The Manufactured Housing Forums

I recently bought a 1998 Commodore 2 Br. mobile home that is 55'x14' in Western Pennsylvania. It has a peak roof system the length of the home with corresponding cathedral ceilings in each room. The large bedroom has an overhead light. I removed the light fixture and there is a plastic (round) box that contains the leads to the switch and the power.

Is it acceptable to use the existing box in the ceiling to mount a ceiling fan? I don't have any of the details of how this box is secured in the ceiling or any of the details of the structure beneath the ceiling material.

If anyone is familiar with the Commodore construction, perhaps you could provide me with some advise. Your assistance in this matter is appreciated.

Tim McKenzie

If the box is not screwed to a stud above it then it is not rated to hold a ceiling fan.Usually but not always the manufacturer marks these boxes as ceiling fan rated.Many times they will have bolts in them which come thru the box and are secured by a plate mounted behing the box. If you hang a fan on a box then it just screwed to the sheetrock sooner or later (and usually sooner )its going to fall..on you or somebody else causing some serious injurys.

There is a bar that can be purchased to anchor to the ceiling 2 bys. It can be purchased at http://www.mobilehomerepair.com Click on the books and parts link on the page. One note, most fan manufacturers make a special attachment for cathederal ceilings so that it hangs straight. It just extends the fan down a little further. Ask your fan dealer about this option. Tom

Thanks, Tom.

I took a look at that anchor at that site. However, (forgive my stupidity), in order to use it at the location that I mentioned in my email, what does one do with the existing round plastic box that housed a light fixture and all the lead wires? How does one remove it? And how does one deal with the existing wires? It looks like this may become a big job. The ceiling is textured and I'm afraid that I'll damage the immediate area around the round fixture box. Any thoughts or suggested procedures? Thanks.

Tim McKenzie

Im not sure Im getting a clear picture what your asking. If your saying the hole is not big enough to remove the box, then your going to have to make the hole big enough to do so. Its going to have to be big enough to get the bar in anyway. You can hardwire directly to the fan without the junction box I believe and then the fan would anchor to the bar. Sounds like you might need some help getting this in. Once you see it done, the next one will be alot easier. Tom

Thanks for the speedy response.

Let me try again. The bedroom has a ceiling light fixture that is controlled by a switch near the entry door to the room. This light fixture is very simple. It consists of a single light bulb ( not more than 60 watts) with a glass shade attached by three thumb screws to the fixture body. As I said before, this mobile home has a peaked roof with catherdeal ceilings from front to rear of the buliding. The ceiling light fixture is attached to arecessed round plastic electrical box located at the peak point of the ceiling in the room ( and I'm not sure just how the electrical box it is anchored). There is spackling covering the rim and the exterior of the plastic electrical box from the application of the "popcorn" finish to the drywall ceiling (so I can't read anything in the electrical box to see if it can support a ceiling fan).

My thought was to remove the light fixture and simply install the ceiling fan (that includes a light fixture) to the electrical box ( if it was structually sound for this application).

That said, if I need to remove the electrical box (as you mentioned in your email), deal with the wiring it contains, and try to install the ceiling fan bar that you referenced, what are the steps that I need to take to do it?

I have installed several electrical boxes to accomodate ceiling fans in standard construction homes. I have no experience or structure design knowledge with Commodore manufactured homes, such as the one that I recently purchased.

If you need more details, please let me know. I appreciate your help.

Thanks.

Tim McKenzie

This site explains it better than I can, Tom

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/knowhow ... -7,00.html

That method won't work in a single wide if you're hanging it from the peak of the ceiling.You're going to have remove the box in the ceiling and see whats behind it.As mentioned before it may already be screwed to the ridge beam above it.If it isn't you're going to have to figure out how to secure it to that beam.Modificatios will most likely be necesary.

The same type of bar can be had at the local Menards for $9.80. If you don't have a Menards, Lowes or Home Depot should have them also.

Joe

Ceiling Fan Update:

I contacted the folks at Comodore about the anchoring of the electrical box at the peak position of the ceilings in my home. These boxes ARE NOT suitable for mouning ceiling fans unless the home was ordered with that option ( my home was not ordered with that feature).

The Comodore folks also explained that the home has "S" type trusses using 2x3 construction.

Before making the call to Comodore, I had actuallu purchased "Reiler" Super Fan Braces at Lowe's that have the expandable bar ( up to 24 inches). This particular brace also has the self leveling "feet" but unfortunately aare exactly 3" in height ( so it will not work with the 2x3 truss system that Comodore uses).

I found another brand of brace at Home Depot that WILL work ( the self leveling feet are only about 1 1/2" in height.

I plan to try an installation next week. I'll let you know if it works. Thanks.

Tim McKenzie