Ceiling fan boxes are made to hold heavier fixtures. Their manufacturing enables them to be secured to a joist. Light boxes are designed to support light fixtures such as light fittings. They are fastened with screws directly into drywall ceiling boards.
Difference Between Ceiling Fan and Light Boxes: Overview
Both ceiling fan boxes and light boxes work in the same way, though for different devices. They provide housing to electrical wires and hold the weight of a light or fan.
The main difference between the light boxes and fan rated boxes is their capacity to handle the weight. Ceiling fan boxes are made to bear the weight and fan’s movement. The purpose of regular light boxes is to support lighter and static fixture.
What is a Ceiling Fan Box?
Ceiling fan junction boxes are used for ceiling fan installation. these electrical boxes can house electrical wires and also support the fan’s weight. They work as a mounting surface to which the hanging bracket of the fan is fastened.
Ceiling fan-rated boxes have the round or octagonal shape. They are in variety of sizes usually between 1/2 and 2 3/4 inches deep.
Usually they are designed from sturdy metal or durable plastic.
Weight It Can Handle
Ceiling fan boxes can handle more weight as compared to regular junction boxes. Ceiling fan boxes can lift a minimum of 50 lbs.
Most ceiling fan electrical boxes can manage the weight of up to 70 lbs, which is greater than average weigh of a fan, the average weight is between 15 to 50 lbs. The extra weight bearing capacity is taken into account because of the centripetal force of rotation.
How Should It Be Supported?
Ceiling fan boxes should be attached to a secure surface that can bear the movement and weight of the fan. that is the reason why boxes are connected with ceiling joists.
If the box is not installed properly to a joist or it is without any joist, the fan is more likely to wobble or in worse case, collapse.
The installation of the box that how it is installed depends on the location and application. The box can be joined to a brace or connected directly to the joist. The brace is connected to adjacent ceiling joists.
There is attic access when a brace is not present, a wooden block can be used between the joists and the box to secure it directly to the block.
The units are connected with either 8-32 or 10-32 screws.
Required Ratings
The National Electric Code (NEC) stresses on that all ceiling fans which are 35 lbs or more in weight should be installed on an electric box that is recommended for ceiling fan installation.
As per the NEC, ceiling fan-rated boxes must be UL-listed to hang ceiling fans. The box that is available for ceiling fan usage, it should fulfill the requirements of UL, one of those is that it must have the capacity to support a minimum weight capacity of 50 lbs.
You can find the details whether a box is “approved for fan support” on the package and on the box itself.
What is a Light Box?
Light junction boxes are electrical boxes that can be used for mounting light fixtures. They not only support the lighting fixture’s weight but also provide space for wiring connections.
When looking at lighting electric boxes, you have a lot of options to select from. The most common light boxes include:
Usually, light boxes are designed from metal or plastic and they are available in different sizes ranging from 1/2 to 3 inches deep.
Weight They Can Handle
Light fixtures are designed in variety of forms and weights. The junction box’s type that is used to facilitate a lighting fixture usually depends on the light’s weight.
Standard light boxes, such as round electric boxes or octagon boxes, can handle the weight of up to 50 lbs.
How Should It Be Supported?
It depends on the box type that how the junction box is mounted. Some light boxes can be affixed with the drywall ceiling and the rest can be set with a joist.
Light fixtures mostly use 8-32 screws to secure it.
Required Ratings
Light boxes can be used without formal listing which is needed for fan-rated electric boxes.
Lighting fixtures are replete with weight range. The need for light boxes is that they should support the weight of whatever light fixture you are going to install on them.
Some light fixtures such as recessed lights, fluorescent tube-style lights, and some track lights are designed with special electric boxes which prevents the usage of regular light box.
Table of Differences Between Ceiling Fan and Light Boxes
| Fan-rated boxes | Light boxes |
| Suitable for ceiling fans and light fixtures | Only for light fixtures weigh under 35 pounds |
| Most fan boxes can handle up to 70 lbs fans and light fixtures up to 90 lbs | Support light fixtures of up to 50 lbs |
| Must attach to a joist | Can be attached directly to drywall |
| Should be UL listed for ceiling fan installation | No UL listing is needed |
| Mostly has a brace | Without a brace |
| Designed for heavier fixtures | Not suitable for heavy fixtures |
| More expensive | More affordable |
Is One Better Than The Other?
Light boxes are ideal option if the static fixture is below lbs and the ceiling fan is not more than 35 lbs. fixtures weight more than 50 lbs must be supported by a fan rated box as they are designed to support heavier fixtures.
Furthermore, they might be able to handle fans that do not weigh more than 35 lbs, most building codes need you to use fan rated boxes for ceiling fans.
Alternatively, fan-rated boxes are perfect for both ceiling fans and heavier lights. Most fan-rated boxes are designed with weight ratings for ceiling fans as well as light fixtures.
For example, this Bell ceiling fan box is designed to handle ceiling fans that weigh up to 70 lbs, and light fixtures of up to 150 lbs.
When you do a comparison between the features of fan-rated boxes and light boxes, it is pertinent to conclude that ceiling fan boxes are the best options.
