I just bought a Harbor Breeze 52" Avian Ceiling Fan (Model #75849) from Lowes. Unfortunately, this model comes with a remote control function and I need to hardwire it. The sales representative convinced me that all I need to do is to throw away the ceiling fan remote control and receiver and then hardwire the light to the wall switch and hardwire the fan connection to a Lutron (SFSQ-F Single Pole Fan Control Quiet 3-Speed) fan control.
As you are probably aware, there are all types of warnings in the instructions not to wire this remote control fan to a solid state speed control. I find this interesting because the receiver for the remote control unit states that it is a solid state speed control.
Am I correct in assuming that if I remove the wireless receiver and hook it up to the Lutron solid state speed control switch everything will work fine? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
The speed control for your fan is built in as an integral part of the motor using its own switching power supply. There are electronics in front of the motor that are used to change the duty cycle for the motor. By using a light dimmer in front to supply the fan unit, the power supply and control drive electronics in the fan unit will be damaged!
What you really need is to return the fan unit, and get yourself simple ceiling fan that is compatible with an external dimmer!
The light dimmers change the duty cycle to the load, not the voltage. This is how they give the dimming effect. This duty cycle shift moves in phase in relation to the AC source. The effective drive to the load is reduced, because of the phase shift between the output of the dimmer in relation to the input is offset, and thus giving a lower average voltage output based on the duty cycle offset. The spiking or switching effect of this offset will damage most electronic devices, except for simple loads such as heating elements or incandescent light bulbs.
There are some types of compact fluorescent lamps that are designed to be able to work with a standard light dimmer. They employ some complex circuitry in the ballast supply to compensate for the duty cycle offset. Regular compact florescent lamps can be damaged with a standard light dimmer.
So the bottom line is that the speed control is not encased within the receiver itself? The receiver has writing on it that states: 120V/60Hz MAX. Motor 1A Ceiling Fan Only Max. Light 300 watts incandescent only solid state speed control 0406.
he's saying that they are in separate boxes, and that he can separate the motor from the electronics. I can't tell if you know his model and are saying he is wrong, or if you are speaking generally
I know he's not talking about putting one speed controller in front of the other speed controller, which seems to be what you think he wants to do.
I have a problem with your using the terms dimmer and dmming effect. We're talking about the motor speed and dimming refers to lamp brightness.
It's funny that I should complain, because Im the only one on this list it seems who does use dimmers to control fan speed, but I do that only when it works, and for table and other fans for which the wall mounted fan speed controls which are available don't work easily.
When I use a lamp dimmer for speed control, the fan is where I can touch the motor case frequently in the first few hours to make sure it's not getting hotter and hotter or overheating, and where it is handy to slow the rotation speed enough to make sure I can't slow it to a stop, where it would get likely get hotter than it can take.
A ceiling fan would be the hardest of fans to check this way, having to stop the fan (since the big blades mean one can't come t it from the back.) and climb on a chair everytime one wants to touch it.
And since they are expensive, much more than the free table fans I have, and worth the effort to get a real fan speed controller, even if one mounted it in a box next to the bed.
But I think you are referring to a fan speed controller whereever you say dimmer, and I wanted to point that out. Hmmm. Reading to the end, the second choice also seems likely, that you are referring to a dimmer that contros LIGHTS and if so, we need to be sure your words would also apply to a fan speed controller and a fan.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.