Unlike before, ceiling fans today come equipped with remote controls. The purpose of a remote is to allow you to operate the fan without moving from your seat or control it remotely. You can use it to alter the fan’s speed or set it to spin the preferred amount of air in your room.
Despite their convenience, the remotes can malfunction suddenly. For example, it may fail to turn the fan on or off. Or, the fan can stop responding to the remote control because of frequency issues. You need to troubleshoot the ceiling fan remote to get the best fix for it.
The remote may also stop working because the battery power is low. If the receiver in the fan fails, the remote will not work. You may need to reset or reprogram your ceiling fan remote to ensure it works well again.
Steps to reset your ceiling fan remote
Here are some steps you can follow to ensure the fan remote works again.
1. Change the remote control frequency settings
If the remote has frequency issues, you can change its settings using the steps below.
- Turn off the power from the mains supply
- Unscrew the canopy on the fan from its mounting bracket
- Remove the receiver
- On the receiver, find the dipswitch settings. The settings look like buttons.
- Slide the buttons up or down to set a new combination
- Note down the new combination
- Return the receiver to its original position and screw back the canopy
- Remove the battery from the remote
- Inside the remote, you will see the dipswitch settings
- Use the settings you noted down from the receiver and change them to the same combination. This will sync the ceiling fan remote with the receiver.
Once complete, return the battery and cover the remote. Turn on the power from the mains. The process will change the frequency settings and allow the remote to work again.
2. Reset the fan remote
If you want to reset the remote:
- Turn off the ceiling fan using the remote
- Wait for about 30 seconds before turning the power on
- Within those seconds, hold down the off button on the fan for about ten seconds
The steps should allow you to perform a reset.
3. Pair the fan with remote
You can pair the fan with remote using the following steps:
- Disconnect the power from the fan
- Turn the power on after two minutes
- Within those two minutes, press and hold the light button and fan button on the remote simultaneously for five seconds
- You should see lights flashing
At this point, the ceiling fan will rotate at a low speed. It will be a confirmation that you have paired the two successfully.
If the ceiling fan remote is not working, the first step is to check the batteries and ensure they have enough power to operate the fan. Second, ensure that all electrical connections are correct as per the manual. You should also check to ensure that the channel selector switches have the same settings, both in the handheld and module. If after these steps you can’t get it to work, then consider getting a good replacement remote for your ceiling fan.
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