Review on 🔍 Enhanced Search-Friendly Version: Emerson SW405 Ceiling Fans, 4-Speed Wall Control with Receiver by Sandra Getchu

I received this wall controller with an Emerson CF766 fan. My room had an existing fan controlled only by pull chains, no wall switch. However, there is a switch for the outlet on the wall, which we always leave in the "on” position. I thought it would be handy to replace this switch with a wall remote since it turns out to be wireless. However, this is not possible due to the (in my opinion idiotic) arrangement of this control. The controller, like many others of its kind, is only intended to replace an existing wall switch wired to a fan. If like me you have a wired fan with no wall switch then you won't be able to use this control. The only solution is to run a new wire from the fan to the control box. In my case, I have plastered walls that I'd rather not tear open, so I installed a wireless remote control from another fan instead. The electrical explanation is that this control box is designed to be wired in series with a fan; It has two black "hot" wires and NO neutral connection. This means that without a direct connection to the receiving unit, it cannot be self-powered. It seems to be an unfortunate industry standard that exists for reasons I can't figure out. Since it communicates wirelessly (using radio frequencies) with the fan, there's no good reason to require a direct connection to the fan. (Yes, without it a neutral wire would be required, but at best it would already be there, and at worst it would require a trivial reconfiguration of some wires. Much less work than opening up walls to add new wires.) I ended up with setting the other fan controller home that already had a wall switch. The controller is quite large, making it VERY cramped in my 1940's control box. A small aluminum tab holds the ground wire on the bottom of the controller. It was sticking out too much so I had to push it harder against the plastic controller housing to get it to fit. Keep this in mind if you plan to use this in an old house. Wall control is sufficient. The keys feel responsive, although the layout is a bit confusing. The power button only turns off the fan. There's a button for each fan speed, and a button with a bulb turns the light. A rocker switch on the bottom completely cuts power to the fan. Turning it back on restores the previous settings, although it waits almost 2 seconds before turning the light back on, which is odd. (Pressing the lightbulb button doesn't have that delay.) If you're considering buying this type of wall control to replace your existing wall switch, I'd recommend one like the Lutron Maestro Fan Control instead.