Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans - Dimmer switch on fan/light

I need to replace a dimmer switch in the kitchen that runs a ceiling fan with a light. The new on I bought appears to be the same type-leviton single pole push on/off dimmer. Reading the instructions on the new one..it says not to use to control a motor or transformer operated appliance. Does this apply here? the other one seemed to have worked fine, I can dim the light and use the pull chain for the fan. Thanks for any advice.

If you have one switch to the fan/light, then you are limited as to what you can do with the dimmer. You can't dim the light without dimming the current to the fan motor, regardless if you use the pull chain or not. Leviton may make a fan rated dimmer, but you have to make sure it is. I do know that Lutron makes one, however. If the fan is straight wired and all the control is in the pull chains, then, yes you can use a regular dimmer on the light only.

From the way I read it, you previously controlled the light with the switch, and the fan with the pull chain.

In other words, even with the switch off, you could still run the fan? If so (and that IS the proper way for a ceiling fan to be wired), then you are fine with a dimmer, as the dimmer doesn't control the fan.

On the other hand, if the fan turns off with the wall switch, then the switch also controls power to the fan, and you shouldn't use a dimmer.

But wait, there's more! You can buy add ons for most fans that can provide infinate control of both fan speed and light level, about $35 at home centers.


Can you run a fan motor on just any dimmer? In most cases, yes.
Is it good for the motor? Probably not.