Simple question on a Dimmer Switch :-)

[1Garageman]

In my garage I have a ceiling fan haning over my work bench. It gets hot in there in the summer and the air flow feels good off of the fan. But I put a 150 watt bulb in there and had to take the "Pull Cords" off of it to control the lite on off and the speed of the fan.
Here is the question: Is it ok to use a Dimmer switch to control the ceiling fan's "FAN" and not the lite? It would be nice to just turn the nob to control how fast it is turning basically.
Thanks!

 

[Aceman]

Is it ok to use a Dimmer switch to control the ceiling fan's "FAN" and not the lite?

No..........

 

[1Garageman]

Is there some sort of switch I could use then to control the speed of the fan???

 

[Piper]

yep, but not a dimmer. Any big box store should have a switch specifically for a fan motor. Motors and lamps are different.

 

[tfi racing]

Unless you have a separate switch leg running to the light,you may want to consider something like this unit.And no,don't use a regular dimmer to control the fan.
http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/...ode+matchall&recN=112567&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber

 

[mrb]

is the socket rated for a 150w lamp? if not, you will quickly develop problems.

 

[rinny_tin_tin]

In my garage I have a ceiling fan haning over my work bench. It gets hot in there in the summer and the air flow feels good off of the fan. But I put a 150 watt bulb in there and had to take the "Pull Cords" off of it to control the lite on off and the speed of the fan.
Here is the question: Is it ok to use a Dimmer switch to control the ceiling fan's "FAN" and not the lite? It would be nice to just turn the nob to control how fast it is turning basically.
Thanks!

Minka Aire makes remote controls with matching speed control modules so you can control the speed of your fan while independently control the dimming of the accompanyign light - all off a TWO wire ckt. I know cuz I installed four Minka Aire Magellan fans for our pool to replace four older two wire fans w/o lights. It works fine as advertised.

 

[Torque1st]

is the socket rated for a 150w lamp? if not, you will quickly develop problems.

-A fire waiting to happen. Most of those sockets are rated for 60W. You may be able to install a CFL tho. I do not know of any standard conversion factors for CFL's into standard incandescent sockets tho.

 

[SteveU]

-A fire waiting to happen. Most of those sockets are rated for 60W. You may be able to install a CFL tho. I do not know of any standard conversion factors for CFL's into standard incandescent sockets tho.

DO NOT use a dimmer with any type of fluorescent light, they buzz & act highly PO'd if you do. Standard CFL's are around 14w for a 60w equivalent & 23w for 100w equivalent.

 

[Torque1st]

There are CFL'$ rated for dimmers. I saw some at Homie Depot the other day. He just wants the dimmer for the Fan speed.

 

[Gary S]

If you shop around you can most likely find a new fan with 3-5 speeds and a remote control for less than the Hunter remote alone. Then you can mount your old fan at some other point in the garage and have two fans for the price of one remote.

Also, I put a fan with wireless remote in my garage. I found it won't work in the cold, and after the second winter, the remote failed completely. I pulled the remote and now it is a hard wired fan that works right. Wireless tends to be unreliable.

 

[Torque1st]

Standard CFL's are around 14w for a 60w equivalent & 23w for 100w equivalent.

BTW- What I was referencing about standard equivalences was heat output and safety, not brightness. We have no standard conversions on whether it is safe to do something like install a 150W CFL into a fixture rated for a 60W incandescent bulb. The reason fixtures have max wattage ratings is generally for heat dissipation. CFL bulbs not only do generate some heat but they are also sensitive to heat. That heat sensitivity is why some bulbs have warnings about using them in fixtures with their base up. or warnings to use them base down only. The regulatory agencies are always slow to react to new technologies.

 

[Jeepskate]

Ditto on the remotes. You can find them new or slightly used for far less on Ebay. When we bought our house last year, the PO had installed ceiling fans in the eat-in kitchen and all four bedrooms, but you had to use the chains to control them. I bought remotes for all of them off Ebay for around $20-25 ea. even a couple of fancy ones with thermostatic fan controls for our son's room and the master bedroom.

 

[Vicegrip]

A fan remote is a great way to go IMO. Easy to install not change to house wire and you get fan speed and light dimming from one device.

I also have been known to bastardize fan controls for other things like a relay control for the built in shop vacuum system. Carry the remote to the tool in use and turn the suction on and off.

 

[Harm]

I recently tried a remote control for a bedroom ceiling fan. It was to control fan speed and light on/off without the pull chains and without rewiring for separate switches. The motor control worked fine...
However, the cfl bulbs did not work with the remote unit. I never tried to dim them. I know better. But the "off" for the light kit was apparently some kind of dim function because the lights all flickered. This was only apparent at night, by the way. Quick, intermittent flicker. Either it was a dim effect or some kind of power bleed through the remote. At any rate, I returned it. There are now 2 new switches in a better location and a new piece 12/3 run to the fan. Plus the old switch runs a receptacle now.
Beware the remotes.

For my garage, I'd really like a wall mounted fan like you'd find in an assembly plant. Full wire cage around the blade with a hanging wired speed control (hi/low/off). I don't know what to call it to search for one online.

 

[nate379]

I know you aren't supposed to use a dimmer for the fan motor but I have seen it done that way in many many houses, mainly ones wired in the 70s/80s.

It a shame I didn't see this a few weeks ago. I had a 3 speed fan control that was left in a drawer when I moved into the house and I gave it to the electrician when he came by to do some followup work.

BTW, what's the problem with just using a pull chain to adjust the speed? It's not like your needed to change it many times a day... or even at all. Mine are on low and it's more than enough air flow. The one in the master bed room on medium will blow all the papers off the desk even.