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Electrical Wire and Cable


How to Install Ceiling Fans and Remote Control Wiring


How do I wire a universal remote control for my ceiling fan? Installing a Ceiling Fan and Remote Control Module, Wiring diagrams and installation guide for Light and fan switch variations.



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Hunter Ceiling Fan and Remote Control Module
Ceiling Fan Question: How do I wire a universal remote control for my ceiling fan?

The Hunter Fan Model Number is 21871 and the Universal Remote unit is for Hunter Fans. I purchased them both at home depot.

This electrical question came from: Mary, a Homeowner from Sherwood AR.
Additional Comments: I found your information to be very informative.

Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electrical question Mary.

Wiring a Ceiling Fan and Remote Control Module

Application: Wiring a Ceiling Fan Remote Control.
Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate – Best if wired by a Licensed Electrical Contractor.
Tools Required: Basic Electricians Pouch Hand Tools and Voltage Tester.
Estimated Time: Depends on personal level experience and ability to work with tools.
Precaution: Identify the light circuit, turn it OFF and Tag it with a Note before working with the wiring.
Materials: Make sure the remote control unit is fully compatible with the ceiling fan you have and the size of the lamps that will be installed in the fixture.

Wiring the Hunter Ceiling Fan Model Number 21871

The wiring designations for this Hunter Ceiling fan are as follows:

The wiring designations for the Universal Remote are as follows:

More about Wiring Ceiling Fans and Remote Controls

Wiring Ceiling Fans
ceiling-fan-installation

How to Install Ceiling Fans

Take the mystery out of ceiling fan wiring. Ceiling Fans are a great way to lower your energy bill and brighten up one of your favorite rooms.

Ceiling Fan Wiring

More about All About Ceiling Fan Remote Controls


The following may also be helpful for you:

Dave's Guide to Home Electrical Wiring:

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Wire It Right with the help of my Illustrated Wiring Book
Great for any Home Wiring Project.
  electrical wiring  

Complete Guide to Home Electrical Wiring

Perfect for Homeowners, Students,
Handyman, Handy Women, and Electricians
Includes:
Wiring GFCI Outlets
Wiring Home Electric Circuits
120 Volt and 240 Volt Outlet Circuits
Wiring Light Switches
Wiring 3-Wire and 4-Wire Electric Range
Wiring 3-Wire and 4-Wire Dryer Cord and Dryer Outlet
Troubleshoot and Repair Electrical Wiring
Wiring Methods for Upgrading Electrical Wiring
NEC Codes for Home Electrical Wiring
....and much more.


Learn more about Home Electrical Wiring
with my Online Video Course:
Basic Home Electrical Wiring by Example


Be Careful and Be Safe - Never Work on Energized Circuits!
Consult your Local Building Department about Permits and Inspections for all Electric Wiring Projects.

Electrical Tips to Help You Wire it Right

The Safest Way to Test Electrical Devices and Identify Electric Wires!

The Non-Contact Electrical Tester
This is a testing tool that I have had in my personal electrical tool pouch for years, and is the first test tool I grab to help identify electrical wiring. It is a Non-contact tester that I use to easily Detect Voltage in Cables, Cords, Circuit Breakers, Lighting Fixtures, Switches, Outlets and Wires. Simply insert the end of the tester into an outlet, lamp socket, or hold the end of the tester against the wire you wish to test. Very handy and easy to use.

The Quickest Way to Check for Faulty Electrical Wiring!

The Plug-In Outlet Tester
This is the first tool I grab to troubleshoot a problem with outlet circuit wiring. This popular tester is also used by most inspectors to test for power and check the polarity of circuit wiring.
It detects probable improper wiring conditions in standard 110-125 VAC outlets Provides 6 probable wiring conditions that are quick and easy to read for ultimate efficiency Lights indicate if wiring is correct and indicator light chart is included Tests standard 3-wire outlets UL Listed Light indicates if wiring is incorrect Very handy and easy to use.

Strip Off Wire Insulation without Nicking and Damaging the Electric Wire!

The Wire Stripper and Wire Cutter
My absolute favorite wire stripping tool that I have had in my personal electrical tool pouch for years, and this is the tool I use to safely strip electrical wires.
This handy tool has multiple uses:
The wire gauges are shown on the side of the tool so you know which slot to use for stripping insulation.
The end of the tool can be used to grip and bend wire which is handy for attaching wire onto the screw terminals of switches and outlets..

The wire stripper will work on both solid and stranded wire. This tool is Very Handy and Easy to Use.


More articles about Ceiling Fans, Remote Control and Home Electrical Wiring:
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FAQs Frequently Asked Questions and Comments

8 Responses to “How to Install Ceiling Fans and Remote Control Wiring”
  1. Russ says:

    I just completed a repair like this. I bought the Hunter “Universal” remote and pulled the old, non-functioning remote out. I had to cut the connector off the old remote receiver and was left with the 6 wires you’ve mentioned. Black and white wires are the light control – I connected white to white (common) and black to the red “Light” wire from the receiver. The pink, red, yellow and gray control the fan. I connected red and pink to the black “Fan” wire from the remote receiver, and connected the yellow and grey to the white (common) wire. This gave me all 3 speeds and full dimmer control over the light, once I followed the instructions for activating the remote (I believe it was to hold down the fan speed 1 and 3 buttons for 30 seconds).

    This made the fan blow down, which is what I need in this installation. There is no directional control on the universal remote, but I understand that reversing the yellow and pink wires will make the fan blow upward.

    I read in several posts online that you can not use the universal remote with a fan of this type, but I can report that it works well for us. The one thing I will mention is that all 3 speeds are slower than they used to be, but I think that may be because my fan is so large. It does not much matter, since we never ran the fan above “2” anyway, and the new speed “3” is about same as the old speed “2”. This was much cheaper than paying $60 or so that several people reported having to pay for replacement parts.

  2. admin says:

    Hi Russ,
    Thanks for sharing about your successful ceiling fan remote installation. One thing for sure, right when you think everything is created equal your find one that’s a little different, and you managed to overcome this challenge, especially with the universal remote, which should be in fact “universal”, after all, it is just a transmitter and receiver operation with addressable components. Once you crack the address codes you’ve got it.
    All the Best!
    Dave

  3. Paul says:

    Thanks for these instructions – worked for the most part. The only problem I had was that the fan blew upwards instead of down when wired as stated.

    Going to try reversing the pink and yellow to see if that fixes the orientation.

    Thanks,
    Paul

  4. Dave Rongey says:

    Hi Paul,
    To change the direction of the ceiling fan you do not have to make any wiring changes. There should be a switch located just below the fan blades on the side of the lower assembly where the light is typically attached. Simply slide the switch into the opposite setting and this will change the direction of the ceiling fan rotation.
    Enjoy your ceiling fan,
    Dave

  5. Viktor says:

    I’ve tried to connect a new remote as you described. It worked for 20 minutes and then started to smell as burning electronics. So I had to do what I tried to avoid doing. I did reverse engineering and that what I came up with:
    The yellow wire needs to be connected to white and both connected to neutral (white).
    The pink wire needs to be connected to grey and both connected to “motor” from the remote receiver.
    The red wire is connected through capacitor 5uf 250v to white wire (neutral).
    As you said -to reverse the motor you need to change places of pink and yellow wires. Gray is always “hot”.

  6. Dave Rongey says:

    Hi Viktor,
    Please be aware that this article refers to a Hunter Fan, Model Number is 21871, and the Universal Remote is for the hunter fan.

    It would be very helpful to know which ceiling fan and remote control unit that you have, therefore readers should understand that the Brand and Model Number of Viktor’s ceiling fan and remote control is unknown.

    The method of reverse engineering is a good idea, however be sure to refer to the wiring diagrams and instructions that came with the specific remote control unit and the ceiling fan that you have.

    Thank you for sharing your information,
    Dave

  7. STEVE says:

    So Dave,
    I am going to use your wiring solution on my 21871 and I will use a hunter standard universal remote. Your solution makes sense.
    Any problems thus far?

    Viktor probably got his wires crossed

  8. Dave Rongey says:

    Hi Steve,
    Installing a universal remote control on a ceiling fan is a real convenience, and it provides great control options.
    Enjoy your ceiling fan!