basement circuit tied in to upstairs bathroom fan?

[gvajcner]

Hi - I was wondering if anyone had any idea what the electrician who wired my house was thinking and what this circuit is for.

I am getting things ready to finish my basement (a 1960s built duplex with the upstairs re-wired in 2006) and in the area of my furnace and water heater I noticed a box with two capped wires, 14-3 cable. I checked, not live, so I hooked up a light fixture thinking it was an extra light on the circuit for the other light in that area.

Nope.

Turns out this circuit is the same as my bathroom fan on the main floor. When the fan is on, the light comes on. On top of that, in the hallway right across from the bathroom is a switch which turns on the bathroom fan as well as the light that I put up in the basement.

I'm guessing this is supposed to be for some kind of ventilation unit (?HRV?), but I'm not sure. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

glen

[Don_P]

Humidistat for a humidifier?

[gvajcner]

dont think so since there's already one wired off the furnace. I think it might be part of a make up air system, but not totally sure...

[tooltroll]

You're assuming it's actually there for a purpose. I think it was put in by one guy, for whatever reason, and then changed/disconnected, years later, by someone else, or several someone elses.

Crap like this is why I (almost) always just rip out the old spaghetti and run new from the panel. :D