# Casablanca intellitouch receiver



## edlank (Dec 20, 2013)

My 2008 Casablanca Ventura fan has died.  The W32 wall switch works, but neither fan or light work.  The RMM circuit board says RMM4.  It has 2 power resistors.  One says 8W3K and, in circuit, measures 4k.  The other one looks identical, but is white possibly from overheating, and has nothing legible on it.  It measures 400 ohm (in circuit).  Information from fan web sites indicate that Casablanca stopped selling this Intellitouch pulse code controls and changed to RF, so if I need to buy a new board, I must change the switch as well for $140.

Does anyone have a schematic or any values for the discrete components on this controller?  It may be more than that resistor, but if not, I would rather replace that than the entire system.


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## Wuzzat? (Dec 20, 2013)

Repair or replace problems can be sticky.

This decision tree is somewhat messy.

Let's say you go for a new resistor at $3.
>it fixes it and you're done, or
>it doesn't fix and now you spend $140
>>the $140 fixes it and you're done, or
>>your new circuit board promptly fails for the same reason that the old circuit board failed so now you need a new fan for $X, with X > $140.
BTW, if X < $140 almost certainly I'd buy a new fan, but new stuff may be less reliable than old stuff (that was designed by humans who had doubts, not by computers who do not understand the concept of 'doubt').

Attaching probabilities to these outcomes is the logical answer but these probabilities are hard to come by.
How much is X?  Is your labor worth $10/hr?  Can you measure the fan motor current draw?  What does the fan nameplate say?

It's hard to kill power resistors.  Switch your ohmmeter leads and see if the 400 changes.  What's the dimensions of the resistor?

Good problem.


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## edlank (Dec 22, 2013)

Out of the circuit, the apparently overheated resistor is 440 ohms, the same as in circuit.  It appears to be wire wound.  It is about 1/4" diameter and 1.25" long.

The resistance of the motor is close to the value shown in the specs.


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## Wuzzat? (Dec 22, 2013)

edlank said:


> Out of the circuit, the apparently overheated resistor is 440 ohms, the same as in circuit.  It appears to be wire wound.  It is about 1/4" diameter and 1.25" long.
> 
> The resistance of the motor is close to the value shown in the specs.


Then I'd gamble $140 and replace the circuit board, depending on how much a new fan & install is.  

Here's the rationale:

*replace part in device or buy new device	*
140	>enter parts cost PC in dollars
10	>enter likelihood in percent L of having to buy a new device after you buy the part
500	>enter new device cost NDC in dollars
190	= your calc'd part replacement cost = PC + (NDC x L/100)
so choose part replacement.

This decision is a toss-up when L is an unbelievably pessimistic 72%.

Our ceiling fan blade broke off and the new fan was not exactly a drop-in replacement.  I had to spend quite a bit of time in the attic making a custom support structure so you might want to factor this in.


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## edlank (Dec 22, 2013)

Your ">" sign was confusing when I first looked at your response.  Thanks.


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## Wuzzat? (Dec 23, 2013)

edlank said:


> Your ">" sign was confusing when I first looked at your response.  Thanks.


I see what you mean.  I'll fix it on the spreadsheet.


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## edlank (May 4, 2014)

I bought the replacement electronics and wall controller.  The new Intellitouch III uses RF signals.  It should be less sensitive to a spike over the power line.  So far, so good.


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## havasu (May 4, 2014)

I also just spiked and smoked a ceiling fan receiver. Fortunately, Home Depot had them in stock and it was a quick, $29.95 repair/replacement.


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