Before You Start
- Before rewiring any ceiling fan. Turn off electrical current at source by turning off circuit breakers
- Failure to disconnect power to the ceiling fan may cause electrical shock, fire hazard, serious injury, or death
- Do not cut the wires off the existing switch. multi-strand wires are solid and soldered together so they can be attached to the switch
Steps
- Write down the color of each wire and the portal number to which they are attached
- Take wires off the existing switch
- Make sure that the wire lead length is the same length as the line beside word “STRIP”
- Connect wires to the new switch as noted in step 1
Wires should be inserted into the slots on side of the switch not the holes on surface.
Color Codes For Ceiling Fans (Your Fan Wires Color & Position May Vary)
- Harbor Breeze ceiling fan: L=Black, 3=Purple, 2=Brown, 1=Grey
- Hunter ceiling fan: L=Black, 3=Green, 2=Brown, 1=Grey
- Hampton Bay ceiling fan: L=Black, 3=Grey 2=Brown, 1=Purple
- Hampton Bay ceiling fan – Alternate colors: L=Black, 3=Yellow, 2=Purple, 1=Red
- iLiving ceiling fan: L=Black, 3=Red, 2=White, 1=Blue
- Some basket fans: L=Black (power), 3=Black (not power), 2=Blue, 1=Red
Additional Wiring Guide
- L: Black
- 3: Attached to motor wire
- 2: Attached to motor wire
- 1: Attached to reverse switch terminal
Capacitor Information
Usually, there is no connection between this switch and the fan capacitor; however, the capacitor should have one microfarad reading and should have 2-3 wires. Two of the wires should be the same color on one end, for example, one end has 2 reds and the other end has 1 White
Hello,
ZE-208s provides 3-speed settings. The wires are connected to the terminals as follows:
– Terminal “L” is for hot wire (usually black)
– Terminal “1” is for high-speed wire connection
– Terminal “2” is for medium-speed wire connection
– Terminal “3” is for low-speed wire connection
To get help with wires codes, you can review our compatibility guide on this link: https://www.ceilingfanswitch.com/ceiling-fan-switch-guide/ (check ZE-208s switch section).
Thank you
I have an older 3speed ceiling fan with a Zing Ear ZE 268S switch. The switch has 4 wires, L purple, 1 gray, 2 brown & 3 black.
Can I wire the fan with a Zing Ear ZE 208S Roman Numeral 2?
Were can I purchase two ZE 268S switches?
I just went through this (11/2019) and have a clear, but unusual answer. For the switch that you have removed from the fan with the purple wire in the L position, you cannot purchase a replacement switch at the big box stores. The switches you get there cycle through L connected to 1, then L connected to 2, then L connected to 3. The “old” switch connects multiple wires in different combinations to attain off/low/med/hi. For example, L+1+3 attains one speed, while L+2+3 attains another.
I haven’t found a replacement switch that makes those compound connections.
There is a way to use the key part from the old switch and the new chain-ratchet part from a new switch, but you really need to be comfortable and very organized to make the modification.
Please check ZE-268s2 on this link: https://www.ceilingfanswitch.com/product/zing-ear-ze-268s2/ and let us know if it has the same settings/function as the existing switch.
Thank you
How did you ever find a replacement? I have the same problem!!!!
IS THERE AN EASY WAY TO WIRE THE SWITCH. I HAVE AZING EAR ZE-S08S ???????
This switch is easy to wire, just insert the wire into the holes on the side of the switch (not the surface). Thank you
The wires will not go into sides of the switch. They just slide back out. Is there a screw type switch if you had a video on this show me the address. Thanks Mike
Did you cut the wires off the old switch? Thank you
No. Insert the end of a paper clip into a hole. That will release the wire.
Is a 208s compatible with a three-way wall switch?
Installed this in a hunter fan and now the speeds are high, low, low, off (no medium). I’ve checked and rechecked the wires are secure and in the correct slot. Any idea why this is happening?
It could be compatibility issue, please check our compatibility guide to make sure you purchased the correct replacement: https://www.ceilingfanswitch.com/ceiling-fan-switch-guide/
Hi, I’m having the same issue as Carl, (No Medium), I foolishly did not record wire color locations for my original speed pull chain switch. I wired the new switch as follows: L-Black, 3-Green, 2-Brown, 1- Gray. Replacement switch is a Zing 208S, could it be possible this switch is configured differently than the old one ? I have a Hunter 28152, speed control capacitor is 4 wire, Gray in, 5uF to Green, 6uF to Brown. Any wiring info would be helpful, Thanks…
Hello my wires are black, yellow,purple and orange.
did you get a reply as how to wire the switch I have the same prob i have memium but no low
I have the same problem as Mike Epps, the wires just slide back out. Yes, I cut the wires off the old switch.
We included the following note above: Do not cut the wires off the existing switch. multi-strand wires are solid and soldered together so they can be attached to the switch
Thank you
What if you did cut the wires? Any way to fix?
One of my cables broke off, I went out and got some flux and a soldering iron and soldered the wire so it was stiff enough to push through the tension clamp inside the switch. Without soldering you will have little to no luck in getting it through the tension clamp.
You need to solder YOIR cut wires to make them simulate a solid wire
When I try to put the wires in the new switch, they just slide out. I can’t get them to clamp in.
Having trouble putting wires in new switch. Is there and easy way?
i brought the switch and there are no wires showing. How to i get the wires out?
There are 2 methods to remove the wires from the old switch. Before attempting either one get paper and pen and write down the wiring order…L – color 1 – color 2 – color etc. 1st method is to get a small paper clip and insert it in the small hole by each labeled (numbered) terminal and release the tension clip and pull the wire out. 2nd method is to take a small flat tip screwdriver and open the switch by prying the tabs open that hold the 2 halves of the switch together. DO NOT CUT THE WIRES WHERE THEY GO IN THE OLD SWITCH. They are braided soldered wires to make it easier to put them into the new switch. Hope this helps.
I have a 3 wire capacitor with a 3speed 4 wire fan switch color coded as fallows,,,L=black,1=red 2=blue 3=white capacitor has, red,blue and white. Ceiling fan only has 2 red wires coming from motor,,,,,I can only get the fan to work on 1speed,,low,,,what’s the correct way to hookup the switch to work on all 3 speeds. By the way fan model is cf-c42 don’t know what brand it’s on an older home. The switch that was in it is ze-208s ii e-89885,,,pleas help,thanks in advance
when inserting the wire into the side holes should I hear a clicking sound? It doesn’t seem to stay connected. Are the holes on the flat surface for releasing purposes? I have been reluctant to start inserting the wires until certain that I can be able to disconnect
The holes on the surface are for releasing purposes. Do not cut the wires off the existing switch. multi-strand wires are solid and soldered together so they can be attached to the switch
Hello,
I am using a ZE208S 2 to replace a KTE E87438 3089 switch.
The ZE208 has four pre-connected wires:
L black
1 red
2 blue
3 white
My ceiling fan has four wires: black, purple (reverse switch), blue (capacitor) and yellow (same capacitor). I have connected blue with blue, black with black, red with purple and white with yellow. The fan works but the first speed is REALLY slow, slower that it was with the old switch. Did I miss something or is it connected correctly?
Diagram for securely inserting wires into side slots? Like other others said – they just slide out… a picture is worth a thousand words; please show? Do we Need to pull back the black piece to slide it in securely with something? Don’t want to snap it so clarity on this would be great! And Only two of 4 even have a black piece by the copper so not sure for the other two either
Figured it out; press in hard and to either left or right until stays in… if first time may not be self evident… did wires same as previous switch. Have high, low, off, and really another low instead of a medium… colors Were:
Grey L
3 black
2 blue
1 yellow
Hampton Bay EF 200-36. Switch wires Black, White, Blue and Yellow. Zing Ear ZE 208 replacement. Color code please. Thanks
My husband just spent most of the day trying to get the wires into this switch, I got it first try although I had to use different wire that we had left over from another ceiling fan. Twist your wire good and look at the hole, it angles in. Slide and twist at the same time and the same way you twisted the wire end. Your angle is almost like your running your wire along the inside edge of the switch. (I did not try it with the old wires.)
No. Insert the end of a paper clip into a hole. That will release the wire.
Useless guide. I came ere to see how to open it, and how to do the wires and the instructions are just “open it and do the wires”
Harbor Breeze wire colors Black, Yellow, Orange and Purple. How do these wires hook up to the switch? I have high, medium but not low.
I have apparently a Hampton Bay fan. The problem is I have 5 wires to attach. There are only 4 terminals on the switch. the Brown and grey seem to go to wires from the motor. The big purple goes to the big purple from the reverse switch. The black is from the motor. Where does the “extra” small light purple wire go? I tried putting it with the other purples, but nothing works. I remember when I took it apart, that there were 3 wires in one connector. I thought I marked them correctly, but I guess not.