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I am surface mounting a Harbor Breeze ceiling fan directly to a wooden beam using a Wiremold Metal Ceiling Fan junction box. The wiremold box has two #10 screws which go from the back of the mounting plate, and extend through holes in the junction box cover that the ceiling fan mounting bracket is supposed to mount to.

Problem is -- (for this particular bracket?) the mounting bracket holes do not line up with the screws coming out of the wiremold box in ANY orientation. This is very frustrating. What are some quick and dirty methods to solve this (maybe drilling new holes in the bracket? And -- what is a proper way to address this without picking a new fan to match the wiremold layout. Are their bracket adapters or other hardware out there that I can pick up from the local home stores to plug into the equation?

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    Which model number wiremold fan box? (There are several). I’m surprised no holes match because usually wiremold branded boxes have many different mounting hole options.
    – Tyson
    Commented Jun 5, 2018 at 11:05

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The Wiremold Solid Base Fan Box Fitting (part number V5783AF) is specifically designed for fans that have a fan bracket with holes on a 3 3/16"(81mm) spacing. If your fan bracket does not have this spacing then you will not be able to directly mount up the fan without doing some type of adaptation of modifications. From looking at the Wiremold installation instructions it would appear that would not want to modify the Wiremold unit itself.

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As you can see in the following diagram from the installation instructions that some fan mounting brackets have long slotted holes that accommodate a range of stud spacings.

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This picture from a typical Harbor Breeze fan installation guide shows how the fan hanger bracket normally mounts to the electrical box using screws into the tabs in the electrical box. In the case with the Wiremold box the studs from the Wiremold back plate have to go through the slots in the fan bracket and then nuts are used to secure the fan bracket instead.

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So if the slots in the Harbor Breeze fan bracket that you have do not have the 3 3/16" (81mm) spacing you will have to get another solution. Since it appears that you are committed to the Wiremold products for the electrical delivery to the fan site you will have to search for a fan that has a bracket that uses the correct spacing.

Note that it is not recommended to try to modify the parts shown here in an attempt to kludge together a solution. The safety of hanging the fan does require using the hardware as designed.

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  • So does Code: 110.3 requires installing according to instructions and labeling. UL did not test the equipment in oddball configurations.
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Commented Jun 5, 2018 at 13:37
  • INTERESTING. Why would code restrict you from simply drilling a couple more holes for the mounting bracket? I'm assuming to avoid any fringe applications. What if I made my 'own' metal junction box -- would I be free from code?
    – tresstylez
    Commented Jun 5, 2018 at 21:10

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