in this winter so she doesn't have to go outside and freeze her ass off. I dont want her smoking in the bathrooms and nobody else goes in her closet. Since its just cigarette smoke I assumed it wasn't necessary to vent it outside.

an exhaust fan will pull the warm air out of your home into the attic if not vented properly. That warm air will then condense on the underside of the roof, causing water to rot out the sheathing and potential for other damage to insulation, etc.

[Tombstone RJ]

Originally Posted by Hog Farmer

Dude, what if she's a smokin hot supermodel. You'd be fixing up her closet real nice too !

I'd have a heated garage my friend.

[TinyEvel]

I ran the electrical department in chain like The Home-Depot for 7 years. About once a month, someone would come in asking for a mercury vapor light set-up that would fit in a small area.

As for your situation: can you get into the attic above where the light is? If so, the proper way to do it is this:

get 5' of Romex 14/2 wire, 6 yellow wirenuts, two hammer-in Romex staples, two Romex-to-box connectors for a 1/2" knockout, and enough 3" or 4" flexible exhaust hose to reach the exit point (the attic louver vent - presumably on an exterior wall)

TURN OFF THE BREAKER TO THE CLOSET CEILING LIGHT AND MAKE SURE THE LIGHT SWITCH IS OFF, JUST TO BE EXTRA SAFE.

Bring a plug-in lamp into the closet so you have plenty of light to work with in there.

Remove the closet light fixture from the ceiling (usually two screws that hold it to the ceiling box. Twist the cone-shaped wire-nuts counter-clockwise to remove. Make note of the colors of wire that come out of the ceiling - black should go to black and white to white. There also might be a bare or green wire attached to a green wire or screw on the fixture.

IN THE ATTIC Mount the fan in the ceiling 1 foot away from the ceiling fixture, per the instructions that came with the fan. (you should have already cut the correct-sized hole from below using a 5/8 paddle drill bit and keyhole saw - making sure you are between studs)

insert the Romex connector in the 1/2" Knockout in the metal wiring box on the fan housing, push the Romex 8" into the box and tighten the clamp (you will perform the wiring connection from inside the closet)

staple the Romex to a ceiling joist within 12" of where it exits the fan.

Attach the flexible exhaust hose to the fan and run it to the exit vent. If you can attach it to the louvers with a sheet metal screw or wire or plumber's tape, even better (the REAL best way to do this is with a roof cap but you already said you don't want to do that, so I won't go into it)

knock out a 1/2" plug on the junction box the closet light is mounted in (if it is a plastic box you can just pull the Romex through one of the tabbed holes in the box)

push the Romex 8" into the closet light box.

Staple the Romex to a stud within 12" of where it enters the closet light box.

You are now done above the ceiling. GTFO of the attic. Those places are uncomfortable as hell.

In the closet, at the exhaust fan, strip the outside sheath off the Romex for 7" (be careful not to slice the insulation on the wires within. I usually make a 1/2" cut lengthwise from the tip, then use a fingertips or a pliers to peel it back like a banana, then cut off the dangling sheath with scissors.) Strip the ends of the wires and use the orange or yellow wire nuts to connect the Romex wires to the exhaust fan wires per the instructions. Place the vent grill on the fan.

At the closet light:

Strip the outside sheath off the Romex for 7" Strip the ends of the wires and lay the ends parallel with the matching colors of the closet light and ceiling wires. Should be three whites in one wire nut, three blacks in the other, and the bare wire from the Romex goes to the bare wire coming out of the ceiling or the green screw on the light fixture.

Mount the light fixture to the ceiling.

Turn the power back on.

Turn on the light and the fan should go on too.



ALTERNATIVE OPTION:


Go to Burlington Coat Factory. Buy her a big coat.

--TinyE

[mikeyis4dcats.]

by the way, the average home exhaust fan barely draws any volume, your house, especially the closet, will still smell badly of cigarettes.

[FlaChief58]

Originally Posted by Hog Farmer

Dude, what if she's a smokin hot supermodel. You'd be fixing up her closet real nice too !

She can smoke for a poke & stroke

[CrazyPhuD]

Originally Posted by Flachief58

She can smoke for a poke & stroke

This....there are far better ways to satisfy an oral need.

[TinyEvel]

Originally Posted by mikeyis4dcats.

by the way, the average home exhaust fan barely draws any volume, your house, especially the closet, will still smell badly of cigarettes.

"(singing) Burrrrrlington Coat Facotreeeeeeeeee..."

[LOCOChief]

Originally Posted by MTG#10

I was going to vent it to the attic. Will that make the whole house smell?

yes and so will your ol lady's clothes if she is smoking in her closet. My wife went outside for 20 years to smoke now she and her pals or on the vapor cig. Hasn't had a goon in year as of last week. The vapor stuff smells good too so she cansmoke indoors.

[Consistent1]

Originally Posted by mikeyis4dcats.

an exhaust fan will pull the warm air out of your home into the attic if not vented properly. That warm air will then condense on the underside of the roof, causing water to rot out the sheathing and potential for other damage to insulation, etc.

How many of us have already told him it is a stupid idea and a waste of money? I'm losing count.