How do I fix my ceiling fan's ball chain switch for the fan part that broke off without one ball left?

Question

There's a light part screwed on the bottom with two ball chain pull-switches for light and fan. The fan one broke, so I took off the cover and it broke off even inside the little plastic switch box. Do I need to replace the whole light part? the little plastic switch to the fan only?
There's nothing to tie a string onto that I can find; not one single ball left!

Answer 1

Just the switch..it's pretty easy. 5-6 dollars. And don't forget to turn off the power when you change it.

Answer 2

The problem is that the ball chain is not forgiving if it gets pulled too hard. The switch itself will break as you have experienced. Why someone doesn't develop some type of a shock absorbing pull is an amazement to me. Anyway, you can replace this switch by turning the power off and removing the bottom plate to reveal the switch. Mark the wires to the damaged switch so you won't forget where they go. Remove the old one and go the the hardware store for a new one.

Answer 3

The same thing happened to me. You have to replace the pull chain switch. You really have to take about 1/2 of it down to get to it. It's not really that bad- I'm a woman and I did it myself with no clue. Go to Home Depot or Lowes and tell them what kind of fan it is + they'll give you the right switch and the instructions will be in it.

Answer 4

In most cases, the switch can be replaced.

Now, getting at the switch might be a little tricky. Make sure the power to that circuit is off at the breaker for maximum safety before you attempt to do any un-wiring.

Also, if the switch had more than one position, for example for different speeds or direction, you'll need to find an equivalent switch. A good lighting store or contacting the manufacturer and supplying the model number might be your best bet.

Answer 5

There are adapters for the chain if it can be reached, it not you will have to replace the switch, can or can not be easy