We just installed a Hampton Bay Edgemont ceiling fan that runs with LED bulbs. The fan works fine, the only problem is that the light is very dim (think night light). Is this normal? If not, is it something we can fix or do we need to return the fan? Thanks for your help!

I think you have a remote. Try holding down the light button for about 10 seconds. It should get dimmer and dimmer and the go back to full bright.

I checked the box, however, there is no remote, and the manual specifically states, "this light can not dim."

I'm not familiar with this particular model.

If the lights are not controlled from a remote, how are they controlled?

Do the lights work when the fan is off?

The lights are strictly on an on/off switch from the wall. The light functions with and without the fan - just very dim. If it helps - the model number is: 557-268.

Is the light switch on the wall a dimmer? Try your multimeter on the feed side of the switch to insure there is 110vac, Then try shorting the two switch wires, did the bulb get brighter? I do not find Edgemont anywhere, are you 100% positive of your info?

The light switch is not a dimmer as the fan states it cannot be. We're positive the current and voltage are fine as the previous light worked just fine! It is indeed an Edgemont model purchased from Home Depot.

OK and what happened when you shorted the two wires at the switch? Do you recall the exact voltage reading when you checked it?

I can find the model, but it doesn't have a picture to show what type of light it is-- the sort built into the housing that is supposed to be dim, or a downlight. It has LED bulbs so I can imagine it is NOT supposed to be very bright. I would exchange the fan for another one and see if the same problem occurs.

After checking voltage in and out of switch. Check voltage at light kit.

If voltage was a problem at the switch, presumably the fan would not work also.

Okay everyone quit asking about remotes, dimmers and correct installation. shanynpt is no fool. I too have one of these fans. The light pack is very dim blue LEDs (much like mood lighting). The only way to fix this is to install another LED light kit.

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It has LED bulbs so I can imagine it is NOT supposed to be very bright. I would exchange the fan for another one and see if the same problem occurs..

I can find the model, but it doesnt have a picture to show what type of light it is-- the sort built into the housing that is supposed to be dim, or a downlight. It has LED bulbs so I can imagine it is NOT supposed to be very bright. I would exchange the fan for another one and see if the same problem occurs.

Next time you are "repairing" ceiling fans try using an LED flashlight from Lowe's or HomeDepot. They atre very bright and use little power, that's the whole point. The new traffic lights are LEDs too as well as brakelights etc.. Do your research.

You can be rude if you want to. I have an LED flashlight, and have used LED PAR cans. Neither of them are bright enough for me. You yourself said the LED light kit included with this fan is very dim.

I would measure voltage out of socket(without shorting) and see if that is maximum rated on Led's.

We ended up installing an entirely new ceiling fan/light and have had no problems. It must be due to the type of LED packaged with the fan. Thanks to all those who tried to assist!

ceilingfanrepair,
Didn't mean to be rude, the questions about the "are you sure you did it right" got the best of me, sorry. Mmy point was that replacing the factory light kit is the only option since the LEDs included are dim, replacing them with brighter ones is the easiest solution rather than modifying the fan in other ways.

I agree and also with the post above you.

Okay everyone quit asking about remotes, dimmers and correct installation. shanynpt is no fool. I too have one of these fans. The light pack is very dim blue LEDs (much like mood lighting). The only way to fix this is to install another LED light kit.


What kind of replacement light kit do you recommend? I just bought one of these fans and would LOVE to get some real light out of it!

Anything with normal sockets, especially that can fit CFL's.

We just installed a Hampton Bay Edgemont ceiling fan that runs with LED bulbs. The fan works fine, the only problem is that the light is very dim (think night light). Is this normal? If not, is it something we can fix or do we need to return the fan? Thanks for your help!
I just installed the same fan/light (Hampton Bay) Edgemont 52" ceiling fan with light kit. Model 557-268 from Home Depot.

The light is so dim that it could only be considered a night light at best. Nowhere does it indicate that this light is for "mood lighting", etc.

The LED's are a 24 volt system that flat out is inadequate for any use. The thought that someone with Hampton Bay accepted this during the design process is laughable.

For all those with questions regarding this product, the only fix is to take it back to Home Depot and drove over to Lowe's and get a better product. This defiantly has be rethinking the Hampton Bay product line.

Lowe's will be no better. They sell the same junk.
It just happened to be the particular fan you bought.

Lowe's store brand is marginally better than Home Depot's. I prefer Menards to both.

Hi all,

I have the same fan and the same problem. Is there a more "cowboy" solution? Like, can I cut the wire that the LED light attaches to, and attach a new connector that will allow me to connect a regular light kit?

Yes, but I can't tell you specifically where without pictures.

SHAYNPT... I did a search on this fan online... most of the users review it as a great fan with a "night light" I think what you see is what you get. If you need more light, take it back and get another fan.

Good Luck

Sorry folks, not an answer but a question...
The LED lights on the fan suck, no question about that. The fan otherwise is a great looking fan with what amounts to a huge nightlight hanging from the bottom. Some post mentioned a "cowboy" way of rigging up a more traditional light arrangement. I didn't see a response but was hoping someone might have figured a way around a really poor design. Please respond or email me back on this one. Lowe's has the same crap and I happen to really like the look of the fan.
Thank you
BAFIII

Send me pictures of the light with the cover off.

This has nothing to do with inadequate power or lighting- it is simply the output if the LEDs. If I recall, the box for the fan indicates the wattage by the LED is something like 5 or 15 watts, nothing more than a nightlight just as you say. We made the same mistake- this was the best looking fan for the price at Home Depot and were a bit frustrated after having installed it and finding out that the light output was so poor. After checking power I happened to glance at the box and found the reference to low wattage. Home Depot must have had a number of returns because every store now has a tag hanging from the display that states it is not intended for primary lighting.

I agree.

Not sure if my original answer made it- or if you even care, but for about two bucks you can replace the LED with a standard chandelier light socket. Unplug the light kit from the fan and take off the top of light housing. Look for the regulator that takes power down to 24 volts (plugs into LED). Cut that out and wire in a chandelier socket. The socket fits perfectly into the metal back plate of the LED. Simply pull the LED card off the plate, insert the socket through the existing hole and secure with the socket nut. Put the whole thing back together and you've got 60-75watts of light.

Very good idea.

Not sure if my original answer made it- or if you even care, but for about two bucks you can replace the LED with a standard chandelier light socket. Unplug the light kit from the fan and take off the top of light housing. Look for the regulator that takes power down to 24 volts (plugs into LED). Cut that out and wire in a chandelier socket. The socket fits perfectly into the metal back plate of the LED. Simply pull the LED card off the plate, insert the socket thru the existing hole and secure with the socket nut. Put the whole thing back together and you've got 60-75watts of light.

I just installed this fan and like so many others, I was floored by how dim it was. I really like the look of the fan so I'm going to attempt johnoutwater's CFL surgery. I'm not an electrical expert... so I'm wondering... what does the regulator that I have to remove look like?

Hey pwdesign, it is a simple, painless process.

When you unscrew the light cover you'll see an LED "card" (round piece of cardboard with a half dozen or so LED lights glued to it) fastened to a round plate with a 1" or so hole in the middle.

Step 1. Remove the screws holding that plate in place, unplug the light kit and disconnect it from the fan body

Step 2. The LEDs have two wires that lead into the light kit housing. Follow the wires from the LED card to a small rectangular piece of plastic with two wires going in (from the LEDs) and two wires going out. The rectangular piece of plastic is screwed to the inside of the light housing and its sole purpose is to take the electricity coming in to the fan and dialing it down to a lower voltage for the LEDs.

Step 3. Remove the screws holding the regulator (not sure if that is the right name for it) to the housing, cut the wires and throw it away.

Step 4. Pull the LED card off the round plate and toss it too. Now you've got two wires from the main wiring harness coming into the center of the light housing and a round plate with a 1" or so hole in its middle separated from the light kit housing.

Step 5. Take the round plate to Home Depot (or wherever) and look for a small plastic light socket/fixture that fits the hole. It will have two wires coming out the back of the fixture and a plastic nut that, once you insert the fixture into the hole in the round plate, screws on the back of the fixture to hold it in place. Ask what the maximum wattage of chandelier light is for the fixture and get a bulb with that wattage (the light cover further diffuses the light, making it softer). Its been a few months but I believe it was around 60-75 watts (get the max). I also believe I used a round bulb so it would fit.

Step 6. Insert the new chandelier socket/fixture into the hole of the round plate and screw the plastic nut on the back.

Step 7. Using wire nuts, connect the wires from the fan's light kit (recently cut by you) to the wires coming out of the new socket/fixture.

Step 8. Reconnect the lighting harness, screw the round plate back where it belongs, put your new bulb in and reassemble the light on the fan. You should be good to go.

I really liked the look of those fans and bought two, and got to be doubly disappointed with the output of light; however this fix really did the trick. The conervsion of my second fan took me about ten minutes start to finish. Good luck!

Wow! Thank you very much for taking the time to write out the great instructions. I bought two of these fans also. One is mounted already and the other is standing by. I'll post the results. Thanks!

Step 2. The LEDs have two wires that lead into the light kit housing. Follow the wires from the LED card to a small rectangular piece of plastic with two wires going in (from the LEDs) and two wires going out. The rectangular piece of plastic is screwed to the inside of the light housing and its sole purpose is to take the electricity coming in to the fan and dialing it down to a lower voltage for the LEDs.
Step 3. Remove the screws holding the regulator (not sure if that is the right name for it) to the housing, cut the wires and throw it away.


John-

Well I gave it the ol' college try, but I'm suspecting that maybe the model I bought came with different equipment. There is no regulator that is screwed to the LED plate. (See photos attached) The wires go directly into the plate from the main harness. I tried cutting them at the plate (where the blue wire nuts are) and wiring in the chandelier socket, but the light did not work. I thought perhaps I missed something so I took the LED plate to an electrical supply guy and they said that the transformer(regulator) is before the plate, perhaps inside the fan housing.

Let me know if the LED looks different from yours. I'm curious and I really like this fan, but I can't leave it with the LED lighting... its useless. I can't believe they would make a fan like this with such a useless light.
:confused:
Thanks for your help
PatW

On the LED plate, it shows where 24 volts should be applied. Likely DC.
You would have to connect to the control before the voltage reduction, Hopefull dimming is done before regulator, and can handle the 120 volt load. How about brighter led's?
24 volt bulbs? If able to get 120 volt bulbs working watch the wattage as more heat will be given off than designed for.

The regulator is located in the Switch housing, a white and black wire from the light swich to the regulator, a red and black wire from the regulator to the LED light plate. Cut the white and black wires at the regulator and connect to the chandelier bulb sockets.

Regulator: Model PS-2405
INPUT: AC120V
OUTPUT: DC24V

The regulator would be at the other end of the black and red wires.

That's where I got confused... switch housing instead of the light kit housing. Thanks everyone for your input. I opened up the switch housing and got rid of the regulator and directly wired a small chandelier socket. It works fine. Thanks!

So much for their energy saving LED light :)