If your paddle ceiling fan’s lights no longer work, the culprit is usually the pull-chain light switch mounted on the bottom of the fan.

Here’s how to test and replace the switch.

To determine if the pull chain switch is defective:

  • Turn off the power to the fan at the circuit breaker.
  • Remove the cover plate on the bottom of the fan.
  • Disconnect the wires coming from the switch to the lights.
  • Make sure the wires are not touching anything, then turn the power back on at the breaker.
  • Check the switch wires with a voltage tester to see if power is coming from the switch to the lights.
  • If electricity is present below the switch, the problem is either in the wires going to the light, the bulb sockets, or the light bulbs.
  • If electricity is not present below the switch, turn the power to the fan back off.
  • Disconnect the wires coming into the switch from the fan.
  • Make sure the wires are not touching anything, then turn the power back on at the breaker.
  • Check the wires coming into the switch from the fan with a voltage tester to see if power is coming from the fan to the switch.
  • If electricity is not coming from the fan to the switch, the problem is with the fan wiring rather than the switch.
  • If electricity is coming from the fan to the switch, the problem is with the pull chain switch.
  • If the switch is the problem, remove the switch, replace it with a new switch, reattach the wires, turn the power back on, and pull the chain on the switch to see if the lights work.

Watch the video above to find out more.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Danny Lipford: Recently a homeowner asked me if their ceiling fan light kit could be repaired without replacing the whole thing. If the fan still works well, it’s worth looking into the light kit.

If there are no loose wires visible, the culprit is likely a faulty pull chain switch. To check, turn off the power at the breaker box, and disconnect the wires coming from the switch to the lights. Be sure that the wires are not touching anything before you turn the power back on, and test the wires with a voltmeter.

If no voltage is present, turn the power back off, and disconnect the wires coming into the switch from the fan. Again, be sure no wires are touching anything before turning on the power to test them with the meter.

If voltage is present above the switch, but not below it, then the switch is bad. A replacement pull chain switch is only a few dollars and should screw into exactly the same location as the old one.

With the power off, connect one side of the switch to the wires coming in from the fan, and the other side to the wires feeding the lights.


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Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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