Ceiling fan wiring, one switch two fans?

[Strouty]

I am installing two fans and I was wondering if I can use one switch? The fan has four speeds and most switches only have three, but the switch that comes with the fans is only 1.25 Amp max. Fan seems to draw 0.97 amps on high speed.

I have been looking local at home depot and lowes, kind of wanted to do this over the weekend.

Another question, since the switch only has one wire coming out of it does that mean the fan motor is variable speed? If so can I use a knob style instead of a switch?

 

[Mustang51js]

If you wanted to use one switch it would have to be a remote,otherwise you have to use the pull chains on the fan,or are you talking a speed control on a fan only fixture with no light. If that's the case then you install the speed control and leave the fan on high speed

 

[Strouty]

These have no light and no pull chain for the speed. The come with a four position switch and that is it. You can reverse them, but that is on the motor itself.

I have a 5 amp rotary fan switch, I am going to try that. I am assuming that the 4 position switch is just changing voltage that is sent to the motor, so a true variable speed switch should work as well. I am working on running some wiring now, so I will check in again and see if I am thinking wrong.

 

[machsnell]

I would like to know the answer to this also. I have three fans I would like to control on one switch in my garage

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Mustang51js]

You will be good as long as you don't go over the amperage of the speed control,then it will burn it out over time. But from what you posted your good to go

 

[Strouty]

So far it works on the first fan, I wasn't quite sure how to hook it up, but then I figured it out. For the second fan, I have a second wire coming from the switch, because I was not sure if you could wire them in series or not. I figured it would be safer this way, just using some extra wire. I just got the other wire run and am getting ready to install the second fan box. I sure wish it wasn't 80 degrees in the shop, of course that is at 5 feet, so it is probably 90 at 12'6". Once it is done it will be awesome, then next week I will install the air conditioner. That will be very "cool"!

 

[Strouty]

The one heavy duty fan switch made the fans hum like a mofo. I switched it with the original 4 position and it quieted them down a lot. Tomorrow I guess I will wire them up with the two switches instead of one. Oh well.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I have posted this several times before in ceiling fan discussions. Install a regular snap switch (light switch) and take the power to it, then from that switch, go to the two fan controllers, and then to the two fans.

You are not going to be varying the speed much anyhow, and you can just set the speed, and use the snap switch to turn them on and off (a master switch if you will). I have three fans set up this way. If I need to shut off or slow one fan for some reason, I can easily adjust that controller.

They do make fan controllers that are heavy duty and designed to control two or three fans, Canarm is one brand that comes to mind. I prefer to be able to adjust them individually.

 

[DC73]

You can control multiple fans with one switch if the switch is rated properly. I've never looked at HD or Lowe's but here is a 2 fan control and a 4 fan control at Northern Tool:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200436487_200436487

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200436486_200436486

DC

 

[Strouty]

Charles, I remember that switch panel from the other thread. I think I will use that idea, I went with the fans that you recommended as well. So I have the same switches. Obviously they have held up for you, any hints or complaints?

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I always felt like the fan controllers were a little fragile feeling and that is one of several reasons that drove me to the master switch. I adjust them about twice a year, slow in the winter, fast in the summer. All I have to do is walk in and flip the switch and go about my business. If I have to work under one in the summer and it is blowing everything away, I stop and walk over and slow that one down or turn it off. When leaving the shop I restore that control to its usual setting however.

I used a five gang cover plate like the one above it, and whittled out the holes to the decora size opening, and drilled screw holes.

 

[Strouty]

Do you have much humming from the motors? They are not bad, but just enough that it is annoying if you are close by. I wasn't sure if I can add larger capacitors or something like that to quiet them down. I also had one that was way out of balance, I adjusted it and it is better, but I could mess with it more.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Mine are on 4 ft long downrods made from galvanize ¾ water pipe. They don't sway at all. As far as hearing a hum, on high the current is direct to the motor and you shouldn't hear any hum from the motors, all I hear is wind noise from the blades. On slower speeds, I'm not sure, they fans are 15 ft off the floor.

You want to hear a loud hum, the huge Big *** Fan at the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore is LOUD, annoying in fact, but I think its mechanical noise from the gearbox.

Charles

 

[wssix99]

I have posted this several times before in ceiling fan discussions.

I like this very much. A+++


Multi-fan switches can be had, but usually not at the big box stores. Even if a fan control can take the amperage of two fans, the electronics need to be made specifically to handle multiple motors.

Downsides to the multi-fan switches:
- They typically make the fan motors hum. (loudly)
- They get really hot and require additional space in the electrical box for cooling. (If you have a very tight box or a lot of wires, you may not be able to get the switch in.)

No-hum, multi-fan switches can be had to solve the humming problem, but they are very expensive and require even more electrical box space. Some of the ones that I looked at a while back would have required their own 4" box.

IMO - Charles' solution is definitely more elegant, maintainable, flexible, and economical.

 

[Strouty]

I essentially did what Charles did, except not to code. I should get bonus points for having them running all night without a fire! I will probably make some sort of cover to protect them, but this wall is going to be removed in the near future.

 

[buening]

I'm in the same boat Stroudy. Just got three of the Hampton Bay industrial fans and have three fan controls, and will be installing a master switch.

What would really be nice is to get a wireless remote control to keep at the work bench that would turn on all fans. I'm not sure these fans would work with a wireless controller without adding a receiver to them.

 

[Strouty]

I think you need a receiver for any fan, unless it is all ready wireless. Charles definitely made it simple and I don't think doing it any other way is really worth it.