Bypass fan smart dimmer switch

It is a weird title for this post. Why would you use a dimmer with a fan? It wasn't planned.
I had a z-wave leviton decora smart dimmer switch installed that was supposed to control a bedroom chandelier. We then decided to change our minds and instead of a chandelier, we decided to install a fan that is controlled via remote control.
The dimmer switch still acts as an on/off which has been conflicting with the remote.
I would like to bypass the dimmer and make the fan always on.
I would still like to keep the dimmer alive and not take it out but it won't control anything directly. I was instead hoping to setup rules in Rules machine to control some zigbee bulbs in the bedroom for the dimmer/switch presses.

Is it possible to keep the switch without it doing anything physically. Any videos/links on how to accomplish this?

Thanks

No.

It's not a good idea to have a standard dimmer connecting to a motor load. This can cause damage to the fan motor and to the switch. Both of which can potentially lead to a fire in the worst case scenario. Best case you have a dead fan or dead switch. Re-Reading I see you have the in-canopy remote. These are designed to always have full power. Having the dimmer in between is causing power flux to the controller and likely not providing full power which may lead to problems with the controller failing prematurely. All good reasons to rewire.

You can (shut off the breaker) pull the switch and disconnect the load from the switch and wire it always hot by connecting the load and hot line together and run a pig tail for the hot line to the switch to keep power to it for use in rules.

If this doesn't make sense please call an electrician.

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Thanks for the reply. It was installed by an electrician. I guess I need to find a new electrician.
This seems very irresponsible of him to do that.

Most electricians (least the one's I work with) are clueless about "smart" switches and devices and a switch is a switch to them. They just run the wires and connect line/load/neutral and they are done.

This is why I don't let them do final connections on installs unless I've already gone over things very explicitly and clearly with them. With pictures :slight_smile:

[EDIT] Also as you said you changed your mind mid-way of the install. The electrician was likely paid to install a dimmer you provided and that's what they did.

Yes
Take the hot wire going to the switch (line connection on switch) and connect it to the wire running to the light (line connection on switch) with wire nuts along with a third jumper wire going back to the line side of the switch.
Not familiar with that particular switch so I'm not sure if it has pig tail wires on the back of switch or just connections for wires. If it has the pig tails cap off the one for the load side with a wire nut because it will be hot when button is pushed. If it just has wire connections then you should be good. Switch will still get power and the light will have constant power for the remote

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I wanted to included images/link to images but this website allow.
So it is ok to leave the load on the switch not going anywhere i.e. unused?
Neutral and ground stay the same.

It shouldn't be issue. Since it's only powering the switch and it doesn't have a load attached to it the current draw would be next to nothing.
Yes leave the neutral and ground wires the same

You may be able to reconnect the fan and switch to operate or have power independently. Not all switches/dimmers are designed to operate with no load so I would check with the manual and or the manufacturer. There are switches that can be configured to disable the relay and so aren't controlling a load. And there are scene controllers that are meant for situations like this.

Sorry I just realized on my original post it said "the wire running to the light (line side) ." It should have said that would be the load side.

I cannot find anything in the dimmer manual about no load.
What happens if I try and it doesn't support? It just won't work or is that a hazard?

I truly have no idea. It could work without issue. It may just not function.
To me the big problem would be that it is a dimmer and not a switch. Assuming the wiring is such that you can supply power to the fan and to the switch location, I would get something more appropriate for your intended purpose and move the dimmer to somewhere where it would work as a dimmer.

I have an old lamp cord with ends like this:

Screen Shot 2020-03-22 at 10.37.27 AM

I (carefully) connect those ends to the switch/dimmer I'm experimenting on. Nothing on the Load Line. They've always worked BUT I haven't tried every vendor, every model. Most recently I did this on Inovelli Red Dimmer and of course it worked great. I've done this with GE/Jasco, Leviton, and even Lutron years back.

I've tinned the ends and I store it with wirenuts on the ends so they are handy if I need it for a device with pigtails.

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Another option would be to cap the wires at the switch and replace the dimmer with a wireless remote like the Hue dimmer or ERIA dimmer.

I wanted to reply that I did the pig tail and have the fan always powered on. Also used SwitchBinding app to pair the dimmer to few zigbee bulbs. Everything is working wonderfully. Thanks everyone for helping me out. Still a beginner at this smart home and even basic electrical stuff.

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If your switch is a z-wave switch, you should repurpose the zigbee bulbs somewhere else and pick up some z-wave bulbs for this fixture. Then use z-wave association to control them with the switch. The on/off time will be nearly as quick as a wired switch.

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I got those $4 ecosmart zigbee bulbs from Home Depot so wanted to use them. I got 4 of them hooked up as of now. The lag is not noticeable enough to spend extra to get new z-wave bulbs. But thanks for the idea. I wasn't aware of the z-wave association feature.