Fan Switch Replacement, what is a "Light Kit"?

[blakesq]

Hi all,

I am trying to replace the 3 speed fan switch in my celing fan/light. The original problem was that we could not turn off the fan when the lights were turned on, using the fan switch had no effect on the fan. The replacement fan switch instructions say that "If a light kit is present, remove it, also noting the Light Kit wire connections". There was a little black box wired to the old fan switch, the black box was about 1.5" by 1" and had some lettering on it, one of which said "CBB6-1". Anyways, I replaced the old light switch with the new light switch, now the lights will come on, but the fan will not work. I hear a low hum when i switch fan switch. My question is: is that black box the "light kit" that i need to remove? Is that probably why my fan switch is not working? Thanks!

Mike

[blakesq]

Hi all,

I am trying to replace the 3 speed fan switch in my celing fan/light. The original problem was that we could not turn off the fan when the lights were turned on, using the fan switch had no effect on the fan. The replacement fan switch instructions say that "If a light kit is present, remove it, also noting the Light Kit wire connections". There was a little black box wired to the old fan switch, the black box was about 1.5" by 1" and had some lettering on it, one of which said "CBB6-1". Anyways, I replaced the old light switch with the new light switch, now the lights will come on, but the fan will not work. I hear a low hum when i switch fan switch. My question is: is that black box the "light kit" that i need to remove? Is that probably why my fan switch is not working? Thanks!

[I-zheet M'drurz]

Yep. It's a capacitor. Not sure exactly what purpose it serves, I *think* it's got something to do with startup of the fan, which sounds like your problem.

"Light Kit" refers to the light fixture mounted to the bottom side of your fan motor/switch housing. Somewhere in the ancient history of ceiling fans, somebody started to call it a "kit", even though it's a simple fixture. That fixture sends a white wire and usually a blue wire wire up to the switch housing, and they get wire-nutted to pigtails which are controlled by the light switch. They really don't interact at all with the fan switch.

Now for the bad news: It sounds like you're in over your head. This is pretty simple stuff and you don't really have a clue. Don't take it personally, just realize that you should probably be looking for some live, in-person help to get it put back together the right way.

[HorneTD]

The light kit the directions refer to is the light itself not the part from inside the fan control housing. The manufacturers refer to it as a kit because it is available separately to add the light to an existing fan installation. If you removed that black box you may have removed the starting capacitor. If you did that the motor will not turn and will draw it's locked rotor current until it's overload trips to open the circuit.

-- Tom H

[blakesq]

Thanks. I didn't replace the capicitor (black box). I just replaced the switch. But I guess I will get someone over to fix it, thanks, again.