Using A Dimmer Switch On A Ceiling Fan

Electrical fires are more common than you think with 50 000 homes having one every year.

Using a dimmer switch on a ceiling fan. Dimmer switch ceiling fan compatibility. Replace the wall dimmer switch with an on off switch. Now the fan and lights don t work at all. It is always better to be safe than sorry especially when electricity is involved.

A fan that has no speed control when manufactured has copper windings inside that determine speed and horsepower. That works with lights but will burn out a motor and maybe burn down the house a fan speed controller is a much more complex electronic device that reduces the amperage to the motor without reducing the voltage avoiding this kind of innocent mistake. The fan is new i installed it 3 months ago. Don t try to use a dimmer switch as a fan speed control.

I know intuitively it seems like it would work but its not a good idea. If the switch is overloaded it could heat up and start a fire. A remote controlled ceiling fan bypasses one of the wall switches and allows for remote access to the ceiling fan s workings. Dimmer switches and ceiling fans electrical question.

The switch could damage the motor on the ceiling fan. There was a burning smell in the air. You may need an electrician for this. The wall dimmer switch reduces power flow and interferes with the fan control.

Both are bad outcomes. Never use a standard dimmer switch or unchecked wires to hook your ceiling fan up to a dimmer. It can also cause problems for the ceiling fan if it is directly connected to it. You cannot use a light dimmer to control a fan.

I turned my ceiling fan on it was fine for a few minutes then the lights made loud popping noises and shut off. For a switch to effectively slow down that type of motor it requires a variable frequency drive vfd or a triac with some extra circuitry. There is a remote inside the inner working of the fan which responds to a remote control. The problem with a dimmer switch is that it can be easily overloaded.

You cannot use a dimmer switch on a fan motor but you can find fan speed controllers why. A remote can speed up or slow down the fan turn the fan on and off or turn the lights connected to the ceiling fan on and off. A typical ceiling fan motor is an ac induction motor. The more complicated answer we are engineers after all.