Inductive or resistive control ?

[ritelec]

Friend called. Seems someone installed a fan off existing high hats.

It was on a dimmer v

He wanted to replace the dimmer with a speed/dimmer control.

Talking over it I mentioned he was short a wire.


He asked if he where to re hook it back up with the high hats and fan. Which section of the combo speed/ dimmer should he use. I mentioned different types of loads but a guess if he were to use one I would think the fan inductive part. Although that side probably wasn't rated for the watts of the incondescents


Thoughts.

Better a resistive load on an inductive rated switch or inductive load on a resistive rated switch?

Thank you

 

[FionaZuppa]

i would use inductive side since that is the item that can cause damage to a switch, yet can still control resistive loads just fine. but, as you mentioned, total watts could be a limiting factor. why lights and fan on same dimmer?

 

[ritelec]

i why lights and fan on same dimmer?

Hes in Fla. Im in jersey.

He asked how to wire the new switch.

Guess someone at his new house or condo or something taped off an existing down light to add a ceiling fan.

But guess they still wanted to dim the lights ???

He thought adding a combo control would work.

 

[GoldDigger]

Hes in Fla. Im in jersey.

He asked how to wire the new switch.

Guess someone at his new house or condo or something taped off an existing down light to add a ceiling fan.

But guess they still wanted to dim the lights ???

He thought adding a combo control would work.

Sure, why not. The electrons going from one dimmer to the fan and from the other dimmer to the light can share the same wires just fine, right?
After all when used with a new fan and light the wires go through the same raceway.

 

[ritelec]

Sure, why not. The electrons going from one dimmer to the fan and from the other dimmer to the light can share the same wires just fine, right?
After all when used with a new fan and light the wires go through the same raceway.

WHAT ???

you lost me... :- )

he has one two wire from the switch up to the lights and fan.

he did mention something with the existing light dimmer being in the circuit that the fan was not acting right... exactly how it was acting, I don't remember, was a few weeks ago.

 

[GoldDigger]

WHAT ???

you lost me... :- )

he has one two wire from the switch up to the lights and fan.

he did mention something with the existing light dimmer being in the circuit that the fan was not acting right... exactly how it was acting, I don't remember, was a few weeks ago.

My use of Comic Sans MS font was meant to indicate sarcasm. No, it won't work.

As a more serious answer, you could probably wire in a remote control receiver designed to work with a lighted fan and use it to separately control fan and light. The existing dimmer would be replaced by a switch or just removed and blanked off. The remote transmitter could be mounted on the wall or left portable to get lost.

 

[mjf]

tell him to buy a wireless for the fan

 

[GoldDigger]

tell him to buy a wireless for the fan

That by itself will not help if the fan draws power from the light outlet and he wants to be able to continue dimming the light.

 

[mjf]

That by itself will not help if the fan draws power from the light outlet and he wants to be able to continue dimming the light.

Brain fart!!

 

[Chamuit]

At some point the lights and fan need to be separated. If the switch leg is taken directly to the fan first, you could install a wireless fan/light module in the fan canopy and have light and speed control.