# Help How to Wire Bathroom "Fan Heater Light Night-light" unit, and questions



## 220/221 (Oct 9, 2007)

Branch circuit is simply a circuit from your panel to whatever it serves. You will hook your 12/2 to a 20 amp breaker and you will have a 20 amp branch circuit.


Typically, I use four switches on these units.

Fan, light, heater, night light.

You don't want the night light on 24/7

You can run your new circuit in with the existing light circuit but it would be more difficult for you and you would now have five switches. My limit is four because the materials are easier to find.

Typically I would run the new 12/2 down the wall, into a 4 gang plastic junction/switch box. 

I would run two 12/3's from the switch box to the fan/light/heat/nl junction box. This in itself can be quite a challange because the JB's are often very small.

The wiring in the switch box is pretty simple. Bare grounds all together leaving pigtails for each of your switches.

*Switch box:*

White wire (neutral) from your incoming 12/2 ties to the white wires in the 12/3's going to the fan/light.

Black wire from your incoming 12/2 is your 120v power. Install 4 pigtails on it, one to power each switch.

The remaining wires(red/black, black/red)are your switch legs. They will carry current to the fan,light heater and night light. Hook these to the corrosponding wires in the fan/light JB. Mark them to keep them straight.

example. 

Black/red #1 = light/night light

Black/red # 2 = heater/fan


EDIT:

I didn't really understand the type of switch you are using but the wiring will be the same as if there were 4 individual switches. Maybe you have one, two gang switch that does all functions?. If so, change the existing lihjt sw box to whatever size you need and keep the existing light switch wiring completely separate, just how it is.


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## Tryvidy (Apr 19, 2009)

Awesome reply, thank you! I love this site already, I've been waiting for days for a decent reply on another site!

*Q: Will it violate code if I have the heater timer switch in the same gang box, as the fan, light, and night light?*

*Q: Is plastic better than metal for the gang box? * I will try go find one ASAP at HomeDepot.

*Q: Again regarding code: Can I leave the 12/2 laying loose in my attic, or does it have to be fixed with those wire staples? (sorry, not sure what they're called)*

*Q: One more question, is it safe to put a sliding dimmer in the Bathroom for the vanity lights?*

The VHL2 manual shows a picture of all 4 switches for this unit together in a double gang box ... so one would think Panasonic wouldn't suggest breaking code - right?

Thanks again! I hope that's it for the questions..


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## 220/221 (Oct 9, 2007)

*Q: Will it violate code if I have the heater timer switch in the same gang box, as the fan, light, and night light?

Q: Is plastic better than metal for the gang box? *

yes...it's non conductive and bigger.


*Q: Again regarding code: Can I leave the 12/2 laying loose in my attic, or does it have to be fixed with those wire staples? (sorry, not sure what they're called)*

Technically, no. If it is a true attic where you climb up and store stuff, staple the cable _gently_ to keep it away from potential damage. 

If your attic is like ours in AZ, it is strictly used for pipes wires ductwork and insulation and stapling is only a technical issue.



* One more question, is it safe to put a sliding dimmer in the Bathroom for the vanity lights?*

Yes


*The VHL2 manual shows a picture of all 4 switches for this unit together in a double gang box ... so one would think Panasonic wouldn't suggest breaking code - right?*

So it has two, double/stacked switches? Is one of them a timer like you described??

Whatever the case, you *can *put all the switches together in your 3 or 4 gang box.


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## Tryvidy (Apr 19, 2009)

Just an update, and to check that what I've done is okay. 

*12/2 into junction box.*

- black wire pigtailed to two black wires:

1st pigtailed black wire goes to light & night night combo switch.


2nd pigtailed black wire goes to black leads on both fan timer and heater timer.

- white wire - pigtailed 4 times:

to the two white wires from two 12/3's going to device
also pigtailed to the white wires from the timers

Basically - all the whites are in contact with eachother...

The black wires on the timers are only 14 guage. I already asked, but just to make sure my i's are dotted (so to speak), once again:

*Will 14 guage wiring in the timer - hinder the heater performance, which requires 12 guage wiring?*

thanks again!

_Rant:
(And WOW, why do they make gang boxes so shallow, when the walls are typically thicker from drywall to drywall anyways!?! Let me guess - that's the way it's always been done. I could not find a PVC 4 gang receptacle (for greater depth), so I'm stuck trying to fit one 12/2 and two 12/3's along with 3 14/3 into one 4 gang metal box. )
_


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## PaliBob (Jun 11, 2008)

Tryvidy said:


> _ I could not find a PVC 4 gang receptacle (for greater depth), so I'm stuck trying to fit one 12/2 and two 12/3's along with 3 14/3 into one 4 gang metal box. )_


Try, Try your local supply house, the big box stores don't sell anything unless they can sell a jillion of them everyday. When you go into a big box store it looks like they must have everything, but in reality they only carry a small percentage of the items carried by a good distributor.

Carlon makes them:
http://www.hardwareandtools.com/invt/u211672
.


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## 220/221 (Oct 9, 2007)

I do't want to say I told you so but....



> Typically I would run the new 12/2 down the wall, into a *4 gang plastic* junction/switch box.


You are going to struggle to end up with a safe installation. You think the sw box is small? Wait until you get to the fan/light jbox.

You don't have home depot in your area?


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## Tryvidy (Apr 19, 2009)

Both major hardware stores here in Canada, HomeDepot and Rona, _both_ do not carry plastic boxes larger than 3 gang.

I'll hunt down a dedicated electrical supply store as PaliBob suggested - if I have trouble, but hopefully with immaculate attention to the placment of these wires, I'll give it a try first.

*I'm guessing the safety risk is in the folding, pinching, and unravelling of the wire caps?*

But yes, you did tell me so. 

By the way, is "code" different in Canada from the US?


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## 220/221 (Oct 9, 2007)

Code is a bit different in Canaduh.:yes:

And yes. The safety issuse come from cramming too much stuff into too litle space. The plastic box is larger and non conductive so it is a more logical choice. 

If you plan correctly and don't leave more than 1/2 of sheath in the box, you can make the metal box work. 

Enter all cables from the top of the box. MAke up you grounds and tuck them to the back. The groups should have just *one* bend. Too much wire is as bad as too little.

Do the neutrals next and tuck them back. Try and leave lots of room for the switches.


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## DCFear (Jun 15, 2012)

*Heater,Fan,Light Air Care Industries Brand AC2000*

At the unit I have 2 sets of Bk& Wt wires 1of the Wt wires has black tape on it at both unit and switch ends? at the switch I have Bk & Wt feed with the other 2Bk & wt from unit with the 1 wt with the black tape on it. How do I rewire this up? I tried to take pictures but can't download. the switch looks like 3 separate switches all together. on the back


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