Hi,

Does anyone know of a Z-Wave ceiling fan controller?  I have these Insteon ones currently but have had TONS of issues out of them https://www.insteon.com/ceiling-fan-controller .

The only thing I can find for Z-Wave are wall switches but I would rather have something in line.  Even separate dimmer light and dimmer fan would be ok if I have to but I can't even find that. 

Any help is appreciated. 

Thank you,

-David

There is the GE Fan Controller and the HomeSeer Fan Controller.  Those are the current Z-Wave offerings.  With Z-Wave these are ONLY for fan speed control and do not control the lights.

https://www.amazon.com/GE-Controls-Required-SmartThings-14287/dp/B06XTKQTTV

https://shop.homeseer.com/products/homeseer-hs-fc200-z-wave-plus-fan-controller

 

Hi Simplextech. Thanks for the reply but is there anything that is NOT a wall switch. Meaning something that can be in the box at the ceiling fan? 

Thank you,

David

5 minutes ago, zxplod said:

Hi Simplextech. Thanks for the reply but is there anything that is NOT a wall switch. Meaning something that can be in the box at the ceiling fan? 

Thank you,

David

In the Z-Wave world not really.  You could possibly get away with a inline dimmer module if you found one that was rated for the motor amperage.  Qubino, Fibaro or Aeotec make some but I have no experience with those for fan control.

No, I would never try using a dimmer made for incandescent loads on a fan motor. My neighbor tried this a few years back. He called me over to help with the smoke from both the dimmer and the motor. You might be able to find a dimmer capable of handling the current but the motor will not like the voltage waveform from the incandescent dimmer.

5 minutes ago, gviliunas said:

No, I would never try using a dimmer made for incandescent loads on a fan motor. My neighbor tried this a few years back. He called me over to help with the smoke from both the dimmer and the motor. You might be able to find a dimmer capable of handling the current but the motor will not like the voltage waveform from the incandescent dimmer.

That's why I put the caveat of finding one rated for that purpose....which I don't know of any....

I know that you mentioned not wanting a wall switch, but for all I point to this planned (fan/light) switch from Inovelli    https://inovelli.com/zwave-switches/#scene-enabled  . Click on Fan Switch.

Edited July 3, 20196 yr by asbril

25 minutes ago, asbril said:

I know that you mentioned not wanting a wall switch, but for all I point to this planned (fan/light) switch from Inovelli    https://inovelli.com/zwave-switches/#scene-enabled  . Click on Fan Switch.

On paper it looks very nice.... however I've seen it before how the marketing and product vastly differ once they are in production.

Wouldn't something like this be what your looking for . Let zwave turn your regular switches into zwave switches ? 

I am looking for the same 

https://aeotec.com/z-wave-outlet-socket/

Or this 

Enerwave ZWN-RSM1-PLUS Z-Wave Relay, Z-Wave Plus Micro Switch, Smart Hidden Switch Wireless Remote Control to Lights and Ceiling Fans, Neutral Wire Required, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G7OD1F8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_6BXiDbGZZDZ69

 

 

To get multiple speeds in the ceiling fans compatible with FanLinc's, you would need something similar to the devices above, but with 2 or 3 AC rated relays that could be used in conjunction with a ceiling fan capacitor.  I can't seem to find anything like that.  The devices above could only switch a single inline capacitance = 1 speed.  I suppose you could use 2 or 3 of the devices in parallel but that = $$$.  (By the way, sometimes when a FanLinc fails, I replace it with a capacitor and configure it for a good speed - that is a low cost option that works well if you have separate light and fan wiring).

Thanks @Ninjaneer!  I will try that. I found one similar to that but it said that it cannot be used on a motor.  One place it says that this one can be used but another place says it can't.  I'll contact them. 

I have worked mostly with Z-Wave until recently using Insteon and the correct control of ceiling fans are the controllers I previously posted.  Anything else is not rated for the purpose nor designed for it.  There are many things that "might" work or "can be made to work" but you do so at your own risk and it's your insurance claim.

I was thinking about getting the Instion fan controllers. What kinds of issues have people had?

@redapplenine  I have two locations with multiple of these.  Both locations have TONS of communication issues with them.  Seem very buggish.  They're great when/if they work though. 

I have 7 of these installed.  I have one that from time to time turns on high for no apparent reason, but it is very infrequently.  All in all they work fairly well, they seem to effect the true speed of the fan, it seems they turn at alower speed then when they were manual.

Can someone tell me if either of these (Homeseer or GE) are compatible with higher end ceiling fans that come with a remote control?

I have been using Insteon FanLincs and they aren't very good.  One failed, and the others don't seem well matched to the fan as far as the 3 speeds go.  On one that failed, I just wired in a ceiling fan capacitor in-line to the wall switch (Insteon On-Off switch) and was able to dial in a good speed, effectively making this a 1 speed fan.  My understanding is that these fans change speeds by changing capacitance values in-line to one side of the AC motor.  Higher capacitance seems to make it go faster.  So my concern is that these z-wave devices might be trying to control speed via voltage or some other means, so I am not 100% sure they would work.  One specific fan model that I am referring to here is the Casablanca Piston ceiling fan.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

Edited July 31, 20196 yr by jtsao

I have had no issues with the FanLincs. Mine have been troublefree. 

On 7/8/2019 at 3:17 AM, Ninjaneer said:

Enerwave ZWN-RSM1-PLUS Z-Wave Relay, Z-Wave Plus Micro Switch, Smart Hidden Switch Wireless Remote Control to Lights and Ceiling Fans, Neutral Wire Required, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G7OD1F8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_6BXiDbGZZDZ69

 

 

I installed two of these this weekend.  The house is a 1930s home with two ceiling fans with a neutral wire.  There is only one wall switch for both the light and fan.  Located the device up in the hub of the fan.  So far, so good.

My FanLinc failed a couple years ago... it only runs at High speed and anything else won't turn the fan at all. I can't be bothered to order a new one because of the price, high failure rates, and hoping that something else could be used, but there doesn't seem to be any other solution. I may order another one after all but I am frustrated with all the Insteon devices I have failing lately.

@brians You said it! Some of this stuff is basically disposable. I would have switched everything to Z Wave by now but I have so much invested in Insteon. Even worse, there’s a few Insteon items that they simply don’t make an alternative to with z wave. Case in point, fanlinc. It’s a shame. I wish I had known before buying Insteon. They’re a stagnate company/technology. 

@zxplod Yes I have had PLM fail recently and discovered that an IOLinc, LampLinc dimmer, and ApplianceLinc, and EZFlora would no longer work. Tried doing manual resets and nope (think all the Insteon devices that use the plug-in design are flawed). I have been with Insteon since beginning and went through the micro switch recall/replacment. Most of my switchlincs are still single band but over the past couple years have replace about 10 of them (very old versions) that failed with dual band versions which I think are much more reliable. At this point I have about 40 Insteon devices and it is easier to just swap out the odd switch that fails rather than spend time introducing Z-Wave versions and redoing system. Couple rooms I have not done I will try some Z-Wave wall switches but anything that is in a scene I like sticking with Insteon.

 

 

Depending on its age. The EZFlora may have been using the base 2413 PLM main board and subject the same issues we have with the 2413 PLM power supplies. Early ones and what looks like present ones. Are on the older 2412 base main board with a real power transformer power supply not a switcher.

10 hours ago, zxplod said:

@brians You said it! Some of this stuff is basically disposable. I would have switched everything to Z Wave by now but I have so much invested in Insteon. Even worse, there’s a few Insteon items that they simply don’t make an alternative to with z wave. Case in point, fanlinc. It’s a shame. I wish I had known before buying Insteon. They’re a stagnate company/technology. 

What's stagnant about them? What are you trying to do with your switches that you can do with zwave but not insteon?

11 hours ago, zxplod said:

@brians You said it! Some of this stuff is basically disposable. I would have switched everything to Z Wave by now but I have so much invested in Insteon. Even worse, there’s a few Insteon items that they simply don’t make an alternative to with z wave. Case in point, fanlinc. It’s a shame. I wish I had known before buying Insteon. They’re a stagnate company/technology. 

Sure, stagnated, but Zwave has a while to go before catching up. At least with Insteon, all devices are compatible with each other. Zwave may get to that point, eventually. At the rate your Insteon devices are failing, you could be all Zwave by now, but you might have to rebuy them all again to get the current standards, and make them compatible with each other.

I wonder how green the grass can get from an acute angle?

Edited October 9, 20196 yr by larryllix

@lilyoyo1 name one new Insteon device or significant Insteon development in the last 3-5 years.  So yes, stagnet. Note, not talking about ISY. Talking about Insteon. 

Edited October 9, 20196 yr by zxplod