IR Remote Kit For Light/Fan (1 Viewer)

[Adam Sanchez]

Hey all,

First of all if I am in the wrong section, I am sorry. I think I got it right for this problem I have though. This has been driving me nuts for awhile now and I'm hoping you guys can come through for me since you always have before.

The simple situation. I have a home theater that is well... my room. Ok it's my bedroom but it's also my theater. I'm staying with my grandparents while I follow my dream for a career and goto school. In my room is a simple ceiling fan with a light. I want to buy an adapter to make it remote controlled and that's where my problem lies.

All I have been able to find is a kit for existing fan/lights that adds a remote but uses RF. My whole point of doing this is so I can remote control my lights and Fan with my new-and-wonderful Harmony 880. The 880 is of course IR, so the RF remoted kit isn't going to cut it.

I have been typing every combo I can think of into a search engine and what I am looking for just does not seem to exist- namely a fan/light remote kit that is INFARED.

Journeying to Home Depot yesterday the closest thing I have found is this, http://www.lutron.com/maestroir/defa...=17000&t=17200
which is a Infared remote plate for the wall control. It looks nice and I'm even considering it if I find I have no other options. My problem with this is it only controls lights. Would it even work with my fan? Even if I can't control the fan with the remote, I will live. I have a tower fan in the corner of my room I use most of the time anyway and it's remote so the main problem is just my lights.

So is there a IR kit out there that would adapt to control my fan AND light?

If not, a few things about the Lutron. When I am sitting watching TV if I get that plate, it will be obstructed by my TV center. How good and forgiving (so to speak) is the reciever on the thing for anyone that has it? If I was to sit and reach out my left arm and use the remote, it would have a good LoS to the plate... I'm just hoping I wouldn't have to be so precise.... especially since the darn thing is $40.

Anyway that's my sitation. Hoping you guys can tell me my options.

 

[Parker Clack]

I have several fan/light remote kids from Hampton Bay that I got when I got my ceiling fans. I have a two wire house and that i the only way I could have the fan and the lights controlled at the same time. They are RF but I haven't checked to see their range. Hunter also makes some models.
The RF receiver goes up in the box with the rest of the wiring for the fan.

They have them both at Lowes and The Home Depot in with their ceiling fan selections.

Parker

 

[Adam Sanchez]

My whole thing is I'm looking a kit thats IR controlled. The RF one isn't what I'm looking for. I want to be able to intergrate the remote lighting into my Harmony remote. I didnt just spend $200 on a remote to have more than one again!

 

[Adam Sanchez]

Well shoot. Was hoping to get more input by now.

At the very least, I'm trying to find out if that Lutron wall Mounted IR Remote would work with my setup.

As I said I have a ceiling fan, with the usual 2 chains for the fan/speed and light on/off. The wall switch is simply a simple on and off switch. I know NOTHING about electrical wiring. Is getting the IR remote dimmer even an option for me? Since I just have a standard switch if I were to install a dimmer and use it... if my fan was on, wouldn't that "Dim" the power to the fan as well? Am I making any sense?

 

[Adam Sanchez]

I've heard a little about something called the X10. Would that work in my situation?

 

[Ben Ch]

Adam, what controls your fan/light combo now? (two switches on the wall, or one switch to power up the light/fan and pull chains on the device to operate each individualy?).

if not the latter, then an IR543 (X10 device) and a pair of X10 capable dimmers, one good for a motor load and one conventional X10 type will allow IR control of the light and fan - in real time. Depending on the dimmer you use, you can also get scene lighting through the IR543.

PM me if you wish to discuss this further/need more details.

(I think I've enabled PM's...)

 

[Adam Sanchez]

PM'ed you, Ben.

 

[Adam Sanchez]

Ben... I thnk I'm gonna need you to PM me again... or you can email me, probably alot safer!

[email protected].

 

[Parker Clack]

Adam:

The private messages are very secure.

It sounds to me like you have one switch on the wall and then you turn off the light and the fan with separate switches. In that case you cannot put a dimmer on the wall switch to control the fan and the lights without burning up the motor in the fan.

I really don't know of any RF controlled fan switches but I would give the guys at RAM Electronics an email and I am sure they could give you an idea of were to go if they don't have anything themselves.

Parker

 

[Ben Ch]

Parker, I don't think Adam was referring to the "security" of PM's, but rather the stability - at least lately...

the recent server upgrades (and not) wreaked havoc on a couple of PM's we were trying to send/receive.

Problems are solved now though.

 

[Al_E]

Adam
I found this device smarthome.com/2035.html, it says it will work to dim the lights.
However if the switch that is currently in the wall is used to supply all power to the fan/light combination then it will probably not work. The dimmer will also cause the fan to slow down and probably burn out the motor on the fan.

I think it will take additional wiring to operate the fan and then be able to dim the lights.

I did find this link tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/ENRC.html
Unfortunately it is in the UK but does look like they make something that fits between the base of the fan and the rest of the assembly.

Al