I’ve spent the past few days reading just about every thread I can find on ceiling fans and still unclear exactly what I need to accomplish what I’m looking to do. I’ve probably seen the answer just didn’t understand what I was looking at.
Currently power comes in through the ceiling, then down to the light switch. So my switch only has line, load and ground with no neutral. Neutral is located in the box in the ceiling. Switch in the on position powers the light and fan and then can be manually controlled by the pull chains. I have 3 rooms all with the exact same setup.
What I’d like to accomplish:
Switch on wall controls lights (LED) with dimmer
Fan controlled (on/off and speed)independently from light through ST or manually from pull chains. Don’t need fan control on wall.
Keep the same look/feel at the switch of all the other GE Z-wave switches used in the house.
My first thought was to try to stuff a GE Z-wave dimmer and GE z-wave fan controller inside the canopy and then rewire the wires going to the switch to a traveler and neutral and use a 3-way add-on switch in the wall. But I don’t know if I’ll have enough room to stuff 2 switches inside that canopy and don’t know if it will still allow manual fan control.
I’ve read a lot about these micro switches which would solve the room in the canopy issue, but I’m not really sure if I’d be able to accomplish what I’m looking for with one of them and then I’d still have no neutral wire for a wall switch.
I’ve seen the threads about the one gang Hampton Bay ceiling fan/light control, but don’t like the size/position of the light button. I know the first time I click the wrong button in the middle of the night and turn on the light instead of the fan my wife will want me to take the whole things out. I’d also like to keep the same look/feel of the GE switches that are used in every other light in the house.
I’m not opposed to replacing the entire fan either, it’s old and dated so we’d like to put something nicer, and I’ve seen the Gardinier wink enabled fan, but don’t see it sold in Canada and still think I’d have an issue with the wall switch because of the lack of neutral.
So ultimately my question is… what do I need to buy to accomplish what I’m looking for, and what’s the best approach to wire it?
For what it’s worth I was able to buy the Gardinier Wink Fan from my local Home Depot in Saskatchewan a month or so ago. They were on clearance though so I don’t know if you’ll find one anymore. You shouldn’t need a neutral for it though as the wall switch stays on and the control is done in the fan.
"I’ve seen the threads about the one gang Hampton Bay ceiling fan/light control, but don’t like the size/position of the light button."
I’ve purchased a couple of the Hampton Bay Universal Ceiling Fan Wireless Wall Controls and you’re correct, the light button can be difficult to locate. What I did is stick a small clear bumper onto the light button. The raised bumper is hard to miss … problem solved.
I went the Hampton Bay ceiling fan controller all the way. It worked out great with my wiring. I agree, a clear bumper on the light button would help. I actually had 12-3 in all but one of my switch locations and with the wall mount remote, I did not need that wiring. I wish some day a mains (AC) powered controller would come out. The modules, themselves, come with remotes. If you have Alexa or Google Home, they respond to voice commands. There are some options. With the Hampton Bay method, remote and wall remote are RF. SmartThings is only needed for automation. SmartThings could go down (like today) and not interrupt manual operation. I actually gained an additional speed and the cool breeze option when I switched to those modules.
I doubt the relay options would do what you want since most are an on/off and that would not provide dimming or fan speed control. Speed control and dimming are different animals.
If you dislike those, there just might not be something for you, currently. Good luck.
My local store has never heard of it and they don’t list it online. I’ve considered ordering from the states and shipping to the border for pickup. What kind of control on the wall do you get with this?
I didn’t consider the relay options would not provide dimming or fan speed control, so you’re right those options would definitely not work for me.
If I were able to squeeze a dimmer and also a fan control switch up inside the canopy, with the add-on switch on the wall for the light… would the fan still work with manual operation?
As for wall control you get nothing. Mine is just hooked to the light switch which now always stays on. What you do get is a RF remote but I don’t really use it unless SmartThings is broken.
That SKU helped. I called around to all the stores within a reasonable driving distance. Found 2 that had 1 left in stock, of course each about 3 hours from me and in exact opposite directions. Both wouldn’t budge on a $299 price point for them even after I told them they were supposed to be cleared out and I had pictures of the original price tag at $289. So at that rate if I decide to go down that road I’d just order 3 of them in the US and ship them to the border and pick them up there. With no wall switch though, I can’t see my wife getting on board with them.