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Installing switch for ceiling fan.
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jedweb



Joined: 16 Dec 2005
Posts: 4
Location: Canada

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 4:01 pm    Post subject: Installing switch for ceiling fan.  

I purchased an X10 Pro switch suitable for use with a ceiling fan. However, when going to install it I find that there are more wires than I know what to do with! I have installed regular X10 switches for my lights but this one is different.

There are 4 wires coming out of the switch and only two wires being used by the current switch for the ceiling fan. The instructions that came with the new switch are not helpful. Can anyone help me out with this?

TIA!

j
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Ralph



Joined: 16 Dec 2005
Posts: 165
Location: Smithtown, NY

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 4:10 pm    Post subject:  

It would appear that the first problem is a missing neutral which is required for the XPDI3, you would need to see a neutral wire going to the load, a neutral wire returning from the load and one hot wire. The fourth wire is a traveler wire for 3 way switches. You can simply cap that wire with a wire nut if you are just using a single switch for this cicruit. If not the traveler wire would connect to the wire running in from the slave switch.
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jedweb



Joined: 16 Dec 2005
Posts: 4
Location: Canada

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 4:18 pm    Post subject:  

Thanks Ralph.

It's not party of a 3 way switch so I guess I can cap that one off. The neutral can just be wired to the box right?

How do I know which wire is which? The colors don't seem to match what I'm familiar with.

I don't have the switch in front of me right now or I could explain this better.

j
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Ralph



Joined: 16 Dec 2005
Posts: 165
Location: Smithtown, NY

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 4:21 pm    Post subject:  

You can't just wire it to the box, the switch requires a neutral from the load, and a neutral to the load. It will not work without it.


Here's a link to a diagram of the switch and how it is wired to the load.

XPDI3 Wiring Diagram
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wirenut



Joined: 18 Dec 2005
Posts: 4

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 2:38 pm    Post subject: x10 fasn installation  

In your situation to hook up the fan to the x10 controller.You have two wires connected to the existing switch.Hopfully there are white wires in the switch box that are tied togeater with a wire nut or some type of wire connector.That white wire is the neutral wire that you need to make the x 10 work.If you have the neural then you must determine which wires on the switch are what.One is a wire going to the the fan and one is hot lead.Too determine which is which.The simplest way to do this would be use a non contact voltage tester.With the switch in the off possition cheak and see which wire is hot. Mark the hot wire.Turn off the power to the switch.Hook black wire on x10 to hot wire ,hook blue wire from x10 to wire going to fan and hook white wire on x10 to the neutral white wires in the switch box,and cap off red wire.
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jedweb



Joined: 16 Dec 2005
Posts: 4
Location: Canada

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 10:36 pm    Post subject:  

Thanks wirenut! That sounds like just what I needed. Your advice is much appreciated. I'll try it out.

j
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angel.reign07



Joined: 05 Mar 2009
Posts: 1

Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 2:19 am    Post subject:  

i have here some information about installing switch of an ceiling fan, hope you will like this...

Replacing an old or faulty switch

1. Remove the switch cover. If you see two sets of wires, it means that the power was pulled from the panel directly to the switch. If this is the case, you need to determine which of the wires connected to the two terminal screws in the switch is coming from the panel. With the circuit breaker on, use the voltage tester to find out which wire is hot. Do this by holding the tester against each of the wires connected to the terminal screws. The tester will beep or light up against a live wire.

2. Turn the breaker off.

3. Disconnect all the wires from the switch and discard the old switch.

4. Connect the black wire from the panel to one of the terminal screws on the switch. You do this by stripping about an inch off the end of the wire and coiling the exposed wire around the screw.

5. Connect the other black (coming from the fan) to the other terminal screw in the same way and connect the two white (neutral) wires together using a wire connector.

6. Connect the ground wires to the box and the green screw on the switch.

7. Replace the switch cover, turn on the breaker and turn on the fan.

8. If, when you remove the cover of the old switch you only see one set of wires, it means that the power was sent from the panel to the fan first and then down to the switch. If this is the case, you should wire the new switch in exactly the same way as the old one.

9. Connect the single black wire to the terminal screw and the white wire to the other terminal screw. Connect the ground to the box and the green screw, replace the switch cover and turn the breaker and fan back on.




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