How to hang ceiling fan from c purlin?
by
Kathy Henson
Had a porch added when my roofing company put metal roofing on my cottage. Now...how do I hang 2 outside ceiling fans from the 4" c purlins on either side of the porch. I think I can build a base/bracket at the center for a light, but cannot figure this one out. The opening of the purlin faces up. With a solid base, will vibration from a fan be a problem? Fans will be mounted on two different purlins. Getting ready for retirement!
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first thing you need to decide is how you are going to run electricity to the fans. Then you need to mount a box to the purlins to affix the fans to. It shouldn't be a problem mounting the box with metal screws as long as the fans are balanced. You could also drill a larger hole and use butterfly mounts, the kind that expand when pushed thru the opening. Just make sure you unscrew the bolt from the butterfly, insert it thru the box, use a small washer if the head of the bolt is too small then screw the butterfly back on and insert it thru the hole and tighten the bolt https://www.amazon.com/Hillman-370054-Toggle-16X3-Inch-50-Pack/dp/B000BD8MFQ/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1549119332&sr=8-6&keywords=drywall+toggle+anchor this is a link to show you what you need.
if you can access the inside of the purlins, you could mount the box with bolts and lock washers. Just make sure no sharp edges touch the wiring. Best to use a metal electrical box wire clamp (will include link) cause I can't think of what they are called. that attaches to the conduit and then goes into the box with a nut that holds it in place to run the wires thru. https://www.google.com/search?q=metal+electrical+box+wire+clamp&oq=metal+electrical+box+&aqs=chrome.3.69i57j0l5.12545j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 good luck