Going to replace the exhaust fan in my bathroom. I would like to get one with a light and control that light seperately. Of course there is no traveler wire currently, and the switch is on an outside wall and probably attached to the beams. So I dont want to go through all that to drop a new wire.
I suppose I could just splice the neutral and put a SonOff inside the fan casing. Would that violate code? (it would certainly be a pain if I never needed to take it out to flash or update Wifi password or whatever)
I've seen there's some fans with "RGB LED and mobile app" but they are STUPID expensive and probably wouldn't integrate properly with HE anyway.
Suggestions?
I'm not sure my image of what you're doing is accurate but I think you're saying: convert the wall switch to fan wire into just power. One hot, one neutral. Then to put a dual smart device up in the canopy.. like the Hampton Bay Fan Controller, which comes with a RF Remote. (My mind went to the Hampton Bay because I have them, but not "SonOFF".)
If that's anything like what you're suggestion, the answer is yes, You can do that. As to code.. well.. code certainly allows wires to pass through a box. 
But then it depends on what part of the planet you're on, since some places don't allow anyone but Electricians to do that work.
The Hampton Bay Fan Controller explicitly is for fan motors, which are inductive motors and therefore provide (free of charge,) a nasty inductive kick which can fry controllers not intended for motors. Again, I don't have any SonOff to know if they support inductive loads or not.
Yea pretty much that. Actually I was first thinking of the SonOff....but now I think the Zooz MultiRelay would be PERFECT, except that it is HUGE and probably wouldnt fit anywhere
This wiring scenario is the exact use case that Inovelli's about-to-ship Project Hurricane was intended for. Whether or not you can fit the ceiling fan canopy module into an exhaust fan housing is the only question.....
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Yea, unfortunate that no one sees the market for a module sized solution for Fans. (as in Qubino or Aeon Nano sized...)
I once upon a time, thought of getting a duplex box and buy one GE/Jasco Fan controller and one GE/Jasco dimmer. In my head I'd heave that duplex box up into the space in the ceiling and wire it in. I prefer ZWave you see.. and the Hampton Bay is Zigbee and I was about to give up and build 3-4 of my duplex boxes and then decided to simply embrace Zigbee and the ugly wall warts as repeaters.
Oh cool! When I had seen that Inovelli device i just dismissed it as "2 switches in a one-gang package, no big deal". Didnt realize it had a remote module.
Unfortunately it does look like a standard fan controller-sized module. So I double I could fit it actually IN the electrical box. I'm sure i could "rig it" though lol
But I do wonder ...is there a difference in how it controls a ceiling fan motor compared to an exhaust fan? I know pretty much any switch will work with an exhaust fan, but you need special ones for ceiling fans.
Assuming that you don't have access from above to install a junction box to stash a controller in, how bad would a "box" to drop the ceiling a few inches (like a header box above kitchen cabinets) around the light/fan fixture look?????
Get a Panasonic vent fan. They are so damn quiet I ended up replacing all 5 vent fans to Panasonic.
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Absolutely agreed! I have 3 of them, and when I get around to it, the 4th will be a Panasonic as well!
S.
arent they really expensive?
I'd be tempted to get one anyway but my wife actually LIKES the white-noise of the fan in the bathroom.
Yeah, a bit expensive. But quiet. They do still make some white noise, they just don't sound like a classic Broan!
S.
