fan remote - light on 3 way - email question received

[dkerr]

From: J Jackson

Hello Mr. Kerr:

I recently installed a ceiling fan and light kit in our
kitchen. I am having a problem with the wiring scheme that controls the unit. The electrical power supplied to what used to be just a kitchen light, is controlled by a "3-way" switch. One switch is located on a wall leading to the kitchen and the other switch is located on a wall in the kitchen. We bought a remote control switch which controls both fan and light, but it doesn't allow use of the other 3-way switch in the hall-way. I was told that in order to use the 3-way switches for just the fan light, a separate "dedicated" wire would have to be installed to power just the fan motor (controlled by a separate switch installed next to the existing (single outlet box) on the kitchen wall.

Question: Is there any way, or are there any special switches available that would allow control of the fan light by either of the 3-way switches, AND control of the fan (from the kitchen wall switch ONLY)? We only wish to control the light with the 3-way switches.

[Wgoodrich]

There should be a pull chain switch on your fan and another on your light that will shut off the fan and leave the light on. However this would not allow for the fan to run and the light to be off unless you operated the pull chain of the light also. This is a method that should be available on your fan.

If you wish to control the fan and light separately using the three way switch as above you could install what is called a smart switch with the relay installed inside the cone of the fan at the ceiling. YOu would have to buy this remote smart switch relay.

Only way to do properly as you wish is to install a 12/2wGrnd from that switch where the fan cable goes to creating a power control for the fan separate from the light as you were told.

Best I got

Wg