I am currently replacing a light switch with a ceiling fan and light control. The description of what I am replacing with is:
http://www.littmanbros.com/pd_hunter_27182.cfm

I currently have a ceiling fan with a light kit (and it too high off the ground to have the fan controlled by a pull chain).

When I removed the old switch - there were 2 wires (black and red) connected + ground. An additional white wire was braided and capped. The switch I am replacing with has black, blue, and red wires + ground. The instructions are terrible. Well, not terrible, it was just giving as a wiring diagram which I am completely unfamiliar with. I attempted to wire it - according to my interpretation of the diagram - and when I switched the power on - I heard a pop and the controller started smoking from the inside. Obviously, I did something wrong and since then, I have purchase a new one. Can someone please help guide me in the right direction in which wire connects to what?
Thank you in advance!

Ok, does your fan have a light? It sounds like your new switch is designed to control a fan and light separately and requires separate wiring, which you do not have.

How many wires are in the ceiling fan outlet box? To continue you need to drop the fan and check. Don't bother trying to connect the new switch until this is determined.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ceilingfanrepair

Ok, does your fan have a light? It sounds like your new switch is designed to control a fan and light separately and requires separate wiring, which you do not have.

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Yes, my fan does have a light.
My fan is currently wired as:

FAN/ OUTLET
White/ White
Black/ Black
Blue/ Red
Green/ Ground

I think you are right as the current wiring to the house probably does not permit me to use this type of switch. How about a dimmer light switch and I can just purchase an extension to the pullchain to control the fan?

Well, actually, it sounds like you do have enough wires, BUT, the black may be unswitched. How is the fan currently controlled? Is there a separate switch for the light and fan? Is just the light switched and the fan controlled by the pullchain? Or are both the light and fan controlled by the same switch?

Here is some wiring information:

http://www.ceiling-fans-n-more.com/c...fan-wiring.php

TK I am shocked and flattered you have ventured your brilliant expertise into the lowly fan area. I thought you were too good to answer the fan questions. Why come I can't take longer vacations, then?

Yes! The black wire is unswitched. So, does that mean that I should hook up the black and blue wire from the fan to the red wire in the outlet in order to use the full functionality of the switch?

Then you will have one switch controlling both the fan and light.

You have a few options.

1. Have it as is-- light controlled from wall, fan from pullchain

2. Feed an additional wire from the switch to the fan and use the switch you bought

3. Buy a wall control that uses a receiver wired into the fan, and is designed for 2-wire operation

For #3 see the option on computerized wall controls:

http://www.ceiling-fans-n-more.com/c...n-controls.php

Thank you!
I would like to stick with option #2 if I can.
Now, back to the description I gave in my initial post -
I had patched a white wire (14 gauge) from the braided and capped white wire found in the box where the switch is. Is that what you meant by feeding an additional wire from the switch (or did you mean to feed an additional red wire)? The wiring diagram given with the controller states that the blue (fan) and red (light) wire from the controller should go to the neutral wire of the outlet, the black wire from the controller goes to the hot wire. Does that sound right?
Therefore, my failed attempt consisted of this wiring:
CONTROLLER/OUTLET
Black/Black
Blue and Red/White
Green/Ground
Nothing/Red

I am guessing the white is a neutral and therefore should not be connected to the control in any way.

The control should actually be connected like this:


Black - hot from power source (usually black)
Blue - black wire on fan
Red - blue wire on fan

So you need to have wires that go from the switch to the fan, one for the light, one for the motor. Right now there is only one, the red wire. You would physically have to run another wire from the switch box to the fan box.

Oh, I understand now!
Now, upon further inspection, there are 2 sets of wires coming into the switch outlet one from the left, one from the right. There are 2 black wires (braided and capped, having one black wire leading out for a connection), one red left out for a connection, and 2 white wires (braided and capped). There are also the 2 ground wires that have been braided capped and having one leading out for connection. It just seems that the previous owner had probably combined the two sets of wires to make one switch, when in reality can be made into two switches. My friend says that there is probably another red wire, and says that the previous owner had probably cut it too short that it is unable to be seen. Does this sound right?
If there is indeed a second red wire, I can then use the controller I bought, wiring it to the configuration you are giving me, right?
I apologize for not providing a more "in depth" look into the switch outlet.

Thank you for all of your help - I am sure learning a lot!

No, but it's possible the second black wire is the hot lead for the fan. Disconnect the two black wires, and see if the fan still runs. If it does not then the second black is your switch lead.

On second thought - I'm just going to have to cut the hassle and install a light dimmer switch and have the fan be controlled by its pullchain. Thank you very much for all of your expert advice - I greatly appreciate it!

I have another perfectly working ceiling fan (that is a little gaudy) that I'm going to replace if you are interested. Please e-mail me if you are interested at [email protected]

Merry Christmas everyone!

I'm stubborn, so I'll continue :)
I think you are right - so the first black wire from the outlet is going to the black wire of the controller, the second black wire from the outlet (when wired to the black wire from the controller) then powers the fan, the red wire from the outlet (when wired to the red wire from the controller) powers the light and then the ground to the ground. Is that right?
Thanks again!

Success! Thank you very much for your valuable input and advice - each function on the controller does what it suppose to do. In addition - you gave me a crash course in the fundamentals of electrical wiring in a house. Thanks again for everything... especially patience!

Glad it worked out.

Currently have hampton bay carriage house ceiling fan. Want to install hunter model 27157 universal remote control. Main source power only has black and white wires. How to I wire this to make it work.

Why are these questions still available? This one is 7 years old!!