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Ceiling fan question?

lazer50

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Hi fellas been off here for a bit.this may be vague for now,but you sparkies i know will have ideas! My buddy put up a c fan(3 wire) white,black,blue. Chain for fan,reastat speed.on off switch for light.he wanted to be able to leave fan run continuous,and have wall switch for light.the fella who helped him said he has to re wire house.i told him doubtful and i would ask the pros!he is gonna go home and get me details,model etc and double check wires.i thought there probably is a convert switch or something that does what he needs?im fairly good with residential but my area is 3 phase,dc motors.industrial stuff.any ideas until he gets back with me?
 
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gregtwojeeps

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Unless his fan electrical ceiling box has the continuously "hot" feed wire in to it, yes a 3 -wire from the switch would have to be ran = one conductor switched, the other hot all the time and a neutral. . May look in to solid state controls for fans, I dunno. JMO
 

6PTsocket

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I just looked at a fan that is soon to be installed. White is the neutral for fan and bulb. Black is the fan hot and blue is the bulb hot. If there is now only one wall switch it means that there was just a white neutral and a black hot, controlled by the wall switch, going to the fan. The old fan would have the black and blue tied together. The pull chains would control the fan and bulb separately and the wall switch would be a master switch that applied or removed all power. You have separate control but just with the pull chains. What the fellow was telling you is if you want to control both, separately, from the wall, you need to have another wire from the switch box so you can feed the fan and bulb separately. There are many combo wall controllers. They have three wires. They get a hot in the box and have an output for the fan and another for the bulb. The neutral is not connected to the controller but just goes to the fan. There is a way around it without pulling another wire and involves a remote controller The two wires that fed the fan now go to a little rasio reciever you stick in the fan housing. It has separate outputs for fan and bulb and a wall mounted or hand held transmitter tells the reciever how to control the fan or bulb. The big box stores all carry them. I hope I haven't confused you worse than before.

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lazer50

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east central indiana
Hi again sparkies! My buddy double checked fan.he likes fan says he had to use step ladder and 2×12 to put up(hopes it works lol)so wants to try it if possible. He could see wires,white,black,blue,and green! So 4 wire.i dont know if that changes anything you fellas suggested.i did look at lowes for remotes and they have quite a few! So let me know if the suggestions stay the same.thanks guys!
 

csp

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Unless his fan electrical ceiling box has the continuously "hot" feed wire in to it, yes a 3 -wire from the switch would have to be ran = one conductor switched, the other hot all the time and a neutral. . May look in to solid state controls for fans, I dunno. JMO

You wouldn't introduce a constant hot wire. You add another switch along with 12/3 or 14/3, allowing independent switching for the light and the fan. You just leave the switch on all the time that's for the fan.

There are dual switches that fit in a single device box or you can remove a single device box and install an old work double device box.
 
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lazer50

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Ok cool thank! I did look at a [email protected] was a basic universal and there was a section to ask question about product.so i gave a basic description of fan,wires and said will it work to leave fan run continuois,and use remote to control off/on light.I got a prompt answer stating to eliminate reostat its a fire hazard!! Install switch and any universal will work.then said none will work witj reostat.I wasnt aware of the fire hazard issue,does that sound right?
 

6PTsocket

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Ok cool thank! I did look at a [email protected] was a basic universal and there was a section to ask question about product.so i gave a basic description of fan,wires and said will it work to leave fan run continuois,and use remote to control off/on light.I got a prompt answer stating to eliminate reostat its a fire hazard!! Install switch and any universal will work.then said none will work witj reostat.I wasnt aware of the fire hazard issue,does that sound right?
There are no rheostats used anywhere. In a hard wired installation The lamp is controlled by an electronic dimmer and the fan changes speeds by switching in different value capacitors in series with the motor except in the top speed where the fan is connected directly to the line.Please don't be offended but if you are not sure what the green wire is, you should be not messing around with house wiring. Find a pro or at least somebody with more experience before you damage the house wiring, the fan or yourself. You really sound like you are in over your head.

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gregtwojeeps

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You wouldn't introduce a constant hot wire. You add another switch along with 12/3 or 14/3, allowing independent switching for the light and the fan. You just leave the switch on all the time that's for the fan.

There are dual switches that fit in a single device box or you can remove a single device box and install an old work double device box.

Quote " Chain for fan,reastat speed.on off switch for light.he wanted to be able to leave fan run continuous,and have wall switch for light.the fella who helped him said he has to re wire house." End quote



How about taking the time to read the OP closely before taking your time, to correct me erroneously ? Why introduce a wall switch that someone may keep turning off by mistake, when the OP said the owner wants his fan to run continuously while knowing he has a pull canopy switch to control the fan speeds ?
 

csp

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gregtwojeeps I read it just fine, thanks for your concern.

I'm not even going to address your taking the OP so literally. You either lack the ability to think or you're the guy who "mistakently" throws a switch off that you really want on all the time. SMH.
 

gregtwojeeps

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gregtwojeeps I read it just fine, thanks for your concern.

I'm not even going to address your taking the OP so literally. You either lack the ability to think or you're the guy who "mistakently" throws a switch off that you really want on all the time. SMH.

Funny return. I do read peoples threads literally, as all people should. Reading comprehension is very important for people in order to communicate amongst themselves accurately and stay on point.

The OP stated he did not want to "rewire" the house. Installing a new switch(s) in the wall to have the ability to operate the fan and light independently, falls in to the "rewire" the house arena. Totally moot work and expense when his question was answered early in thread when, solid state remote fan controls where recommended. EOT for me.
 

csp

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Funny return. I do read peoples threads literally, as all people should. Reading comprehension is very important for people in order to communicate amongst themselves accurately and stay on point.

I see, so if someone asked how to drive off a cliff you would provide the most direct route instead of telling them that it might not be a good idea.:thumbup:

Sometimes an exact answer to the question isn't the smartest answer.
 
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6PTsocket

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[emoji38]_hitti
You guys need to get a room...this thread will be closing in 3...2... 1...
I stopped giving advice when he found the green wire in addition to black, white and blue and didn't know what it was. A lot of threads are the blind leading the blind or knoledgeable people giving advise to people with so little experience that they can't process it. The ultimate site for stupid conversation is "Instructables". I guy posts some idea that is guaranteed to electrocute you or cut off your fingers and fifteen guys chime in on what a great idea it is and how they can't wait to try it.

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