# What did I do wrong?



## Speedy Petey (Sep 30, 2003)

stp57 said:


> The supplier guy that sold me the 1000watt dimmer told me to make sure that my friend doesn't consistently turn on the dimmer with the speed setting in the lower range or the fan motors will not last very long.


The guy that sold you the dimmer was a fool. There should be NO restriction on how it is used. If so, like he stated, then it is the WRONG control to use.

You CANNOT use a "dimmer" on fan motors. Something will burn out prematurely. 

You need a heavy duty fan control like everyone here is saying. I know Lutron makes a 5A control that should work.

DO NOT use a light dimmer.


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## stp57 (Dec 12, 2007)

Thanks Petey,
That's why I post here @ CT, because I have doubts about what HD & Lowe's guys tell me. All they carry is 1.5A fan controls, so I'll find an electrical supplier instead.
Steve



Speedy Petey said:


> The guy that sold you the dimmer was a fool. There should be NO restriction on how it is used. If so, like he stated, then it is the WRONG control to use.
> 
> You CANNOT use a "dimmer" on fan motors. Something will burn out prematurely.
> 
> ...


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## olligator (Nov 23, 2007)

Leo G said:


> What you need to do is wire each fan to its respective slider and then connect all those sliders to a power switch. When you turn on the switch all 3 sliders will receive power and the fans should operate at the correct speeds. Now you can adjust them individually and shut them off or turn them on at the same time.
> 
> The speed control is likely a triac controller. What this does is chop the AC current at a certain point in the cycle. The controllers are designed for a certain load. Now you have three fans on that one controller and hence three times the load. So now the fans are dividing the limited current between them and spinning at a speed proportionally slower. It works on hi because the triac is bypassed and it is receiving current directly from the source.


 
I'm just happy to hear someone use the term 'triac'. Reminds me of my EE days too. :thumbup:


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

> You CANNOT use a "dimmer" on fan motors. Something will burn out prematurely.
> 
> You need a heavy duty fan control like everyone here is saying. I know Lutron makes a 5A control that should work.
> 
> DO NOT use a light dimmer.


You will most-likely kill a few dimmers before you kill the fan...if that makes a difference.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Depend on what kind of a dimmer you have and what kind of a motor you have. If you have a rheostat it will not work. If you have a triac operated dimmer it will work on a universal motor. But usually the fan motors as induction motors. It will work, but if it is not designed for that type of motor you risk over heating the coils and burning it up.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Aren't almost all house hold dimmers triac forward phase (or reverse for ELV) dimmers?

Aren't most house hold fans shaded-pole motors?

Don't ask me how I know the dimmer will more often fail first. :shutup:


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Not sure, a shaded pole motor will work well on a triac based speed control.

Most ceiling fans work with a pancake motor or a stacked pancake motor. Not sure if it is a shaded pole motor, but I think it is a standard style induction motor.


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## stp57 (Dec 12, 2007)

I put in a 5A fan slide controller today (just like Seedy Petey said) & everything works great. The one that came with the fans was only 1.25A. Big difference. Lesson learned.
Thanks for everything guys. 
Steve


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