I have a larger room that has 2 ceiling fans in it and am going to add the Hampton Bay Fan/Light Controller to both of them.
Has anyone here added two different fan/light modules with the dip switches both positioned to match each other, thereby using one remote to control both fans/lights simultaneously and if so is there any reliability issues with both fans operating simultaneously doing this? If there is I'll use two different dip switch settings and use rule machine "only" to control both simultaneously.
I can confirm that does work. Accidentally set the dip switches to my master bedroom and caught a bedroom to be the same. Hit the light or fan and both respond.
Right on, I figured someone must have had this happen already before as much as they are used, wanted to know before install, because I'm assuming you had to take it back down to change them (which I'd like to avoid) as you weren't intending this to happen?
I did the same and didn't realize for a while because one was in the bedroom and the other was in the Den. I rarely use the one in the bedroom. After asking my wife why she kept leaving the Den fan on and then proceeding to check my ST automations for my mistake, I realized that the bedroom remote was controlling both fans. I wasn't a happy camper when I realized what I did and I had to take down the fan to set the jumper.
The question was not relating to using Hubitat for it's control (although yes it will be included), it was asked in reference to using the provided "remote" control (which will probably mainly be used).
If this did not work, (using both dip switches set the same) "reliably" thereby only needing to use one remote. Then I would need to set these differently and use two separate remotes for the install, as changing it later is basicly installing it twice as the fan would have to be pulled down a second time to change this (which I was hoping to avoid)
Have no idea what you're talking about, these hampton bay controllers go in the fan shroud, I already have 2 installed GE Zwave fan controls do not....
Why would anyone put a light switch inside a fan shroud, to me that is illogical, and probably not even up to electrical code as I doubt they're rated for the extra heat produced by the fan motor.
That would not be better than the Hampton Bay Controller, as the GE Fan Controller only controls the fan and not the light also.
Quite simple: because having a dorky remote isn’t enough for those of us who actually want to automate it.
I’m not 100% on whether it would meet code, but it certainly is safe. There’s no substantial heat generated, and the only concern might be if you didn’t tape it well enough and managed to short it out on the box.
I think you are missing the point with the Hampton controllers. They allow 2 types of control. Via RF with the remote control and via zigbee. This controller can be automated with HE or manually controlled with the included remote.
Yeah, the only device I had heard of that would fit in the fan shroud normally and allow an HA system to control was Insteon-based. Didn’t know there was a Zigbee or Z-Wave equivalent available now.
These have been out for a while and are Zigbee based. HD has some fans that come with these too. Another advantage of these is it separately controls light and fan so those that don’t have a 14-3 Romex/ 2 seperate switches to control light and fan can use this to control independently. Using HE and a Lutron Pico mounted in a wall plate makes this an amazing device. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-Bay-Universal-Wink-Enabled-White-Ceiling-Fan-Premier-Remote-Control-99432/206591100
There is another long thread on this fan controller and it’s weak antenna issue and how to resolve.
I have two of the Hampton bay fan controllers, and with each one I use both hubitat automations as well as in-wall remotes that are just like the remote control that comes with the device (ie they use a local RF protocol and not zigbee).
Having the local control at the wall is necessary for my family. I could use Picos instead of the local RF in-wall remote, but in the unlikely event that my HE hub isn’t working, I still have local control of the fans.
I have one fan that could theoretically benefit from this approach. I have two switches at the wall for independent control of the light and fan, but no neutrals in the box. My solution has been to use a lutron caseta dimmer for the light, which works great, and a caseta switch for the fan, which isn’t so great. Both work without neutral wires, but the fan switch can’t change the fan speed, only on/off and I’d have to pull the chain to change speed.
I could consider keeping the light dimmer in the wall box, tying the line/load wires for the fan together and putting a pico in place of the fan switch, then wire a z-wave fan controller up in the shroud.
Convoluted? Yes. But in theory it should work. Unlike my other fans, this one won’t work with the Hampton bay controller. However, I don’t think I actually have room for a switch up inside the ceiling box where the fan is, and I’m also uncertain about electrical code adherence, so for now I make do with the lutron switch.
I just installed 4 of the Hampton Bay Zigbee Fan Controllers a couple of weekends ago. None have any in-wall switches, etc. They are 100% always on power. All control is via the Hampton Bay device. The included remotes are all in drawers, out of sight and soon to be so long out of mind, I don't imagine we'd find them in under 30 min of looking. Each room either had, or now has a wall mounted Pico to control Light and Fan.
The included remotes are too large and look amazingly ugly mounted to the wall. Especially in comparison to a Pico.
