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    #16
    This also suggests a variation in voltage -- hence my confusion!

    https://in.answers.yahoo.com/questio...4104737AAHdl0M

    (Oddly enough, I have a EE background, too :\ )

    Comment


      #17
      Originally posted by mikedr View Post
      I hear what you're saying . . . . First, here's my fan:

      http://www.minkagroup.net/sites/defa...19-Spanish.pdf

      Here's the equivalent remote/receiver, but *without* reverse -- it's intended for retrofit applications for "any fan":

      http://www.minka.com/sites/default/f...23-English.pdf

      Minka Aire RCS223.
      Color me confused.. The manual you attaced for the fan indicates a slide switch for reversal and the remote shows no reverse function. Does your remote have reverse?
      HS4 Pro, 4.2.19.0 Windows 10 pro, Supermicro LP Xeon

      Comment


        #18
        Originally posted by rprade View Post
        Color me confused.. The manual you attaced for the fan indicates a slide switch for reversal and the remote shows no reverse function. Does your remote have reverse?
        Well, the manual for the fan doesn't show the remote -- the second manual is for a different receiver!

        But, I did get an answer from Minka Aire -- from an engineer no less! And you are right -- they're sending a signal to the fan to reverse:

        The Concept's Receiver sends a milliamp signal to a reverse module inside the fan's housing this changes the polarity of the motor therefore reversing the rotation.
        Depending on the receiver you have the milliamp would be 330 or 12.5.

        Comment


          #19
          Originally posted by mikedr View Post
          Well, the manual for the fan doesn't show the remote -- the second manual is for a different receiver!

          But, I did get an answer from Minka Aire -- from an engineer no less! And you are right -- they're sending a signal to the fan to reverse:
          That is pretty interesting and very proprietary solution. Manual also says this:

          • Button: (Full Function Remote Control Units Only)
          • This button is used to change the direction of the
          • rotation of the blades; forward for warm weather or
          • reverse for warm weather.
          • Hold the reverse button for a minimum of 3 seconds and
          • release once you hear a faint "click" in the receiver area,
          • this sound alerts you that the function has been
          • received. The fan must be in operation to activate the
          • reverse feature.


          This basically means they replaced mechanical switch with electronic circuit but it is still AC fan. Which means Z-wave fan switch from Leviton will work but you loose ability to reverse the direction unless you build some very special custom circuit. And it look like reverse is only active when fan is spinning/powered (I guess it makes sense since electronics that does reverse needs power to run).


          Comment


            #20
            I received confirmation from the Minka Aire engineer that this is indeed how it's done. It's an AC fan, they they just have an interesting way of activating reverse.

            I meekly suggested to them that they should build/sell a Z-Wave bridge. This is how we control our Somfy sunshades. Somfy has a proprietary remote, but also sells a Z-Wave bridge that basically acts as a remote. So, when the bridge receives Z-Wave signals, it sends out the proprietary signals to the sunshade controller no differently than the proprietary remote does. Which means that to add Z-Wave functionality to the product, all you have to do is buy and plug in the bridge, and not mess around with switching out the existing controller -- and you can still use their proprietary remote.

            Originally posted by Person View Post
            That is pretty interesting and very proprietary solution. Manual also says this:

            • Button: (Full Function Remote Control Units Only)
            • This button is used to change the direction of the
            • rotation of the blades; forward for warm weather or
            • reverse for warm weather.
            • Hold the reverse button for a minimum of 3 seconds and
            • release once you hear a faint "click" in the receiver area,
            • this sound alerts you that the function has been
            • received. The fan must be in operation to activate the
            • reverse feature.


            This basically means they replaced mechanical switch with electronic circuit but it is still AC fan. Which means Z-wave fan switch from Leviton will work but you loose ability to reverse the direction unless you build some very special custom circuit. And it look like reverse is only active when fan is spinning/powered (I guess it makes sense since electronics that does reverse needs power to run).


            Comment


              #21
              Originally posted by mikedr View Post
              I received confirmation from the Minka Aire engineer that this is indeed how it's done. It's an AC fan, they they just have an interesting way of activating reverse.

              I meekly suggested to them that they should build/sell a Z-Wave bridge. This is how we control our Somfy sunshades. Somfy has a proprietary remote, but also sells a Z-Wave bridge that basically acts as a remote. So, when the bridge receives Z-Wave signals, it sends out the proprietary signals to the sunshade controller no differently than the proprietary remote does. Which means that to add Z-Wave functionality to the product, all you have to do is buy and plug in the bridge, and not mess around with switching out the existing controller -- and you can still use their proprietary remote.
              Interesting way of doing the reverse. One option for now for HS control is to get an extra remote and hack it by connecting it to an Arduino, ADIO100 or something like that that can be controlled by HS.

              Cheers
              Al
              HS 4.2.8.0: 2134 Devices 1252 Events
              Z-Wave 3.0.10.0: 133 Nodes on one Z-Net

              Comment


                #22
                Originally posted by sparkman View Post
                Interesting way of doing the reverse. One option for now for HS control is to get an extra remote and hack it by connecting it to an Arduino, ADIO100 or something like that that can be controlled by HS.

                Cheers
                Al
                Yeah, that's more trouble than it's worth I think though. I've been toying with replacing the fans any way, and might end up going with one that has a manual reverse function.

                Comment


                  #23
                  Originally posted by mikedr View Post
                  Yeah, that's more trouble than it's worth I think though. I've been toying with replacing the fans any way, and might end up going with one that has a manual reverse function.
                  If you go down that route and want to be ambitious you might be able to pull wires from reverse switch and insert something like LFM-20 to achieve some function thru z-wave. My fan has simple mechanical switch for reverse.

                  Comment


                    #24
                    Originally posted by Person View Post
                    If you go down that route and want to be ambitious you might be able to pull wires from reverse switch and insert something like LFM-20 to achieve some function thru z-wave. My fan has simple mechanical switch for reverse.
                    That is a great idea!

                    Comment


                      #25
                      Minka Aire Delano

                      MikeDR,

                      What did you end-up doing about your Minka Aire ceiling fans?

                      We got a new $350 Minka Aire Delano a few months back. We bought it because of the style (matches the room perfectly) and they are also suppose to be pretty good fans.

                      However, this is before I started getting into Home Automation seriously.

                      I agree, it would be great if Minka Aire would release a Bridge of some kind. I guess it could work on many of their existing fans. However, I'm not sure if that is ever going to happen.

                      Comment

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