Ask Me Help Desk - Harbor Breeze Fan, add wall switch.

Harbor Breeze Fan, add wall switch.

Hi,

I recently bought a Harbor Breeze fan (#187541) which came with a remote control, but no wall switch. I want to be able to control the fan when I can't find the remote, so I want to add a wall switch. When I talked to the Lowe's peoples, they recommended that I buy a remote control wall switch (#103185) and set the pins to the same combination as the remote. I did this and installed it. The wall unit has a switch on the bottom (on/off) which controls the fan, i.e. remote can't turn on fan when switch is off; but none of the other controls work on the wall unit. The remote works fine. I installed the receiver that came with the fan/remote instead of the one that came with the wall switch. Any suggestions? I tried multiple pin conformations on the wall unit - no dice.

Thanks for any help.

It is not adviseable to mix 2 different remotes with one receiver. Take that second one back, get your cash, buy and install the switch you wanted originally for about $20 less than what they sold you. Install the remote and receiver that came with the fan.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

It is not adviseable to mix 2 different remotes with one receiver. Take that second one back, get your cash, buy and install the switch you wanted originally for about $20 less than what they sold you. Install the remote and receiver that came with the fan.

Umm, which one did I want to install originally?

Is there a hard-wired wall switch (not a remote sending unit) that will control the fan and light, and not just override the remote control/receiver?

Is there a way to wire a three speed fan switch or light dimmer that would work parallel to the remote/receiver?

" so I want to add a wall switch" you originally wanted to add a wall switch but they talked you into a remote. You could make a parallel system but not with the wiring you have now. I am assuming the wall switch location is sending power up to the remote receiver in the canopy. It is going to be on or off. If you want a switch to override the remote you need a additional black /hot running to the fan via the switch on the wall.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

" so I want to add a wall switch" you originally wanted to add a wall switch but they talked you into a remote. You could make a parallel system but not with the wiring you have now. I am assuming the wall switch location is sending power up to the remote receiver in the canopy. It is going to be on or off. If you want a switch to override the remote you need a additional black /hot running to the fan via the switch on the wall.

Yep, the wall swith is on the hot line up to the fan in the ceiling. It is, therefore, just on/off for the whole unit. But I want to have multiple speed fan and independent control of the fan and the light. That's why I thought that the wall and remote both talking to the same receiver was the way to go.

They sell a wall switch/remote/receiver package, but because I already had the remote and receiver, I just wanted to add the wall switch. The remote is different in that package, so maybe that's why this one doesn't work. I could buy that whole package and replace the original remote and receiver that came with the fan, but it's fifty bucks and I like the original remote better. It's hard to believe they didn't make these all compatible. I keep thinking maybe I've got something just set wrong, like the pins upside down or something (I've tried that though).

Thanks for your quick replies.

You can not mix a wall switch dimmer with a remote that has a dimmer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billy101

Hi,

I recently bought a Harbor Breeze fan (#187541) which came with a remote control, but no wall switch. I want to be able to control the fan when I can't find the remote, so I want to add a wall switch. When I talked to the Lowes peoples, they recommended that I buy a remote control wall switch (#103185) and set the pins to the same combination as the remote. I did this and installed it. The wall unit has a switch on the bottom (on/off) which controls the fan, i.e. remote can't turn on fan when switch is off; but none of the other controls work on the wall unit. The remote works fine. I installed the receiver that came with the fan/remote instead of the one that came with the wall switch. Any suggestions? I tried multiple pin conformations on the wall unit - no dice.

Thanks for any help.

You did exactly what I would suggest-- buy an RF wall switch, match the codes, and it SHOULD work in conjunction and in place of the RF remote. It didn't. You might have had a dud wall switch, or wired it wrong, or it just might not work.

The receiver that CAME WITH THE FAN, not the wall switch, how many wires does it have?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ceilingfanrepair

You did exactly what I would suggest-- buy an RF wall switch, match the codes, and it SHOULD work in conjunction and in place of the RF remote. It didnt. You might of had a dud wall switch, or wired it wrong, or it just might not work.

The receiver that CAME WITH THE FAN, not the wall switch, how many wires does it have?

Thanks for the reply. I broke down and bought the remote/wall switch/receiver combination after talking to harbor breeze and Lowe's customer service. The new receiver and the receiver that came with the fan look almost identical. They both have 5 wires. A white and black for power and a white, black, and blue to connect to the fan and light. Neither receiver nor any of the packaging indicates the frequency or strength of the signal between the sender units and the receivers. I still find it hard to believe that the parts aren't interchangeable, but I tried switching the receivers out, and then only the wall switch (not the remote) would work. I know the writing is hard to follow, but I figure that showed that the wall switch worked.

Whatever.

The most frustrating thing is that its next to impossible to figure out from the product descriptions - and even the box - what is in the fan set up, so I figure I'll be in the same boat the next time I buy a fan too.

It's working now, yes?

The first kit you bought probably used a different set of frequencies.