How do i add a bathroom exhaust fan?

Question

i want to change my exsiting single switch for the light and add a double switch to control each circuit seperatly, please help i'm having a problem wiring this fan. i cant run both at the same time.

Answer 1

You cannot safely run each separately with the existing wiring. You must run a new line [one with an extra 'hot' wire] from the switch box to the fan/light. This new line would be a cable with the three wires [black/hot, white/neutral, and green or bare/ ground] which I asssume you have now, PLUS another "hot" wire, usually colored red. It would replace the existing line between your switch and devices. This added "hot" wire would run through your new added switch, and control the other device [fan, or light].

Answer 2

You would need to use either 14/3 with ground or use 12/3 with ground. Fish the new wire down from the ceiling to the switch box. At the ex. fan you will hook white to white, black to black and red to blue. The ground wire will hook to either a green wire or there might be a green s***w to goes thru the metal of the fan box. Just wrap it a round clock wise and tighten the s***w. When you make the joint in the switch box, tie all the whites together all the grounds together and how ever many hots you have together. Pigtail two hot from the group so you will have a fed for both switches. Once you have the hots on the switches use the red wire for one and the black wire for the other.