Hi all,
My bathroom has a double switch in it. Two switches, aligned vertically, like this:
switch
switch
The top one controls the light, bottom the fan. Can I install a dimmer switch for the light? Will it fit? The switchplate I use for this outlet is like the one used for normal double outlets.
Also, can I install a dimmer switch on a ceiling fan switch? There’s just one switch that controls both light and CF….
I am new at electricity, but want to install these myself, as well as some light fixtures. Watch for more stupid questions!
Singing Die Zauberflöte in English is like eating at the Olive Garden.
Replies
"The top one controls the light, bottom the fan. Can I install a dimmer switch for the light? Will it fit? The switchplate I use for this outlet is like the one used for normal double outlets."
You could if you could find one, but doubt if there is on.
It might be realsonable to replace the single gang box with a double gang box. What kind of wring is used, romex, BX, conduit? And what is the wall surface, tile, DW, plaster?
"Also, can I install a dimmer switch on a ceiling fan switch? There's just one switch that controls both light and CF."
Not as such, there are remote controls system that can do this. HD and Lowes have them. One piece mounts in the fan and controls the fan and light separately. Then you either replace the switch with a special or one it use a small remote.
Sounds like he is describing a stack switch. Many options if he has three conductors ( sounds like it).
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The original designer-style dimmers.
Dimmers | Fan-speed | Wallplates | Colors | Supplemental Information
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600W
S-600-
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600W
S-600P-
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I seen that they do have a pure double pole dimmer. Although that is not what is needed here. And they are limited in power, which shoudl be find in a bathroom anyway. Good to know, but that is not what is wanted here. But it is good to know.However, I though of the a fan control. That would be perfect.
That was to answer the first part of her question, not the second application. Like IMERC said there are ones from Leviton also. Can do fan speed as well as dimming. If I read the first post correctly she had a switch " with cover like standard double outlet (single duplex/one gang) with one sw controlling light and one fan.
Second part remote looks like the only answer.
Bob
Edited 4/28/2005 9:47 am ET by RASCONC
she'll have to change the cover to the rectangle KO's and they have a switch for the fan that does fan speed and light dimming... again single gang / duplex size in rectangle..
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Most are just a Decora plate. Seems like some I picked up for the church had the plate.
Leviton makes a system like what she's after..... just put one in a week or so ago...
found it at the supply house... she can both of what she wants to do...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
In one bathroom, it's plaster wall with tile. in the other, just plaster. in the bedroom, plaster.how do I know about the wiring? house built 1958. outlets are grounded (I know this was not the case in earlier homes). This isn't the wiring that has cloth or something wrapped around it. Does this help? Thanks guys!
Singing Die Zauberflöte in English is like eating at the Olive Garden.
What I was getting at was if the area right around the switch was tiled or not. To see how hard it would be enlarge the opening and replacing the existing box. But that can be a trickly job.However, as several people pointed out there are special dimmers just for your type of application.You migth not find them home horror stores and will have to go to an electrical supply house.Also I suggest that you get a home wiring book. That will give you all of the basic information needed for projects like this. Things like wire color codes and the different types of wire that is used.I really like the Black and Decker Complete Guide to Home Wiring.
addendum to my original plan...
use the remote for the fan.. due to exsisting wiring constraints.. if you can find one made by Hubble you can have any configuration you'd like... the Hubble is commercial spec... pricey but forever...
the controller switch is avaible for the bath to fit what you have as is and do what you want.. doubt you'll find it at the big boxe stores but it wouldn't hurt to look..
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I douht you will find a dimmer that will fit in a half of an outlet set
because of the circuit and the heat sink. takes up to much room
I have several dimmer of various kind in my house and they all take about a single gangs worth of room.
As for the ceiling fan I was faced with the same sit. in our bedroom. the solution I found was to pull more wires thru the BX(flexible conduit) and split the contols into two units--I then found a Broan two switch unit that will dim the lights and has a small switch on the side that controls the fan speed.. Easier if your house has somesort of conduit--more difficult if you only have romex but not inpossible.
Heres wishing you luck---Mike
Adam Savage---Mythbusters
Yes, they make duplex switches that fit a single gang box where one switch is a dimmer and the other is a plain switch . Ask at an electrical supply or ever a big box store, it;s a common item. As to your clg. fan,,, what bill hartman said is the simplest approach.......BUIC
Edited 4/27/2005 11:38 pm ET by BUIC
Actually, to be completely honest, you sell yourself short. Yours isn't even being close to being one of the dimmer switch questions we've had here. ;)
But, regarding your first question, I've never seen a half-sized dimmer switch, and it's not likely that they exist, since there's a limit to how small you can make the dimmer due to the heat it produces.
However, in many cases (if the studs are positioned suitably, etc) it would be fairly simple for an electrician or skilled home handyman to replace the box containing the switch with a double-wide box, so that two standard switches (or one switch and one dimmer) could be used.
Re "dimming" a fan/light combo (previously controlled by one switch), it MIGHT work, but it's also likely that it would at the very least shorten the life of the fan (and could cause either dimmer or fan to burn out very quickly). And it wouldn't be very satisfactory having both light brightness and fan speed adjust with one knob, since a good setting for one would likely be bad for the other.
To correctly do this you'd have to get a second wire run from switches to fan/light, so that the fan and light could be controlled separately. Unfortunately, in many/most cases this requires chopping holes in walls.