In-wall fan controller and in-wall dimmer not playing nice?

[CoconutPete]

I have a Lutron dimmer mounted next to a Lutron fan controller in the wall.

They are arguing with each other...

When I turn on the light, the fan starts turning eeeeever so slowly.
And:
When I change fan speeds the light flickers, whether it's on or not!

Here's the funny thing. I have this exact setup in 2 other rooms in the house (different fans though) without any issues.

I pulled them out of the wall to create some distance between them, no change.
I pulled the wiring out and created some distance at the top of the fan itself, no change.

Could there be trouble because it's a common ground? Something else entirely?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I assume youre fan has separate hot legs for the light and fan motor?

Is there a wireless controller on the fan itself?

 

[CoconutPete]

I assume youre fan has a separate hot legs for the light and fan motor?

Is there a wireless controller on the fan itself?

Yep, separate hot legs (hehe... hot legs) for the light and fan motor. House came pre-wired with space for each in the wall.

Fan came in the box with a fan controller which sits tucked up under the ceiling. I removed the "brain" and wired directly so that the "fan-leg" goes straight down, into the wall, to the fan controller and the "light leg" goes the same ... down the wall to the dimmer.

Normally I'd question my approach, but I have done this in other rooms and it works great. I'm sitting in my office right now with a diff. ceiling fan wired this same way (which also came w/ a "brain" that I removed") and it works great.

I guess I should add that the fan (and all the other fans) have LED ligths and these are LED compatible dimmers.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Yep, separate hot legs (hehe... hot legs) for the light and fan motor. House came pre-wired with space for each in the wall.

Fan came in the box with a fan controller which sits tucked up under the ceiling. I removed the "brain" and wired directly so that the "fan-leg" goes straight down, into the wall, to the fan controller and the "light leg" goes the same ... down the wall to the dimmer.

Normally I'd question my approach, but I have done this in other rooms and it works great. I'm sitting in my office right now with a diff. ceiling fan wired this same way (which also came w/ a "brain" that I removed") and it works great.

I guess I should add that the fan (and all the other fans) have LED ligths and these are LED compatible dimmers.

yeah just wanted to make sure there was no phantom wireless controller at play here.

definitely odd. the shared ground shouldn't be causing any issues since no current runs on the ground wire in normal operation. it is for fault current only

have you tried removing one device completely and see if the problem goes away?

you could also turn one on, measure the voltage on the switched leg of the unit that is off and see if you get voltage and how much.

 

[CoconutPete]

No, I haven't gotten to much troubleshooting yet outside of what I mentioned.

Do you have any thoughts on what to remove first? Perhaps the dimmer to see if the fan controller can still screw with the light?

 

[CoconutPete]

Actually scratch that - they both screw with each other.

Turning on the fan makes the light flicker.

Turning on the light makes the fan turn ever so slowly.

Once I get home I'm just picking one!

 

[CoconutPete]

OK ... I'm starting to think I just have a sh!tty fan in that room....

Replaced the dimmer w/ a regular switch. Fan control still in place.
Result: Turning the light on still results in the fan spinning super super slowly.

Flip-flopped the scenario: Dimmer in place, regular switch instead of fan control. Light still flickers as I dim and un-dim it and the fan still spins slowly with the light on.

This exact setup works perfectly in 2 other rooms with 2 different fans.

Have I mentioned that I hate the fact that every d@mn fan comes with those stupid remotes???

 

[AntonLargiader]

Have I mentioned that I hate the fact that every d@mn fan comes with those stupid remotes???

You can still buy the Hunter Original... but damn, $500.

 

[CoconutPete]

You can still buy the Hunter Original... but damn, $500.

I have 2 Kichlers that I really like in my sunroom and the living room. Both play nice with this setup. I wired it back with the (stupid) remote for now, but come spring time I'm thinking I'm going to relocate this fan to the garage and replace it with the same Kichler I have downstairs. At least those let me rip their brains out without arguing with me...

 

[cybrdyke]

Shared neutral?