Fan wiring on three way circuit?
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I am trying to install a new ceiling fan. The existing light is on a three way switched circuit.
The controller for the fan is a radio frequency one that just goes in series to replace a standard switch. The diagram that came with it shows just connecting the common, connecting the grounds, and putting the “switch” in seires on the hot.
I haven’t got a clue on how to wire it into a three way. Is there a way to make this work? I don’t mind calling an electrician to wire it in if I need to, but am not sure I shouldn’t abandon the project, and put back the old fan.
Replies
To do that you need to abandon the 2nd switch.
If you are willing to do that you need to find out how the existing system is wired.
At the fan how many cables (or conduit) and with each cable how many wires and what color connects to what?
Ditto for the switch where you want to put the fan control switch.
Ditton for the "other" switch.
Here are the different ways that 3-way switches can be wired.
http://www.selfhelpandmore.com/switchoutlet/3way/
And if you want to go back to a "conventional" ceiling fan here are the different options.
http://www.selfhelpandmore.com/switchoutlet/fanlight/
If the power comes into the ceiling box you have the option of setting it up so that the light is controled by the 3 way switches and the fan is always powered and controlled by the pull chain.
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Bill, the existing fan has a constant hot, with the light switched.
Which leads me to the conclusion that the easiest thing to do is get a wireless remote to control the fan, and just wire it to the constant hot in the box. The fan has too many bells and whistles to run without the remote, so I'll see what they have.
Not sure whether to abandon the existing light circuit, run it to the one in the fan, (bypassing the remote box and losing the dimmer feature), or add some kind of fixtures to use it. You wouldn't know of a way to put a dimmer on a three way circuit would you?
I emailed the manufacturer to see if they have a hand held remote that will work with my fan.
For now I'm going to put things back how they were.
Thanks for your help.
There are two kinds of 3-way dimmers.A dimmer is a switch along with the dimmer mechanism. On some that is a rotory dimmer along with a push on/push off switch. Some other are a slide dimmer along with a toggle or push button siwtch.The basic 3 way dimer just changes that switch to a 3-way. Thus you can only dimmer or bright from that one location. The other end uses a standard 3 way switch. If you have turned the dimmer all the way down while you can turn if off and "on" from the other end it will still be dimmed down to nothing. Those types of dimmers are common and cost only slightly more than a basic dimmer.The other style is Smart Dimmers (I think that is Lutron's trademakr, but not sure). It has a master dimmer and then can use upto 10 slaves with it it. Most can retro fit into a circuit wired for 3-way (and 3/4-way) switches. They cost about $50 for a master and one slave. With the smart dimmers you can dim from either place and you also have other features such as slow dimming and preset dimming..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.