Rant: Wireless ceiling fans

SixPapaCharlie

SixPapaCharlie

May the force be with you
Joined
Aug 8, 2013
Messages
16,415
Display Name
Display name:
Sixer
ERRRRRGG!!!!!!

Just give me the pull string that makes the speed increase 3 times then stop and start over.

I have 3 ceiling fans with remotes which I have ended up mounting to the wall near the switch which is no more attractive than a string hanging down from the fan.

All three are now not working even w/ new batteries.

Why do the remote wireless ones not ALSO have the option for a pull string in the event that I don't want to use the remote?

I just want to reach up and increase the speed of the fan over my head right now but I can't. I can't make it go faster and the remote appears to no longer be communicating w/ the fan. 3rd time that has happened on 3 different fans.

Misplaced Technology. The wireless remote gives you NO advantage over the pull string and actually adds a point of failure.

Its warm in here.
 
And what the hell uses an A23 size battery? Even when I firs suspected the battery was the issue, who has a drawer full of those lying around?
 
I like the remotes on ceiling fans, and have never had one fail.

But you're right -- an either/or solution with remote and pull-chain would be more better. Of course, it would increase the cost.
 
There is just a lot of misplaced technology.
I have one of those wireless cars where you don't need a key to start it.

3 to 4 times a week, the display says "key missing" I'm like holding it in my hand.
Used to be a time that you could start the car with the key. No technology needed and the keys were a buck instead of $400

I also find that removing the key from the ignition is a great reminder to take the keys with me. Now they just sit in the console because they are not required to be removed to shutdown the car.

As a result, if anyone wants, my car, it is in my driveway with the key in the cup holder.

I once got my car started because the key was in my wifes care next to mine. I drove to the airport, turned off my car and was instantly stranded.


I miss the days when we didn't have to have a microchip in our toenail clippers and blue tooth in every damned device. Ever jam out to your favorite song on your bluetooth (phone to car connection) and then the phone rings? Scares the hell out of you.

Get off my lawn!
 
Jay Honeck said:
I like the remotes on ceiling fans, and have never had one fail.

But you're right -- an either/or solution with remote and pull-chain would be more better. Of course, it would increase the cost.
Click to expand...

Mine must be entry level or something.
I have 2 wireless remote Hampton Bat fans from (I think) lowes.
All 3 remotes are now no longer working. They are all about 2-3 years old and all 3 are different models
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
And what the hell uses an A23 size battery? Even when I firs suspected the battery was the issue, who has a drawer full of those lying around?
Click to expand...

I have an extra one if you need it. It was for a remote starter for a car I no longer own. They come two in a pack, so I still have the second one. Stop by whenever you like and pick it up.

Rich
 
Girlfriend's ceiling fans had the same issue... Battery was dead, but it wasn't the only issue. Turns out the micro switches for setting the unit id had gunked up too. Cleaned them up and they worked great again.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
 
The ceiling fan in the office of the hangar we just bought (in January) sounds like a '28 Ford crossed with a coffee can full of nuts and bolts being shaken. I'm guessing the bearings are shot. It has a pull chain.

I am going to replace it with a ceiling fan with a remote control. Thanks for the warning on Hampton Bat fans (whoever the heck they are) -- I will stick to Hunter brand, a brand I've used my entire life without a single failure. The things are built like locomotives.
 
Take it apart. The push buttons are a rubber-like substance, right? Where they contact the circuit board is the switch, it's round with a cross-hatch sorta squiggley look and integrated into the circuit board. The rubber leaves a residue on the switch that interferes with its conductivity.

Use a pencil with a clean eraser and rub it on the circuit board switches. Reassemble the remote. Enjoy.
 
Last edited:
SixPapaCharlie said:
ERRRRRGG!!!!!!

Just give me the pull string that makes the speed increase 3 times then stop and start over.

I have 3 ceiling fans with remotes which I have ended up mounting to the wall near the switch which is no more attractive than a string hanging down from the fan.

All three are now not working even w/ new batteries.

Why do the remote wireless ones not ALSO have the option for a pull string in the event that I don't want to use the remote?

I just want to reach up and increase the speed of the fan over my head right now but I can't. I can't make it go faster and the remote appears to no longer be communicating w/ the fan. 3rd time that has happened on 3 different fans.

Misplaced Technology. The wireless remote gives you NO advantage over the pull string and actually adds a point of failure.

Its warm in here.
Click to expand...

Because this way they sell more of them. A best profit business mandate does not serve the consumer's best interest.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
3 to 4 times a week, the display says "key missing" I'm like holding it in my hand.

...

I also find that removing the key from the ignition is a great reminder to take the keys with me. Now they just sit in the console because they are not required to be removed to shutdown the car.

As a result, if anyone wants, my car, it is in my driveway with the key in the cup holder.
Click to expand...

Try a new battery. If you already did, try another pack. Sometimes coin batteries are DOA or packs has gone bad...happened to me, twice...few years apart.

Keep key in your pocket/man bag/styling hip bag...Cup holders are for coins and random crap. :)
 
Henning said:
Because this way they sell more of them. A best profit business mandate does not serve the consumer's best interest.
Click to expand...

Until Hunter comes along (as they already have) and makes a fan with a remote that never, ever, breaks. And Hampton brand dies, or makes their product better.

Nothing works better for consumers than the free market. At least, nothing that's been invented yet.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Until Hunter comes along (as they already have) and makes a fan with a remote that never, ever, breaks. And Hampton brand dies, or makes their product better.

Nothing works better for consumers than the free market. At least, nothing that's been invented yet.
Click to expand...

The problem is that the market is not a free one, if you want to use a competing financial market, it makes you a criminal.

Second off, free market is not the issue, it's a free market intended to concentrate all the product of the nation and trade IOUs for it that is the issue.

What our system does is that I order to maximize profits, we make junk instead of durable goods in technologically stable markets. This ends up with mature product markets getting U undated with technology that it does not have any need for in order to drive sales to replace still perfectly good units in order to gain a feature that is of minisicule value at best.

Ceiling fans don't need a cheap crap remote.
 
I personally don't want a remote on any of my ceiling fans and I hate the pull chains. I have all mine controlled from wall switches for both light and fan speed. I really think this is the way to go. Totally reliable and more elegant than a dangling string. The only thing is on one of my fans, if I want to reverse direction, I have to get a step ladder and flip a switch, but I really never do that.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
ERRRRRGG!!!!!!
Why do the remote wireless ones not ALSO have the option for a pull string in the event that I don't want to use the remote?
Click to expand...


Because a lot of them are 25 feet in the air in vaulted ceiling applications (like mine).

Those in normal height ceiling applications don't want the aesthetics of hanging strings.

Switch them out for non-wireless versions with wall speed controls.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
planned obsolescence
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
ERRRRRGG!!!!!!

Just give me the pull string that makes the speed increase 3 times then stop and start over.

I have 3 ceiling fans with remotes which I have ended up mounting to the wall near the switch which is no more attractive than a string hanging down from the fan.

All three are now not working even w/ new batteries.

Why do the remote wireless ones not ALSO have the option for a pull string in the event that I don't want to use the remote?

I just want to reach up and increase the speed of the fan over my head right now but I can't. I can't make it go faster and the remote appears to no longer be communicating w/ the fan. 3rd time that has happened on 3 different fans.

Misplaced Technology. The wireless remote gives you NO advantage over the pull string and actually adds a point of failure.

Its warm in here.
Click to expand...

Yes, because you and ladders are such a good match.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Mine must be entry level or something.
I have 2 wireless remote Hampton Bat fans from (I think) lowes.
All 3 remotes are now no longer working. They are all about 2-3 years old and all 3 are different models
Click to expand...

I had 3 new Hampton Bay fans in my house when I moved in. All 3 remotes have failed and 2 fans have been replaced already. I replaced them with Hunter fans. I had an issue with 1 of the Hunter's. If I have to replace any more, I will look at Casablanca fans.
 
Arrow115 said:
I had 3 new Hampton Bay fans in my house when I moved in. All 3 remotes have failed and 2 fans have been replaced already. I replaced them with Hunter fans. I had an issue with 1 of the Hunter's. If I have to replace any more, I will look at Casablanca fans.
Click to expand...
I like "Bigassfans". I"d love one in the hangar.

But I hate the remotes too.
I have never had the batteries fail in a string.
I have never misplaced my string.
I have never pulled the string on one fan and had the light on another fan come on.
I have never had company ask:
- which string to pull,
- or where the string is
- or "how do you turn the fan on"
If a string breaks, it is easy and cheap to diagnose and fix.
 
Last edited:
SixPapaCharlie said:
I also find that removing the key from the ignition is a great reminder to take the keys with me. Now they just sit in the console because they are not required to be removed to shutdown the car.

As a result, if anyone wants, my car, it is in my driveway with the key in the cup holder.
Click to expand...

I'll be right over.

I stopped at the pumps and filled my car with gas. I had to go into the office because the pay at the pump was down. Returning to the car, it was locked up tight, and the wireless key was exactly where you put yours... in the cup holder. No way to get the car open. I ended up calling the insurance co and they sent the guy over to open it. 90 minutes lost.

And yes, I don't leave the key thngie in the car any more! Once is enough.

-Skip
 
Just hire a couple of Middle Eastern women and have them wave giant woven fans in your direction.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
ERRRRRGG!!!!!!

Just give me the pull string that makes the speed increase 3 times then stop and start over.
Click to expand...

When we were building the new haus, the GC tried to upsell me on remote control fans. I told him "No thanks, I can yank my own chain"
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I also find that removing the key from the ignition is a great reminder to take the keys with me. Now they just sit in the console because they are not required to be removed to shutdown the car.

As a result, if anyone wants, my car, it is in my driveway with the key in the cup holder.
Click to expand...

FiL had one of the Fords with the keypad on the driver door, he left the key in the ignition switch the whole time he owned it. Nobody touched it, but it WAS a Windstar.
 
I am going to look into hunter and also wall switches.
My kids rooms have stupid, high ceilings and the chains are so long, they twist around each other.

I am going to do a ceiling fan overhaul at the house.
Researching wall mounted speed control switches.
 
Don't get too excited about Hunter....I have two outta 8 that don't work right either.
 
Any recommendations about fans w/ wall speed control switches?
I am not familiar but I think I would prefer that option
 
Jay Honeck said:
I like the remotes on ceiling fans, and have never had one fail.

But you're right -- an either/or solution with remote and pull-chain would be more better. Of course, it would increase the cost.
Click to expand...

Same here. The two I have never have problems (Hunter brand). I had the battery die in one of the remotes, so that impacted turning the light on/using the fan for a day. :dunno:
 
Fortunately, the remote control devices are separate from the fans - just add-ins - so you can buy new ones cheap and put them in easily enough.

Try the button fixes noted above, first, along with resetting the DIP switches in the fan-side unit.
 
SCCutler said:
Fortunately, the remote control devices are separate from the fans - just add-ins - so you can buy new ones cheap and put them in easily enough.

Try the button fixes noted above, first, along with resetting the DIP switches in the fan-side unit.
Click to expand...

I think 6PC is more interesting in griping than fixing the problem. :D

I kept a remote working for years by cleaning the switch faces as I mentioned above. I finally broke down and bought a new one from Amazon for $60.

Yeah, I know. But I didn't want to change the fan. It is a contemporary design and the only replacements available are > $100.
 
Henning said:
Because this way they sell more of them. A best profit business mandate does not serve the consumer's best interest.
Click to expand...

A silly statement. If a for-profit business intends to stay that way, good customer service practices are required.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Any recommendations about fans w/ wall speed control switches?
I am not familiar but I think I would prefer that option
Click to expand...

That's all I have.

If the fan has a light kit, you'll need an extra wire. One for the fan, one for the light. If you are lucky, you are already set with a 3-wire, if you only have a 2-wire, you'll need to get creative. And you'll need two switches - one for the fan, one for the light. If you only have a single box, common when someone replaces a light fixture with a fan, then you'll need to either cut into the wall to add a second switch, or replace the single switch with a dual.

Here are some sample switches for fans:

http://www.lutron.com/en-US/Products/Pages/StandAloneControls/FanControls/FanControls.aspx

Here's what a dual switch looks like:

http://www.zoro.com/i/G2390333/?utm..._bIBL7ND3X2g_q-tMol2LTcq0blL2pFIisBoCBPfw_wcB

https://www.google.com/shopping/pro...wQ&ei=LcQJVcShMYK-ggSgtYKoBg&ved=0CKYBEKkrMAE

Most of the time the remotes are added to ceiling fans as a way work around not having a 3-wire setup. Depending on the age of your house, the original electrician might have used 3-wire and you'll be set. It seems like it's much more common to see 3-wire being used for overhead light fixtures. Open up the switch box and look inside. If you see a cable with a bare/red/white/black set of wires coming out of it then you have 3-wire, but if you only see bare/white/black you don't. If the red conductor is there, it's probably going to be tucked back, unused. The black/white/bare will be connected to the wall switch and box.


edit: The dual switch has a dimmer for the light, and an off/low/med/hi for the fan. Leave the pull chains in the on (lights) and high (fan) position, and control from the wall.
 
Last edited:
And Hunter, as a brand, is not what it once was.

Generally cheap fans are cheap fans. Upper end Hampton Bay fans are pretty good and I've had good success with them. Upper end Hunter's are good as well.

None of them will last like the Hunter Old Tyme fans from the 70's and 80's. They were built with the same mechanicals as the ones from the 1920's many of which were still working in the 1970's. They do require wood to hang them in (they are HEAVY. They have a lot of metal in them.), and they require being filled with oil. (And you do need to check it every couple of years and top it off.) They are not variable speed (just two speeds). But keep those suckers oiled and you'll still have them in 50 years. Or your grand kids will.

John
 
Not a big tangent here if I mention 1980's remote controlled (via a single wire)?
It came with our house. The controller is in the wall, mounted next to the light switch. It allows for changing speeds, direction and also built-in light intensity.
Since this remote controller uses predetermined deformation of the AC sine-wave to send control commands to the ceiling fan/light assembly, the side effect is that most storms cause our ceiling fan to go nuts. Especially in the middle of the night when the light comes on and the fan reverses direction at full speed. :lol:
Whichever retarded monkey (calling themselves an "engineer") came up with this pi**-poor system that is open to random electrical interference should be hanged. From my ceiling fan. During a storm. :mad2:
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Thanks

That is what I want. Didn't know such a thing existed.
Click to expand...

I've installed a half dozen, at least, over the years.

Lutron is a very good brand of switch. You'll see Hunter or other brands at HD and Lowe's but stay away from them. Lutron will cost a dollar or two more, but will last longer. When I used Hunter switches, the little sliders on the side-by-side type would break off but the Lutrons have lasted for nearly 15 yrs.

If you like the fans well enough, you can probably remove the remotes and wire them up directly, as long as your wiring supports it, to one of these switches and you'll be in business in a few minutes. At the fan side, there will be color codes like black/yellow/blue. I can't remember exactly how they wire up - something like black to black, yellow to white, and blue to red. I think blue controls the lights, and yellow the fan - you'll need to find the schematic for the fan model and light kit. The wiring diagram that comes with the switch might also have that info.

edit: and double check the Lutron switch documentation before you buy. Some are ONLY for use with multiple switches controlling the same fan/light. Those are typically the style that have the LEDs along the side. I put a set of those on our foyer lights - one set at the bottom of the stairs, one at the top of the stairs, and another at the end of the upstairs hallway. All three control the same light fixture - somehow one acts as a master to the other two. If you see a nice switch you really think looks cool, make sure it can be used stand-alone.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top