Hey guys,

I've got a ceiling fan w/light on three-way switches in my living room. I want to add to two recessed lights ("can lights") on one end of the living room. Instead of running a separate switch for the can lights, I thought I would spice into the wiring for the ceiling fan/light combo. and just pull the cord on the ceiling fan light when I just want the can lights on.

I've got no problem installing the can light fixtures but I am definitely not an electrician. A friend of mine who has offered to help is knowledgeable but I want to understand how one would go about this before he heads over sometime in then next few weeks.

Thanks.

Do you have the specs for the recessed lights you're planning? That would help alot to know whether that is a good idea or not.

Before any of that though, I wouldn't recommend using a small switch like that for those lights, seems ALOT easier to run a new switch. Especially since you'll probably want those can lights on dimmers as it is, not just on/off...that seems a bit boring and pointless.

i would definatly pu the can lights on a dimmer, they can be bright and obnoxious, we have them in our drop celing basement and on and off is stupid esp since we have a mini theater w/ the plasma on the wall.. sometimes you want a lil light but not enough to glare, thats just my opinion tho

You will also want to check the load that the fan and all the lights will pull on the circuit. Make sure the lights/fan are on their own circuit. If there are outlets on the circuit too it could cause problems. For example: having something like a TV and the fan on the same circuit. Most houses are wired on 20 amp circuits. Some older ones are still on 15 amp.

I see NEW ones with 15A still being installed. Hell, we throw breakers all the time on the site in these new houses with only 1 or 2 things on each circuit. You wouldn't believe it, but I've seen them installing 15A circuits with maybe 5 15A receptacles WITH stationary halogen lighting, all on the same! Its not common, but I've seen it. I don't know how some of these places past inspection!

That was actually one of the things I was going to add, but decided to ask later..is how many things you have on that circuit, You don't want to have that all buttoned up and throw a breaker at full load.

I'm a certified electrician and just today I took down one of my celing fans as the remote quit working this winter (fans are remote controlled).
Mine have a 3 wire setup, white (neutral), black (hot all the time for fans) and red (switched leg for lights).
For your remote lights to work off the celing fan switch you will need to run a wire back up thru the center tube that is controled by the celing fan light switch (pull cord).
Those halogen are usually no much more than 60w and the switch is usually rated for 1500 watts.