Insteon doesn’t work with SmartThings. It uses a different wireless protocol.
So… this thread seems to provide basically what I’m looking for but I have a few more questions.
I currently have a wall switch which controls the light in the fan and the fan speed is controlled by the pull-chain. I know I’ll have to change the existing box to a 2-gang, which isn’t an issue. The GE Fan Speed control will give me a wall switch to control the fan but what I want to do is have an additional wall switch that will allow me to control the light. If I use the Aeon labs controller in the canopy to dim the lights, is there a corresponding smart switch that I can put in the wall that would, at the very least, allow me to tun the light on and off from a switch, without having to pull out my phone?
Also, does the Aeon Labs controller work with ANY kind of lights; incandescent, CFL or LED?
Thanks in advance!
Instead of using a Aeon Labs controller, try the GE Dimmer which will give you a physical switch and phone control for the light. I use the GE Fan Controller and GE Dimmer side by side for my fan.
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The current wiring is only setup for the light On/Off switch in the wall box. Fan power is direct to the fan box, which is why I was thinking I needed something in the canopy.
As I said, I have no problem replacing the box with a 2-gang box. I could run new wiring for fan power, as well, but that’s a lot more work and I’d like to avoid, if possible.
Would the GE Switches accomplish this?
Do you have model #/part# for the GE switches?
The two gang box is only if you can use the fan controller and light switch which depends on what you have and what you are willing to install.
The first thing to do is check to see what wiring you have at the wall and in the ceiling fan so that you can determine your options.
- Take off the wall switch and upload the pictures of your wiring. We need to determine whether you have a neutral there which the GE 12730 Z-Wave Smart Fan Control requires. If you are lucky it is possible the fan power circuit was run through wall switch box and you have a romex 14/3 with a red wire.
If you do not have a neutral and are unwilling to run the new romex, then you are limited to only installing a zwave compatible light switch at the wall that doesn’t need a neutral and those switches can only dim incandescent lights.
[quote=“dsevern, post:42, topic:29215”]
Also, does the Aeon Labs controller work with ANY kind of lights; incandescent, CFL or LED?
[/quote] Most dimmable lights but check here.
http://aeotec.com/support/163-z-wave-lighting-compatible.html
[quote=“dsevern, post:42, topic:29215”]
If I use the Aeon labs controller in the canopy to dim the lights, is there a corresponding smart switch that I can put in the wall that would, at the very least, allow me to tun the light on and off from a switch,
[/quote] Yes, you could use the Aeon Minimote or some other zwave button switch accessory. Or like many like to do is mount a motion detector in the room to turn lights on when you enter.
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The GE fan controller and GE smart switches are both capable of controlling the power of a ceiling fan.
Without two separate load lines running to the fan (one for the light and another for the fan) there is no point to having two switches in the wall box.
You could install a GE Z-wave in the wall box and you could install a fan controller in the canopy to control the fan speed (assuming there is neutral wiring present in the canopy.)
You wouldn’t have a physical switch on the wall to control the fan or speed… unless you installed a scene controller or remote to control the dimming virtually.
Thanks for telling me to open the box. I was sure I knew what was in there but I was wrong.
It’s 14/3; I’ve got black, white, red and ground [is explaining that redundant? ;-)]
So I’ve got a neutral and power for fan and light. Light is switched. Fan speed/on-off is controlled by pull chain, so I think life just got a little easier?
I still want 2 wall switches, as I want to keep that “manual” option. But since I’m going to put a 2-gang box in, I’d like the option of dimming the light and controlling the fan speed via a Z-wave compatible switch. For sanity’s sake I’d prefer to stick with the same brand for each.
What are my options?
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Life is GREAT for you! Oh yeah, you got the whole package now. 
I am so envious because that is what I would have wanted.
So go ahead and cut in a two gang box to install the GE 12730 Z-Wave Smart Fan Control and a GE Z-Wave Smart Dimmer (In-Wall), 12724 if you want to keep the same GE manufacturer. You can spend more if you prefer Leviton and get VRF01-1LX for the fan motor and matching Leviton Vizia RF+ light dimmer you like (like DZMX1-1LZ)
However I would suggest you look at the new release of the HomeSeer HS-WD100+ for your light dimmer switch because it has the upgraded Z-Wave plus, instant status, secure inclusion, LED bar level indicator and 6 button scene control via multi-tap. The GE hasn’t been updated to the latest technology yet so you would not be taking advantage of what just came out this year with the HomeSeer switch (which looks to be manufactured by the same one as GE anyway) I have one and it works very well with options that you could benefit from. Here is a blog by one of our community members @Darwin comparing the two.
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Hi there, new to Smart Things, been reading this post and have a similar question. In my entrance way I have 3 lights, these lights are controlled from 5 locations (2-3 way, 3-4 way), the supply goes to the first 3 way switch and the load and neutral to the lights come from the other 3 way switch. I would like to replace the centre light with a ceiling fan with a light, and would like to independently control all of the lights separately from the fan. Any ideas, suggestions? Is it possible to use a Z-wave light switch on the same neutral as the Z-wave fan controller? I am willing to lose one of my switch locations if I can install both controllers on the same supply, how does it know to control the light or the fan?
Thanks
It is never a bad thing to have too much information… just for clarification, you have two lighting circuits right now… one with 3-way and one with 4-way switches right? It would help some to see a simple floor diagram of how the lights are positioned relative to their switch locations and then which of the lights you are looking to replace with a ceiling fan/light and which switch has the incoming power and/or ceiling light with the incoming power. For the light you are going to replace it would be nice to see a detailed picture of the wiring in that box and where it goes. From this additional info a recommendation could be made that is more accurate. Unless you don’t mind running an extra wire to that ceiling fan location I think you option will be limited to installing a micro controller in the fan housing for the lighting control of the fan
dalec
All switches are part of the same circuit, and all 3 lights are controlled
by those switches.
Supply-3 way-4 way-4 way-4 way-3 way-light 1-light 2-light-light 3.
Want to replace light 2 with a ceiling fan and a light.
Thanks
Sorry but I don’t know how I can help. I don’t have a clue on how one wires a single lighting circuit using a mix of 3-way and 4-way switches that all control the same 3 lights?
So if you currently have the 1 Gang Hampton Bay Dimmer + Fan Control Switch the preferred route if you want to still control the lights and fan with and without the use of your phone is to put ina 2 Gang Box 1 for GE Dimmer Switch and 1 for GE Fan Control. Is that correct?
Yes that unfortunately is still the preferred route for 3-speed fan control and dimming lights since there isn’t working solution just yet There is hardware out there from for a combo fan/light controller that uses Insteon and HomeDepot has a new solution with Hampton Bay that works in zigbee that has real potential if they ever release the Zigbee documentation to figure out the endpoints / clusters and the hex codes to send / receive to understand the device but today neither of these work directly with SmartThings.
UPDATE: The Home Depot solution is becoming available and is really REALLY good.
There is one more option that should work, but it is expensive and pretty clunky.
You can get a Lutron maestro single gang device which can control both the fan and the light kit using IR. ($100)
https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-MIR-LFQMT-WH-Maestro-Dimmer-Control/dp/B0017OAWQ0
The switch communicate to the fan controller via Lutron’s proprietary frequency, but the switch itself can be controlled with an IR remote. It comes with its own remote, but you can also use harmony with it.
Once you have that set up, you can then use a harmony hub to control the Lutron light switch. ($100-$130 for the harmony depending on if you get it on a deal. Best Buy puts it on sale pretty often.) because IR is line of sight, the harmony will have to be in the same room as the Lutron switch.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/logitech-harmony-home-hub-black/1483019.p?skuId=1483019
And once you have that working you can then activate the Harmony activities with SmartThings.
Not all fans will work with the Lutron switch, but you can check with Lutron on compatibility.
Oh, and it won’t work with LEDs – – you’ll have to use halogens or incandescents.
So, expensive and clunky, but it does offer one more option to consider, especially for older retrofits.
Talk to Lutron support if you have any questions about how to get the fan working with their switch. But once you do have a fan working with this Lutron switch, getting it to work with harmony and then smartthings is pretty straightforward and will not require any additional wiring or devices except the harmony hub, which can also be used for AV control in the same room.
To be clear, the 2 zwave device method gives you a lot more options, including the kind of bulbs to use, and I would always recommend that one first. also as @MikeDL points out below, since this method uses an IR connection you won’t get feedback if someone uses the wall switch, so the fan could be on and your Home automation system wouldn’t know it. But if you do have a particular set up where the zwave method just isn’t going to work for you, and you need a one gang solution, this is another possibility.
I wonder if the IR is in the fan module or the switch mounted on the wall.
For the Lutron, it’s a weird device. judging from the discussion on the harmony forums, the IR is from the handheld remote (or the Harmony hub) to the switch on the wall. The fan controller piece does not use IR, because apparently the wall switch is required, harmony cannot talk to the fan controller piece directly.
There is one for sale on ebay for $40 but I do not like devices that do not give feedback of it’s status so I think i’ll pass. Hopefully the stand alone hampton bay device is released soon. Really don’t want to install a dual gang box.
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We were just discussing in two other threads the desire for single gang devices that can have two independent controllers. In the past, Z wave has not been able to do this because of the size of the radio devices. But with zwave plus, it is possible to make much smaller internal radios, and we are just starting to see dual control single gang zwave plus options come on the market.
ShowHome just released a pocket socket with two independently controllable outlets. And GE has certified a new device which combines a motion sensor and a light switch in a single gang box, which should be available for purchase soon. Neither of these would’ve been possible with the previous zwave generations.
So I am hopeful that by mid 2017 we may well see a zwave version of a single gang fan controller with a separate light switch button. There just aren’t any yet.
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