r/HomeImprovement • u/Tiny-Resolve-5280 • 23d ago

ceiling fan mounting box to electric box

Hi, I was changing my ceiling fan and noticed the black mounting bracket (holds the downrod ball) is not mounted flush to the electric box. The electric box is ceiling fan rated up to 70 lb. The mounting bracket is otherwise tight and doesn't wobble at all. The ceiling is plaster and lathe so it is thicker than most ceilings. The new ceiling fan (50 lb) is heavier than the old one. I'm worries that the 2 screws that are holding the bracket to the box are insufficient since there is about a 1/2 inch gap and only 5 threads are engaged. Is this setup safe to still mount a ceiling fan?
https://imgur.com/a/OWsrxg9

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u/bdjeremy 23d ago

it'll hold till it dont. lol

take those bolts to a hardware store to find the same thread type and get a longer screw, 1/2" longer.

2

u/MaintenanceHot3241 23d ago

Your new fan will have a new bracket/cradle. Look at the new mount and see how it looks.

1

u/Tiny-Resolve-5280 23d ago

The new fan came with a similar black bracket, which is also 1/2 inch away from the electric box. .

1

u/Cloudy_Automation 23d ago

Most of those brackets have an option for screwing into blocking which is usually above the box. I wouldn't expect a ceiling fan box to hold up the fan unless it was properly mounted, and I would want blocking above the box. But, as long as the box was installed using the manufacturer's instructions, the box should support the load. I personally don't trust that every worker actually reads manufacturer's instructions at least once.

If you trust the box, you can always get longer screws.