How long have you been pondering the possibility of bypassing your ceiling fan pull switch?
If you have been having issues with your pull switch, you need not worry anymore. It is logical that you find an alternative means of controlling your ceiling to fix this.
In this article, we will be looking at how you can bypass ceiling fan pull switches and the process involved.
Here’s How To Bypass Your Ceiling Fan Pull Switch:
To bypass the ceiling fan pull switch, install alternative means of controlling your fan. You can get a remote control or install a wall switch. Another way is to use a third-party product to control your fan. Explore these options outside of the pull switch to make the best choice that suits you.
Why Would You Want To Bypass Your Ceiling Fan Pull Switch?
Pull switches are attached to the ceiling fan at the power casing. You can connect a pull cord that hangs down long enough for you to tug to control your ceiling fan through a simple wire connection.
There might be a couple of reasons you might want to bypass the ceiling fan pull switch. It could be:
- The pull cord is too short and cannot be conveniently reached.
- The ceiling fan is hung on a high ceiling, and you don’t want to go through the stress of stretching to access the pull switch.
- You want an alternative means of controlling your ceiling fan
- The pull cord cuts too often, and you are tired of replacing it
- Somehow the line got stuck in the brain box of the fan
- The pull switch refuses to work because it is too old
- You are plain lazy to make use of the pull cord
Whatever your reason for wanting to bypass the pull switch, it is valid. You can get away from the hassle of reaching for a cord every time you want to put on your ceiling fan.
How Do You Bypass The Ceiling Pull Switch?
There are other means of accessing your ceiling fan without using the pull switch. So, you are not without options.
These other means are:
- Wall Switches
- Remote controls
- Mobile phone apps
- Wall Switch
Wall Switch is the traditional means of controlling ceiling fans. It is an easy process that entails just a switch by the wall side with control dials where you can put your fan on, off, or control the fan’s speed.
It works with the room’s light switch and might require a bit of wiring. Are you thinking of doing it yourself? I won’t advise that.
It is best to get a licensed electrician to fix it for you because any wrong connection from your end may have consequences. An improper connection may cause an electrical fire, electric shock, or worse.
However, it is not in your best interest to try out the hazards of fixing the wall switch yourself.
Your electrician might, however, need some equipment such as:
- Ladder
To reach your ceiling fan, he would need a ladder. You can also keep a ladder around the house in case of minor maintenance you might need to do, like changing bulbs or even hanging mistletoe on the ceiling.
- Safety gloves
The electrician is expected to come along with this, but you can keep it around in case anything comes up or he needs your help with something.
- Marker
Markings on spots of connection or hanging a wire might be required. It can be useful handy.
- Black tape
Taping wires is common with anything that requires wiring.
- Cleaning cloth
He might need to dust the fan casing before work and clean his cloth after work.
All these are basic materials you can prepare before the electrician comes on the ground to assist.
Although a professional is expected to have his tools, there’s no harm in preparing basic stuff beforehand in case it is needed urgently.
After fixing the wall switch, you can now access another means of using the ceiling fan without the pull switch.
- Remote Control
Another alternative to bypassing the pull switch is using a remote control for your ceiling fan.
Ceiling fans in recent times come with a remote, but if yours does not have a remote, you can easily purchase a remote control kit from the nearest hardware store to your house.
To use the remote, you will need to install a receiver in the ceiling fan. It works via infrared to control the ceiling fan.
Even though a technician’s help is advisable, you can install the receiver yourself.
The control kit usually contains a manual that has step-by-step instructions in it.
However, this is a general guideline for installing your receiver:
- Put off the ceiling fan. This is a very important step; you cannot work on a running fan. It is dangerous
- Open up the power casing of the ceiling fan to expose the wires.
- Connect the receiver’s wires with the fan according to the color code.
- Return the power casing to cover up the wires and fix it.
- Follow the manual instructions for the specifics of connecting the remote to the receiver
- Put on the fan to test the effectiveness of what you have done
- If it works, you have done a good job
- If it does not work, there must have been a problem somewhere. Traceback the process you followed and checked for errors. If you cannot detect any, reach out to a technician promptly.
Your installed receiver allows you to bypass the pull switch and use a remote instead.
- Mobile Phone App
Using your mobile phone or any smart device is the latest development in the era of controlling ceiling fans. You can convert your ceiling fan to a smart fan.
To use this method, you connect your ceiling fan to a smart control that allows you to use your mobile phone or even a speaker to control your ceiling fan.
The process of installing the smart control is a straightforward one. All you need to do is fix the wires of your smart control to that of your ceiling fan, following the color code of the wires.
Your mobile connects with it via WiFi, and you can set up automatic instructions. These include timing the ceiling fan to turn on at a particular time and off at another time.
Summary
Controlling your ceiling fan is not restricted to only the pull switch.
It is not a one-way process.
You can effectively bypass the pull switch and still be in control of your ceiling fan while even enjoying a more flexible means of control.
There are other ways to control your fan; these include using a wall switch, a remote, or control from your mobile phone.
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