how to separate a one-for-two bathroom switch into two switches?
Answers:
What you have to do is run an addition single wire...ususally a red one but the color dosn't matter....in the light fan combo you will find 2 wires...1 back and 1 blue or red....with working off a single pole switch these are tired together...seperate them and reconnect the back to the blabk supply wire...the blue one or red has to be attached to the new wire you install...then at the switch you have to take the black wire and add what is called a pig tail....this is 2 shorter wires attached to the black...one going to one switch and the other going to the other switch suppling power to both switches then you put the back wire going to the fan that was already there to one of the swiches ( this will control the light ) then you attach the new wire that you installed to the other switch ( this controlls the fan )....Please make sure you find the curcuit breaker in the panel box and turn it off....getting shocked really sucks....If you have any more questions on this you can contact me at wood42ras@yahoo.com
Other answers:
it actually depends on the fixture itself. Some you can't have two switches on, some you can. Ok, you would need to run an extra wire from your switch to your fixture. Hook the fixure light wires to one and the fan wires to another. You'll need to get a new switch to operate each one indivually. You might be able to find a "one switch size" switch that actually has two seperate switches on them. Make sure you turn the power off at the main electric panel. Good luck.
it actually depends on the fixture itself. Some you can't have two switches on, some you can. Ok, you would need to run an extra wire from your switch to your fixture. Hook the fixure light wires to one and the fan wires to another. You'll need to get a new switch to operate each one indivually. You might be able to find a "one switch size" switch that actually has two seperate switches on them. Make sure you turn the power off at the main electric panel. Good luck.
Seriously this one requires an electrician. Hire someone who specializes in service work. They will have the tools to run the new 12-3 or 14-3 cable up to the fan/light unit and they will be able to see at a glance wehther or not your fixture can actually be switched seperately. If you have a crawl space above this room for them to get to the fan it shouldn't take them more then 4 hours. If you have no crawl space with a room above then it will take considerably longer and have to have some drywall cut to get the cable up to the fixture. If by some miracle you have conduit in your walls that runs up to the fixture then they can pull one new wire up and add a combo switch to the box and be done in 30 minutes but I seriously doubt that that will be the case. Don't just think you can pull one new wire up and everything will be fine. You need to replace the cable that is running to the fixture with a 3 wire with a ground. individual wires are not meant to be exposed and need to be covered by a sheath or conduit. It's not as easy as it may seem