I recently got my White Fan Control switches and have installed two of them. The High Fan speed is too slow and I can’t figure out why. Below is my configuration and what I’ve done:
Ceiling Fan Mode
Precision Mode
Neutral connected
Parameter 3 set to high
Fan chain verified to high
I have this setup through Apple HomeKit, so I can only make local configuration changes, unfortunately.
I’m a former user of HomeAssistant, but I was trying to attempt a “purist” approach to Apple. I suspect I will probably spin up HA again and incorporate it via Homebridge due to the lack of configurability, but until then….
Using HomeAssistant is a good move with the Matter products. HomeAssistant supported quite a few configuration controls directly from its web interface. Also, not sure how long ago you last used Home Assistant, but you don’t need to use Homebridge with it as it has a built-in integration to bridge the devices to HomeKit which works really well.
As for your fan speed issue, AC motor ceiling fans often use a bank of capacitors to adjust the speed (this is explained at a high level under “1. Phase Shifting” here: https://www.quora.com/How-does-a-capacitor-control-a-fan-s-speed) . The capacitors are typically found in one of two places: 1. At the end of a pull-chain is connected to a switch that selects a particular capacitance value (like this: Amazon.com), or 2. In a fan control module module (like this: Amazon.com) ) which serves the same purpose. The Inovelli switches are easiest to use if you are replaceing the second version - i.e., the “module” type control. If you are using the fan switches with a fan having the first type of pull-chain capacitor, you end up doubling up on capacitors which may be the problem. The solution isn’t easy - I think you have to rewire the fan to remove the old capacitor switch, but I’m not sure how to do it. Maybe you can find videos on youtube or somewhere.
Bypassing the cap is simple enough, but I’m surprising that Inovelli would not make mention of this in their manual; pull chain ceiling fans, while older technology, are still rather ubiquitous out in the wild and are still sold new in stores. So the fact that these switches don’t natively support those fans without modification and make no mention of it in the documentation is baffling.
The Inovelli switch does not use a capacitor on the high setting, so there is no “doubling up”. I would double-check to insure the pull chain is set to the high setting.
Just checking . . these are connected to only one fan, correct? You’ll get dimished speeds with two or more.
The switch should be putting out 120VAC on high. If you can, using a meter, test across the load and the neutral with the fan running on high (i.e. under load). Ideally this would be at the fan, but that’s pretty hard to do without getting smacked, so test at the switch.
Thanks for the info. I would have expected the high setting to use both capacitors in parallel for the high setting.
Yes, it’s only controlling 1 fan.
Regardless, I did hook up a meter to it and can confirm that high and medium are outputting 68V at the switch and low is outputting 42V. See attached. (Note that as a new user I can’t upload more than one picture, but I have pictures confirming 120V on the line side and the switch set to high).
So it appears to be a switch setting, I just can figure out what setting. I have 10 switches, have only installed 2, and both are exhibiting this behavior.
@Bry is correct in that the high setting bypasses the capacitors and should output 120v. If you factory reset the switch and it doesn’t output 120V on the high setting I would think there might be something wrong with the switch.
