Hello Forum
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I recently bought a Panasonic ventilating fan / Whisper Green FV-08VKS1. I’m having difficulties figuring out the wiring.<!—-> <!—->
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In the fan junction box there is a Black, White, Red, & Green. I ran 12/3 up to the fan and made the connections. Yet, I’m confused at the switch. I pigtailed the homerun, joined the neutrals. The fan will turn on. What about the Red? The red & white are high & low.<!—-><!—->
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Check out the wiring diagram.<!—-><!—->
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Thanks <!—-><!—->
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Drake <!—-><!—->
Replies
You don't say, but I presume that there is a proprietary switch with on/off and hi/lo toggles?
It looks like the motor may have two windings with both connected to black and with white completing the circuit for one winding and red for the other.
One side of the hi/lo switch apparently has terminals for red and white from the fan and the other side connects to the house grounded wire (white).
When the hi/lo switch is in "hi" position red and white wires of the fan are connected to the grounded (white) wire of your house circuit, so both motor windings are energized and the motor runs fast. When hi/lo is set to "lo", only the white wire from the fan is connected to the grounded wire of the house circuit, so only one motor winding is energized and the motor runs slowly.
I'm not sure what you mean when you say you "pigtailed the homerun".
BruceT
Edited 3/20/2007 1:12 am ET by BruceT999
Hello Bruce
The switch? I called Pansonic, and they could not recommend a switch. They don't make a switch.
Any recommendations?
An instructor thought is was a stack switch.
Thanks
Drake
"The switch? I called Pansonic, and they could not recommend a switch. They don't make a switch.Any recommendations? "Did Panasonic verify that there are two windings?Well, the diagram as it looks to me, seems to depict a duplex switch in a single gang box. (you could use two separate switches as well)Fan black would connect to one terminal of the upper switch and house circuit black to the other terminal, just like any other switched leg.Fan white and house circuit white would be wire nutted together with a pigtail. Connect white pigtail to one terminal of the bottom switch; fan red to the other terminal.When upper switch is turned on, fan goes on. When lower switch is on, fan runs at high speed; when off, at low speed. This leaves still unexplained the portion of the diagrams showing hi/lo timer control. Perhaps that is somewhere on the fan itself.
BruceT
What do you want the switch to do.One single pole switch will turn the fan on/off.A second one will allow selection of speed.Here are some specialized fan controls.http://www.energyfederation.org/consumer/default.php/cPath/39_766
http://www.energyfederation.org/consumer/default.php/cPath/39_892
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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.
Bruce
By the way, homerun is the power (black). The wiring in my house is knob & tube.
I have a duplex switch. So, when the lower switch is on, the fan will run high. When it is off it will run low. This sounds simple.
In connecting the red and white pigtail wires to the lower terminal does it matter what terminals? If the switch face is facing us terminals right and left.
Thanks
Drake
"n connecting the red and white pigtail wires to the lower terminal does it matter what terminals? If the switch face is facing us terminals right and left."Most of those switches have a pair of common terminals tied together. Typically hot is connected their and they you can operate two different load.For a case like this you need to break that bridge tab so that you have two independent switches.After doing that it does not matter which of the 2 terminals is used for the white and for the red.BTW, that is a very unusal wiring and I would leave a copy of the wiring sheet and maybe some notes inside the switch box..
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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.
Bruce
You seem very knowledgable about general wiring. In this context, what is your background?
The reason why I ask, is because I spoke to my teacher an electrican for 30 years (electrical for carpenters) and he was confused by that Pansonic Ventilation wiring diagram.
He more or less said its a stack and following the directions.
Drake
Are you asking Bruce or myself.My background is as an electrical engineer doing software for industrial controls.For electrical it has been from DIY and reading the code.Searching for the specs this what I found."Constant CFM Performance
This WhisperGreen™ model features built-in intelligence called SmartFlow™ Optimum CFM Technology. This unique "electronic-brain" lets the fan do what was once thought to be impossible, perform at a constant CFM regardless of elbows and other factors that might hinder performance. Basically, when a WhisperGreen™ fan faces static pressure, its speed is automatically increased to ensure that the desired CFM is actually achieved. This allows the fan to perform as rated and makes for easier installation because the installer no longer has to worry as much about compromising the fan's performance.Variable Speed Control
This fan is equipped with a CustomVent™ Variable Speed Control. This allows the fan to run continuously at a pre-set lower level of 30-70 CFMs that can then be elevated to a maximum of 80 CFMs when the switch is turned on. A High/Low delay timer(adjustable from 30 seconds - 60 minutes), will then return the fan to the minimum CFM level after a period of time set by the user."This what I THINK is going on.That switch that they show at the bottom (Switch Indiacation) is the control mounted in the fan. It has two function. One to set the speed of the fan when it is in Low Speed. The other control determines how long the fan stays in high speed AFTER you turn the wall switch from high speed to slow speed.The fan is designed to run continously to help ventalate the house. And you only put it in high speed want to ventalate the bathroom (shower or farts).If that is the case then I would be tempted to wire it differently.Instead of Either 2 or 3 separate switches.One switch to turn the fan on and off. Maybe even separate in a different box as the fan is expected to run continously.The other switche(s) would be mounted in the same box. One for the light and one for the fan high speed control.Or use a two pole switch. One pole for the light and one to put the fan in high speed..
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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 & Bruce
Thanks for your interest and input. After work, I went into the bathroom and wired the duplex switch. I removed the tab, wired the top (Blk. & Blk) and bottom (Red &White). When I turned the upper switch on the fan turns on in low mode. When I turned the lower switch on it goes into high mode.
By design it is to run continously in low mode. It would be nice just to have one switch to turn it on high mode. I will explore this option.
Last question where does the red wire get it power?
Again, Thanks
Drake
Edited 3/22/2007 12:07 am ET by phixit10
The red in this instance is not "getting" power in the usual sense. It is just a return leg (some would call it "neutral", but technically it is a grounded wire) like a second white wire for that second winding in your fan motor. Both the primary winding and the second winding in your fan motor get power from the black wire. When you turn the HI/Lo switch "on" the red wire becomes connected to the house grounded wire (white) and completes the circuit for the second motor winding, thus boosting the fan speed.
BruceT
If you want the fan on high speed all time (or off), try this. Leave the "speed" switch in the high speed mode (on).The turn the power switch on and off.If that works as you want it to, then replace the switch in a standard one. Connect it from black to black. And connect the red to the neutral with a wire nut.Why did you get that particular fan if you don't want to use the low speed mode?.
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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 Hartman said, "And connect the red to the neutral with a wire nut."Just for clarity sake, don't forget to connect both white and red from the fan to neutral to run always in "hi" mode.BruceT
Bill industrial controls...as in A-B?J
JoeNo.My main client was in rual water distribution systems. Radio telementer to the pumps and towers.Some of the others where to control damping systems on ofset press and feeders for plastic injection systems..
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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.
Interesting. I used to do a lot of work with Rockwell A-B, which is why I wondered.
Joe
"You seem very knowledgable about general wiring. In this context, what is your background?"Glad I could be of some help. I have learned what I know from reading, and having to fix/modify wiring for my mother after my dad died 50 years ago, for myself, and for my rental properties.Bill is the guy with the electrical credentials around here - He and Renosteinke and some others.
BruceT
BTW, just how are you doing a take off on the know and tube?
Thanks for posting this - I was going through the same questions this week. We're using the same fans on an Energy Star affordable housing project. Panasonic was no help, the Energy Star reps finally shed some light. I should have spent 5 minutes here and gotten the straight answers...