[cmck3280]

I am reading 120v to my ceiling fan (where fan connects to ceiling) even when the switches to the fan are in the off position. I have check all wiring connections and they seem to be fine. I have been in this house for 7 years with no problem. Can't figure this one out. How can it have electricity with switches off?

[donf]

Let's start this conversation by you telling us why you are measuring the at the fan in the first place?

Then I would need to know if there are two wall switches for this fan, one for the light and one for the fan.

Also, where is the source of the power for the fan/light unit. Is it in the ceiling or coming from the switches?

[creahands]

What is problem? Does the fan not turn off?

Answer these and donf questions and we can help u.

Chuck

[cmck3280]

It started gradually... I have a Hampton Bay Ceiling Fan with remote... I installed 4 of them in my new home 7 years ago and everything has been working fine. The one in question started gradually... it would work now and then. Of course I checked the remote battery and it was fine so I took the control board off the to see if there was any damage. I could find none. When I reinstalled the board it tripped the breaker (switches off). I thought it was a bad board so I purchased a new board and installed it and same thin is still happening. With the switches off I still get a reading at the ceiling. How can that be? I checked the switches as stated before and everything seems to be fine. If I unplug the control board the breaker will not trip. I am pretty handy but I am not an electrician.

[cmck3280]

Part II: There are 2 switches, one for light and one for fan.

Power from switches... Fan or lights would not work with switches off before this...

[hfcarson]

Cmck, Can you rule out the switches as the problem?
I assume they are both single pole switches, that is each switch
Only has two screws on it... pick one of the switches and turn it off...
Then measure the voltage on each screw to ground...
Next on the same switch with the switch still in the off position, measure
The voltage between both of the screws...
What have you found?

Hcarson

[ma0641]

You can have a hot source in the box and then a switch loop. Is there a white lead to the switch?

[cmck3280]

With switches in OFF position

On the left switch there is a Black wire at top (no reading to ground) and a White at bottom (117v).

On the right switch there is a Black wire at top (117v) and a White at bottom (no reading to ground).

No reading on either switch between the screws in off position... which I assume it eliminates the switches as the problem.

[hfcarson]

CMCK,
When you tested the switches was the control board disconnected?
Let me guess that it was...
I think I smell two problems, the first is that you may be switching the neutral... If with both switches off and the fan not working you measure 117V to ground at the ceiling fan this might be the reason. Consider this like drawing a circle that starts at the circuit breaker panel with a hot wire - the hot wire goes to the fan first and then to the switch and then back to the circuit breaker panel to complete the circle or the circuit... The circle should start at the panel then go to the switch first, then to the fan, then back to the panel to complete the circuit.

There is a test you can do if you have an OHMmeter to confirm that the circuit is wired backwards and you are switching the neutral... with the fan off AND the circuit breaker turned off (cant read ohms with it on or you may damage your multimeter)and the switches turned off... read OHMS between each the two screws on the switches to ground... if any reading is near "ZERO" the circuit is wired backwards, if all readings are infinite or in the MEGOHM range then I may be wrong but let me know what you find.

It sounds like things were OK until you touched the control board and now plugging in the board is a short circuit... Take a real good look at how this board is connected, is it possible to install the control board incorrectly or does it only go in "one" way?
Be Safe..

[cmck3280]

With power off ohms meter read 000 on one and 1. on the other.
This was on both switches. One for fa and other for lights, Inverted... one had zeros at top and other on bottom.


Yes board is disconnected... and yes its color coded, only one way to plug in.

This fan just quit working so I replaced board... it wast the board.
Fan has been fine for 7 years.

[hfcarson]

CMCK,
Based on your measurements It does look like you're switching the fan through the neutral. This is why you are reading the live wire at the fan with the switches off.

Correcting this may be confusing but hopefully not difficult. I will assume you have a two conductor with ground piece of Romex from your breaker panel. Verify that the black conductor is attached to the circuit breaker and the white conductor on the neutral bar with the ground. This black wire however routed (tracing this may be a challenge) should end up at the switch first - then travel to the fan and connected to the black of the fan. The white of the fan of course goes back to the panel.

Now your other issue with the control board I'm not sure how to troubleshoot... from your description you were okay until you changed the control board and then you had a short circuit and tripped the circuit breaker... Since you changed the board with the same result I think we can conclude it isn't the control board.

Aside from correcting the way this circuit is wired or connected... it may be least painful to replace this fan, after seven years it doesn't owe you much...

My apology for not finding a more positive solution.

[NOFI55]

Can 6 ceiling fans be hooked up to 1 wall mount speed control
The max amp for all 6 fans running at maximum is about 3a

[NOFI55]

Can 6 ceiling fans be hooked up to 1 wall mount speed control. The max
Amps for all 6 fans running at maximum is about 3 amps

[tkrussell]

The controller needs to be rated 25% more than the running load, 3 + 25% is 3.75 amps. So if the speed control is rated 3.75 amps or more, your good to go.