ZigBee Fan Switch | Project Zephyr (Blue Series)

If you have smart speed control (Bond/Wifi) you can use the Blue fan in “SmartFan” mode and then use it’s rocker as a scene controller for up/down.

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Most AC fans are designed with 3-speed controllers in mind as that’s all there really has been. The exception is a handful of 4-speed controllers… but those don’t always play nice with fans designed for 3 speeds. I’ve never seen an AC fan with anything other than 3/4 speed control.

Personally, I hate AC fans. DC fans are better in every way (except universal compatibility with controls). I’ve been using modern forms fans, which have excellent smarthome integration, and the blue fan controller is a perfect device to use in smart fan mode, to allow 6-speed control from the switch.

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Does anyone know if the FAN switch would work with a fan of this nature?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-Bay-Lyndhurst-52-in-LED-Brushed-Nickel-Ceiling-Fan-with-Light-Kit-51091/301136113

I use these in the house and it would be nice to replace the old on/off with something smart and also allow for fan speed control. These fans are 3 speeds via a pull chain just not sure if I could set it to high and do 33/66/99% on the unit.

Thanks!

Looks like it should be fine - it’s an AC motor and no onboard smarts. Set the pull chain to high and let the switch control the speeds.

Edited to add: do you already have a separate fan and light switch on the wall? If not, you would not want to run the bulbs through this switch. The fixture has separate connections for light/fan, you need them to be supplied by individual smart switches.

Yes I have a separate light and fan control switch. I am using the ZooZ Zen30s where it is combined into a single gang but since I live in an older home most of them are separated on the main level.

Do we know if these act like relays?

In you mean on/off through a relay, then no. This provides 4 speeds w/off to an AC motor.

I meant in the ZigBee style as a coordinator.

I didn’t have the smoothest experience with the 2-in-1 switches, but now that I have it all figured out, I wanted to do a sanity check before I pre-order some of these.
From installing the 2-in-1 switches, I learned I have a no neutral set-up. I had 4 pull chain ceiling fans with the light and motor wired together. On one of them, I installed a Sonoff Ifan04, so now the light and motor are controlled independently. From what I gather, this should be similar to how the Red Series Fan/Light switch worked. As long as I can handle the switch taps from Home Assistant, can I use these switches here?

That should work. You’ll use the Inovelli to control the fan and a smart relay in the canopy to control the light.

I think you made a typo. :thinking: Its 3 speeds.

In a non-neutral set-up the Blue Fan Switch only supports 2 speeds

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I was going to say 3, but I looked at my driver (ST), and it has 4 speed settings. I haven’t had the opportunity to see if there is a delta among all 4. :person_shrugging:

Maybe off being the 4th setting?

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I am betting 4 speeds is 0%,33%,66%, and 100% to simulate the pull chain options.

Off isn’t a speed. The four driver settings NOT including off (@harjms :rofl:) are Low, Medium, High and Max. Now whether or not the AC fan supports that is another issue. But this is what’s in the driver.

The physical hardware in the Blue Fan switch doesn’t support it, regardless of what the driver is attempting to do or what the AC fan is capable of doing.

Most likely the driver is coded for 25%,50%,75%,100% but the firmware in the switch is going to treat that as low (1-33%), med(34-66%), high(67-100%), and high(67-100%)

I have two fans on the same switch. Will this work for that type of setup?

Presuming nothing crazy in terms of draw, two fans identical fans will run fine on the same switch, in a neutral configuration. I don’t believe the final specs have been published, however.

UPDATED

Thanks. The fans are standard AC fans with the 3 speed pull chain. Neutral wire is present.

It probably helps if both fans have identical motors. I’m not really sure how inductive motor controllers react to two different motors on the same load wire :thinking:

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Update: We should be receiving the MG24 samples the second week in April (7-10th) as the manufacturer is finalizing their internal testing before sending it out to us. I should have a better idea of where we’re at from a timeline perspective once we receive them and test them. I know things are a little backed up due to some last minute updates on the Z-Wave 800 Series firmware and some changes that were required for the Zigbee 2-1.

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