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Blueshirts94 · Jan 24, 2007, 12:31 PM

Well the fan / light combination is only just over a year old. It has a remote control for the three speeds of the fan and the light on / off.

Basically the other morning when trying to turn on my light - it wasn't turning on. The bulbs had power to them as the filaments were barely lit up, like it wasn't getting enough power.

So thinking they were bad bulbs, I took one out and placed it in another light fixture and the bulb worked as normal.

So, I have power to the lights and the bulbs are still good but the actual bulbs do not fully illuminate when the switch is turned on. Very low light across the filament, almost like a dimmer but I do not have a dimmer switch!

Any ideas?

ballengerb1 · Jan 24, 2007, 01:03 PM

Before you go any further try new batteries in your remote. If you have a meter, try to check the voltage in the light bulb socket. How is the fan operation working? Does the fan operate as well as it ever did before?

Blueshirts94 · Jan 24, 2007, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

Before you go any further try new batteries in your remote. If you have a meter, try to check the voltage in the light bulb socket. How is the fan operation working? Does the fan operate as well as it ever did before?

Thank you for the quick response. Yes the fan works fine as it ever has. Will a battery in the remote really cause this kind of a situation? I will change the battery when I get home from work tonight.

I do have a meter that I can bring home and check the voltage available at the light socket. I assume it's the standard line voltage 120 to ground? I work with electronics but know nothing about luminaires or ballasts or anything like that. My first though was the ballast in the fixture has gone bad.

ballengerb1 · Jan 24, 2007, 01:20 PM

Your remote sends commands at different frequencies for different function. Higher frequencies pull a tad more power. The ballast comment caught me by surprise. Most fans use incandescent light bulbs. Is your light an incandescent bulb or fluorescent? I worked on a remote fan recently and found that there was also a wall switch in addition to the remote. Someone had adjusted the wall switch to dim and the remote can not override the wall switch.

Blueshirts94 · Jan 24, 2007, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

Your remote sends commands at different frequencies for different function. Higher frequencies pull a tad more power. The ballast comment caught me by surprise. Most fans use incandescent light bulbs. Is your light an incandescent bulb or florescent? I worked on a remote fan recently and found that there was also a wall switch in addition to the remote. Someone had adjusted the wall switch to dim and the remote can not override the wall switch.

Yeah it uses incandescent light bulbs. Sorry for the confusion. The little control brick in the fixture (I was thinking that could be a ballast) so please ignore that comment.

Well the remote still works the different speeds of the fans so Im not sure if it's a battery problem. I do have a wall switch that controls the overall function of the fan / light. With the switch in the on position I can control the fan / light with the remote. Obviously with it in the off position I can not do anything with the remote. It's simple single pull / single throw switch with no dimming functions.

Still think it could be a battery?

ballengerb1 · Jan 24, 2007, 01:37 PM

Battery is cheap and easy. Always try the cheap and easy first. If the problem continues open the wall switch and verify the voltage in and out of the light switch while it is in the ON position. This will help to confirm you are still getting 110 v to the lights.

Blueshirts94 · Jan 24, 2007, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

Battery is cheap and easy. Always try the cheap and easy first. If the problem continues open the wall switch and verify the voltage in and out of the light switch while it is in the ON position. This will help to confirm you are still getting 110 v to the lights.

I will do this when I get home tonight. I will report back later. Your insight is much appreciated.:)

ceilingfanrepair · Jan 24, 2007, 02:39 PM

You accidentally activated the "dim" function. Hold down the "light" button.

Blueshirts94 · Jan 24, 2007, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by ceilingfanrepair

You accidentally activated the "dim" function. Hold down the "light" button.

You know it's funny that you say that... because I just got through talking with a guy at my work and he mentioned the same thing. I was not aware of any dimming function this fan / light fixture had. He described his fans to me and said he has to hold down the light button to actually dim it.

I probably slept on it or something and dimmed it without me knowing. I am crossing my fingers hoping that is the case. I will feel stupid but hey... we all make mistakes.

Thanks again for the input you guys. If the above is not the fix, I will proceed to take measurements and the like.

Blueshirts94 · Jan 25, 2007, 07:23 AM

Thanks to both of you guys and the advice you have given me. I got home last night and held down the light button switch on the remote and sure enough... it has a dimming function that I had no idea about.

Thanks again, you help is much appreciated.

ceilingfanrepair · Jan 25, 2007, 12:16 PM

Glad you got it working.