extension ring for fan box?

Question

Does anyone make an extension ring rated for hanging ceiling fans? Am about to dive into rewiring upstairs bedrooms, and one of the things I'd like to do is change the ceiling fixture boxes for fan-rated ones. Given my druthers, I'd put extension rings on them as well, seeing as the house was originally wired with switch legs so there's lots of wires in your average ceiling box (and that is also the logical place to splice into a circuit for future additions.) But before I truck down to the Real Electrical Supply Place (which involves getting up at

0-dark-hundred so as not to be late for work) I wanted to make sure they existed.

thanks

nate

John Grabowski · Accepted Answer

*I have never seen a fan rated extension box.  There are deep fan boxes available though, 4"octagonal x 2 1/8" deep.   I think that I have seen them at Home Depot.

RBM · Answer

That's the biggest I've seen too. Side bracket deep 4" round box. I suppose, if he really needed the space, he could mount a deep 1900 box to a block of wood and drill out the ring collar and through bolt it. As long as the box isn't the "sole support" of the fan, it's OK.

John Grabowski · Answer

*Roy you've reminded me of how I used to mount fans before the proliferation of fan braces and boxes.  I would use a 2" x 4" block of wood spanned over several ceiling joists with 2 lengths of 1/4" threaded rod penetrating into the box.  I would then attach the fan's mounting bracket directly to the threaded rod.  With everything double nutted the fan was very secure, but it was a lot more effort then what is now required with the new fan rated hardware.

RBM · Answer

John, that's exactly what I used to do, and you could do pull ups on that sucker. I think we're dating ourselves

RonABC · Answer

For whatever it's worth....,I've been going through the ceiling fan box hunt routine recently.  One thing I found is that at my local Home Depot and Lowes all of the electrical junction boxes etc. are in the electrical section -- EXCEPT for the ceiling fan boxes -- duh.The ceiling fan boxes are in the lighting section where the ceiling fans (with lights) are located.  There are more types and styles than I realized. The house I am wiring has those small flat/shallow metal "pancake" boxes attached to a ceiling joist.  They make ceiling fan boxes that also attach to the existing joist, and are shallow, but they also go up along the side of the joist to allow more room for wires, connections, etc.Nate Nagel wrote:

Joe · Answer

On Feb 20, 9:52=A0pm, Nate Nagel  wrote:

extension ring for fan box?

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