@erkelbot You can’t utilize a dimmer switch to control a motor. I’m not sure of the exact technical reason, but I believe that it because the dimmer switch allows a smart amount of current to pass through and that will damage the motor. I’m sure the experts will weigh in shortly.
Yep – reading that now. Okay for DC, but not AC current. I suppose that’s why I’m not an electrician – just an enthusiastic young man with a 3rd grade education.
Soooo… I’m looking around to see if there’s a z wave variable frequency drive, and I found this… Does anyone know if one exists without an accessory card?
Use a compact VFD, and a NPB-ZWAVE card to control it…
I suppose you could use a computer to run (or Rpi to work with a traditional VFD, but by the look and sound of it you’d be getting in deep.
OR, this is directly marketed for this application…
Here are a couple of more options for you.
Install a simple z-wave wall switch connected to the fan and ceiling light. This if course, relies on the fan controls set by the pull cords. So when the switch is turned on, the fan starts with whatever the controls were set to last. This my current setup and one of the easiest to implement.
The next one is a project that I would like to attempt. Using the z-wave shield, plus an Arduino Uno connected to an 8 way relay (I have 4 upstairs fans). Each room would receive separate power to the fan and light modules. The proviso for this is that I have access to the electrical connections for my fans through the attic above. Alternately, you could mount a small project box on the ceiling next to the fan, and control only the one room.
Well, of the four ceiling fans in my house, one has been upgraded to a new fan with a non-smartthings remote. This is the one in our master bedroom. It works well enough… Yeah, ideally I’d like it on SmartThings, but it’s not terrible and I do like being able to change fan speeds.
In my kids bedrooms tonight I added a AEON micro controller. This allow me to remotely turn on/off the fans, but not change speeds of course. Each kid also have an Intermatic HA09 remote in their rooms. I setup the fan on one of the buttons so they can turn it on or off with the remote.
While Ideally I’d love to be able to change speeds wirelessly, in reality when the fans are in use they are almost always on speed 2. Probably more than 95% of the time. Given that other options are (ie, the Leviton fan controller) are both very expensive AND would require cutting a hole in the wall for a double gang box rather than a single, this just makes more sense. The remotes, which I already had for the kids, provide local control and the micro controllers are small enough to easily fit in the canopy of the fan.
So, that leaves fan #4 in my den. I’ve got a third micro controller, and I’ve got an HA07 remote in my den… but I’m waiting to put that in until another day. Too tired tonight! 
Oh, one thing I forgot to add on the AEON microcontrollers… it’s unfortunately relatively easy to strip the screws that clamp down on the wires. When screwing down the neutral clamp on two of the three controllers I must have tightened too much and the screw stripped the plastic and wouldn’t tighten down good. So do be careful when screwing these.
Fortunately for me, the two neutrals (one for the micro controller, and one for the load) appear to be interchangeable. I used the neutral for the load on one and it works great.
Not directly related but I ordered 2 more of the ZWN-RSM2 tonight, that will get me to 5. I don’t mind so much not being able to change speeds as generally it’s just not as important as the on/off.
I still wish there was a wall mounted switch/button/remote so that I can control both loads from the switch (only one load/neutral in wall and ceiling). For now it works well.
Last week I added a motion in the living room/dining room area and set it up to shut off a bunch of stuff when there is no motion. Not doing the auto on because we have 2 cats and 2 dogs.
I did look at those, but fortunately for me I’ve got independent power hot lines to most of ceiling fans, so I can use the wall switch for light while while the fan power stays on all the time.
My den is going to be a different story cause I don’t have constant hot there. I think I’m still going to put my third micro controller in there but it’ll be a bit more of a weird setup… the fan will only be able to be turned on if the light is already on. Not ideal at all, but I don’t think my wife would be keen to not have the switch at all, nor would she be up for major hole cutting to get power to this area. No attic access above the den, unfortunately.
My temporary solution for this problem is to buy a second remote control, break it apart and wire the button pads to an arduino with a thingshield on it. Write a quick app that transmits a contact closure to each of the buttons and BOOM you have discreet control over speed and light from ST. The only thing it wouldnt provide is status feedback to ST. That would be a second arduino on the fan itself with hall effect sensors, blah blah.
Maybe one of these days I can hack the controller itself in the fan.
I’ve come to the same conclusion. I plan on doing the same but there are other projects higher on my priority list.
It’s an 11-year old project. Not much changed since then, unfortunately
http://www.linux.kaybee.org:81/tabs/fancontrol/
http://www.pics.kaybee.org:81/Misc/Fan_Control/
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@Ben Do you know if there’s any ST plan to build/source a FanLinc (Insteon) style controller that works with SmartThings hub? Would remove 1 of the major needs for Insteon capability, and seems like a big gap in current ST functionality.
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Dan,
What I’ve done is installed a Microswitch from AEON in a couple of my ceiling fans. Obviously they can only turn on/off, not change the speed. But honestly 99% of the time when my ceiling fans are on they are usually on step 2, so it’s pretty rare that I ever have to pull the chain on 'em.
Not a perfect solutions, but one that works the vast majority of the time.
Anyone check out this swith from this thread yet? Has anyone tried the new GE Z-Wave Ceiling Fan Wall Switch (12730)?
I do this same thing but with an Enerwave zwn-rsm2 as I only have one hot wire in my ceilings.
I did see this but it does me no good because I only have 1 wire but it is cool
Has anyone tried GE Z-Wave Ceiling Fan Wall Switch? $45
Check the thread out about… Bottom line it works great with smartthings 
A question about these ZWave lighting controllers. I have a Hunter ceiling fan. It is wired to a switch that is the GE JASCO Control On/Off Switch, 45609 – the same one that Lowe’s IRIS uses and works quite well with SmartThings. It has been attached a few months now without trouble. A few days ago, the ceiling fan started to make an electric hum. If I turned the switch off, the hum immediately stopped thus suggesting to me it is not a mechanical problem like a lose screw. Is it possible this switch is causing the hum with the ceiling fan and, if so, what would I replace it with?
The switch you tied to the motor I do not believe is rated for motors and you’ve probably ruined your fan.
I bought and use the GE12730 zwave switch dimmer for my fan. Works and controls really well!