[indnajns]

I'm trying to install a 42" Hampton Bay ceiling fan. I really would like to have a remote - one that doesn't require wall switch wiring. I bought what I thought was a matching Hampton Bay remote. After getting it all home and sorting out the instructions and reading the fine print I find out that the remote is rated for motors no larger than 1.25 amps. The fan motor is (of course) 2.0 amps. I took the remote back to Lowes and looked for something to handle a bigger motor. EVERY remote on the shelf was rated 1amp or 1.25amps. No higher. So I asked a sales person. She said that's what they sold with all their fans. Now, I bought a little 42" fan. There's plenty hanging there much bigger than mine and I'm guessing much bigger than 2amps. Hampton Bay's website only refers you to Lowe's site now. Litex's (maker of the remote) website is under construction. The saleslady was supposed to call the manufacturer and let me know what they said. She hasn't. Lowes' website shows lots of remotes, several more expensive than what was on the shelf at the store, but no info on what amperage they can handle. I did notice about a third on the shelf had been opened and returned. I'm wondering if it was for the same reason I returned mine.
I don't know everything about wiring, but I do know you can't send 2 amps down a 1 amp wire. I live in a trailer and I don't want to give it any excuse to burn down. Can someone tell me where to find the information I need BEFORE I get the remote home? This weekend it's going up without the remote if I can't solve this.
Thank you.

[tkrussell]

What is rated the 1 amp in the remote is probably the contacts on the small, miniature relay, or solid state relay.

And you are exactly correct to be concerned with overloading the rating of the remote control. In reality I would only be concerned with a quick failure of the relay, rather than a fire, but that is why electrical devices are rated for certain loads, to prevent just that, fire.

Perhaps this is why there are so many questions here about remotes for Hampton Bay fans failing.

Unless, of course, the manufacturer recommends a certain remote for a certain fan. In that case you "should be fine".

If your fan is Hampton Bay, does HB provide their own remote? Or is Lowe's have a different manufacturer of remote on the shelf, Litex's, and is there any reference to HB fans in Litex's instruction?

Loews may very well not be aware of the mismatch in ratings of the remotes and fans they offer, or they don't care, and "let the buyer beware".

Best to get, IN WRITING, exactly what Hampton Bay recommends for a remote control to operate their fan, or a consumer must read and follow the instrcutions and ratings of the componenets they combine, and be sure no load exceeds those ratings.

DO NOT take any info or advice verbally from the store clerk, if the remote fails, all you have is hearsay when you try to return it for credit. And what if the home does burn down? Then what?

[ceilingfanrepair]

A 42" fan actually uses less current than a 52" fan, and all remotes are rated to handle 52" fans with the exception of Hunter Originals.

The fan and light combined are likely 2 amps, but the remote has them hooked separately. The motor itself is less than 1 amp. 52" fans, with the exception of the Hunter Original, are around 1 amp, or less.

You are fine with any of the remotes you mentioned.