| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| woodreau |
Posted - 07/17/2012 : 10:17:52 AM
Hi,
Just getting into Insteon and Home automation, so thank you for reading and answering. I am moving into a new (older) home that has no home automation at all - but all the lighting is controlled by multi-way lighting. I had X10 control for a few lights at my older house, and I have 5 X-10 relay light switches, but after investigating and researching, I think I am going to not bring over any of the X10 stuff from the old house and just start anew.
I was going to start small and work my way replacing the switches in the house over time.
The first circuit I anticipate replacing is a 3-way on/off switches that control a ceiling fan and a florescent work light. And since I have no other Insteon devices, my rationale is to start out using dual-band switches for the replacement switches
So here are my questions:
- From what I understand from my research I cannot use any of the Switchlinc dimmer switches because of the florescent light. I need to use the Switchlinc Relay or a 6-or 8-button Keypadlinc Relay. Correct?
- If I put a Fanlinc in to control the ceiling fan, what relationship does the fanlinc have with the switchlinc that controls power to the ceiling fan? Does turning off the switchlinc kill power to the fanlinc? I'd like to control the ceiling fan and ceiling fan light separately using the keypad-linc. Since it is tied-in threeway with the florescent light, how does that affect the florescent?
Thank you in advance.
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| 7 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| stusviews |
Posted - 07/18/2012 : 12:31:59 PM
A FanLinc in the ceiling box, an OutletLinc for the shop light, and a KeypadLinc in each 3-way wall switch location will give you individual control of the shop light, fan, and fan light. In addition, you'll be able to adjust the brightness of the ceiling fan light as well as the speed of the fan, all from each KeypadLinc. |
| woodreau |
Posted - 07/18/2012 : 11:58:51 AM
Thanks again,
I have homework :)
Actually, I actually looked at the florescent work light (it provides lighting to the garage) and it is plugged into an outlet. So what I really have is a 3-way switched outlet / ceiling fan combo. The ceiling fan is wired and not plugged in, but I'll have to get into the wiring innards as part of my homework.
So it looks like I can try to find some other light to stick into the switched outlet to provide lighting in the garage. |
| stusviews |
Posted - 07/17/2012 : 1:11:18 PM
If you want separate ceiling fan and ceiling fan light control, you'll need to remove the fan and describe the wires in the ceiling, that is, how they are bundled (e.g., a black and white, a black, red, and white).
No matter what, you can accomplish the task using Insteon devices. If you can or are willing to change the light(s) from fluorescent to incandescent or dimmable LEDs, the job will be easier and less costly. Either way, it can be done.
The immediate task to to identify the wires in each switch box and the ceiling box. Do not assume that any two fans are wired the same.
And get a voltmeter if you don't already have one. Any inexpensive meter will do, but not a voltage indicator. |
| jdale |
Posted - 07/17/2012 : 12:18:15 PM
Ok, I understand better now.
Currently, both the fan and the fluorescent light are wired to the load wire from a switch. There may be a single cable from the switch that splits above the ceiling, or there may be two cables, one for each.
When you replace the switch with an Insteon KeypadLinc/SwitchLinc, you will *not* wire the FanLinc to the load wire of the switch. You'll bypass the Insteon switch so that power is going to the FanLinc all the time.
If there are two cables from the switch to the fixtures, one for the ceiling fan/light, that's easy. The FanLinc gets power all the time, but you can wire the second cable from the load wire of the KeypadLinc to the fluorescent work light.
If there's only one, you'll need one more component. Since the cable go up to the fixtures needs to have power all the time, the KeypadLinc can't control the fluorescent fixture directly. You'll need an InlineLinc Relay for it. |
| woodreau |
Posted - 07/17/2012 : 11:04:15 AM
Thank you for the quick replies.
The 3-way switches control power to the ceiling fan and the florescent. After I turn on the circuit, (nothing turns on), Then I have to physically go to the thing I want on and physically pull the pull cords to turn what ever I want on on. Pull the pull cord for the ceiling fan light, light comes on, pull to turn off. Pull the pull cord for the fan, fan fast, pull again, fan med, pull again, fan slow, pull again, fan off. Florescent light, pull the pull-cord to turn the light itself on. Pull again, florescent light off. It's quite maddening. and hence it's the first thing I want to fix.
And actually, all the ceiling fans in the house are the same way, turn on power to the ceiling fan, then go to the fan and pull the appropriate pull cord to get light or get the fan motor turning.
I would like to unlink the florescent light from the ceiling fan, but physically they're wired together on this 3-way circuit.
So if I wire in the fanlinc into the 3-way switches, won't turning off the switchlinc relay, turn off power to the fanlinc? That's where I can't get my head unwrapped.
Since this circuit is in the garage, I envision tying it in with a remotelinc to remotely turn on the lights from the car. But it looks like I need to do some physical rewiring.
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| jdale |
Posted - 07/17/2012 : 10:41:55 AM
Yes, you'll want a relay device for the fluorescent work light. Either the SwitchLinc Relay or KeypadLinc Relay.
The FanLinc can be wired to directly control a light and a fan. Normally the idea is this would be a ceiling fan that incorporates lights, although that's not necessarily the case (wiring may be more interesting if not). The light control is dimming, so if the only light in this scenario is the fluorescent work light, I would just cap off that wire and not use it at all. For example, you could wire this up so that the fluorescent work light is connected to the load wire of the KeypadLinc (which means it will be controlled by the main buttons on the KPL), the FanLinc is wired so it always gets power, the ceiling fan is wired to the fan load wire from the FanLinc, and the other buttons on the KeypadLinc are linked to the fan control on the FanLinc.
With regard to three-way switches -- not sure how these are set up currently, but in general what you want is to get line and neutral to every box, and put some kind of Insteon device (switchlinc or keypadlinc) at each location. Then link them all. You may need to repurpose traveler wires to make this work, since switches in a three-way normally don't have a neutral at each location, but the travelers are unnecessary for Insteon. If this already makes sense to you, great. If you need help, you can describe the wires in each box in more detail and someone here will be able to figure it out.
If this is set up properly, the FanLinc always gets power (it is not connected to the load wire of any switchlinc or keypadlinc) and none of the other switches will turn off the fan (unless you deliberately link them to do so, of course). |
| stusviews |
Posted - 07/17/2012 : 10:32:16 AM
Correct as needed:
1. Three devices are to be controlled, a ceiling fan, a ceiling fan light, and a fluorescent light.
2. Both the ceiling fan light and fluorescent light are controlled by the same two 3-way switches.
What controls the ceiling fan? |
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