Possible dual fan/light switch adapter

Hi guys,

I am looking for a solution for controlling my pull chain fan/light combo. I am not so concerned about the speed/brightness I will set those by chain but I don’t always want both on or both off but alternating. I know this has been brought up several times but most people are more worried about building a light adjusted fan adjusted shield/module.

I think I have found a solution that may help my problem in this switch
http://www.amazon.com/Enerwave-ZWN-RSM2-Z-Wave-Switch-Control/dp/B00JWVNH4Y

The problem I have is =
In my house I have 2 fans running in session on 1 switch. The fan/light combos are mounted to 15 ft high ceilings and they have chains to control light and fan speed. It has become a pain in the but, in the winter I want the light in the summer I want more of the fan and I pull out a 12 foot ladder to deal with this. I know I could put remotes on it but then I will need 2 and that will get confusing.

So do you think if I buy 2 of these to put on each fan I could splice in to the fan’s on and the lights on with each of the outputs for this modules switch. This way if on the wall I always leave it on I can control each fan and each light with smartthings by giving them each a name. Even pairing them as fans and lights.

What do you guys think, I know a lot of people have similar fan/light combos that they are looking for an answer to, I know more are looking for adjust-ability. I just want on and off to get out of dealing with the 15ft high.

Thanks for reading and responding in advance.

@tail24

I was looking at the same thing. I think this would handle your needs if you have room in your fan canopy. You would need one for each fan.

This is not listed as a SmartThings compatible device and I’ve heard it can be tricky setting up two devices into one.

Thanks Beck,

Yes I knew i would need 2 (1 for each fan) I just wasn’t sure if it would completely do what I wanted it to do.

As for install I am hoping it will fit in the canopy if not I would even get double sided tape and mount it outside side on the back where it would be less seen. A little ugliness will be worth a lot of convenience.

Anyone else have thoughts?

@tail24 I’m with Beck… I’d check with support first to make sure that this relay will work and will work as two ‘Things’. But if it does then yes, it should work for you.

@chrisb So you are worried that the hub may view this as only 1 thing and not control both “load switches” separately?

Possibly… or it might just see the device as one “switch” and only control one of the relays.

Any updates on this? I’ve got two ceiling fans I’m dying to be able to control.

I emailed manufacturer they state it works but haven’t tried with ST controller. The exact scenario you want is what I want. I am thinking of just rolling the dice and hoping ST will treat the adapter as 2 different Z-wave things.

@Ben have you guys looked at these yet? I am worried at ST won’t view this as 2 individual things? Figured I’d ask before I buy. I know a lot of people are looking for some sort of pull fan solution.

How would this be wired with the fan? Remote boxes like the simple ones in my fans or the INSTEON FanLinc have four wires, not six.

If this works with ST and can run the fan at three speeds without electrical hum (all my fans are completely silent at all speeds…as they should be), I’ll by three of them immediately with a few AEON MiniMotes and some temp sensors!

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@brianlees It won’t have variable control unfortunately. It will just be on/off. Not ideal but better than what I’m dealing with (fans are on a 15 ft ceiling… So either both light and fan on or not) I strictly want to make either both off, both on, or in winter light on for extra light but in summer fans on for a breeze but not the extra light/heat.

For wiring- it has an always hot, and 2 incoming switched hots (one for each load) I’d tie all three into the hot from the wall switch and leave the switch always in on position. Then I’d wire the neutral in. Then it has 2 auxiliary outputs. One I’d connect to the fan’s switched on control, the other to the lights.

The fanlinc you have above is just taking the hot (black) and then dividing it out itself.

Does that make sense?

Damn. I was hoping for dimmer and speed control. Hopefully someone out there will build something we can use!

Totally agree! But for now the best I have, ideally I’d run wiring down but it would take way too much work.

Okay… I want to verify something here… there are 3 hot lines to the fan? 2 that are switched, and one that is always hot?

If so, here’s what I’d do:

  • Connect always hot to a standard z-wave relay (Remotec, MinoLite, etc) then to the fan.
  • Connect one of the switched hots to the light. (Optionally put a z-wave switch in the wall).

This would give you wall control of the light independent of the fan. Everyone assumes when you flip a switch it turns on the light, right? So this setup does exactly that. Flip the switch, light comes on. Flip off the switch, light goes off. Plus you don’t need to pull out the app just to turn on or off a switch.

The fan is controlled (on/off) via the relay, so you do need the app for that (or a remote).

We have not had the chance to look at these yet. But, fan control is something we are looking at adding in some way.

Looking at as in… August, September, October? Or looking at as in… 2015 or 2016?

I would suspect this year. Also I would suspect initial support will come from the community. Now that anyone can create new device types and publish them for approval through the SmartThings web-based IDE, we expect the pace of innovation and integration to pick up. As always, if someone is willing to take on an integration for the good of the community, we are willing to buy devices and send them to people. Just send a note to build@smartthings.com with your interest.

@chrisb The issue is in the summer I dont really need the light thats why I’d do the 3 in and then use the controller to set modes, fans on, lights on, both. Also I would hopefully get the http://www.amazon.com/ENERWAVE-Z-Wave-Button-Controller-ZWN-SC7/dp/B00JLVEYY2/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1403188155&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=z+wave+7+sceene
integration so that I can have a wall switch.

Here is a picture - Can see the hot and Load 1 and 2 are all connected to incoming Black Hot at the fan canopy and then the Aux 1 and Aux 2 go to the fan and the light to control them all.

This would be great. I see there are a lot of people that are looking for dual fan/light integration and of course insteon has one that seems to do exactly what people want but integration isnt so easy.

@ben

What is keeping this from being a reality is the hardware. Fanlinc fits the bill but does not have Z-Wave or ZigBee. All other hardware solutions come up short.