Fan Regulator Types and How to Connect One
There are three fan regulator types you will meet in Indian homes: the old resistor step regulator, the electronic step regulator, and the modular electronic regulator that clips into a switch board. All of them control an ordinary ceiling fan by being wired in series with it, on the phase wire. We make electronic regulators in 4 step and 5 step versions under KEMPS, VIZA and VIYONA, so below are the types, the wiring and real MRPs from our catalogue.
Key takeaways
- Resistor step regulator — the old heavy, square type; turns surplus power into heat.
- Electronic regulator — compact, runs cool; what every regulator we make is, from ₹215 (VIYONA 137) to ₹450 (KEMPS K214).
- 4 step vs 5 step — the number of speeds between off and full. Same top speed; five gives a finer low speed.
- Connection — in series on the phase wire between the fan switch and the fan; neutral goes straight to the fan.
- A light dimmer is not a fan regulator, and for a BLDC fan the fan maker’s instructions decide what goes on the board.
Fan regulator types: the short answer
There are two fan regulator types in Indian homes: the old resistor step regulator, which slows the fan by burning surplus power as heat in a coil, and the electronic regulator, which controls the power electronically, runs cool and fits a single module or a small plate. Electronic regulators then come in modular, plate type and conventional versions.
A fan regulator controls the speed of an ordinary ceiling fan by reducing the power that reaches it. Within the electronic type, the main choice is the number of steps: 4 or 5 speeds between off and full. After that it comes down to the board, so the regulator matches the switches around it and fits the plate.
We manufacture electronic regulators at our Mumbai works under all three of our series: KEMPS and VIZA modular, and VIYONA for conventional boards. Every code and price below is from our current catalogue, and the wiring section explains how a regulator is connected.
Resistor step regulators: the old type
The resistor regulator is the large, heavy square regulator found in older homes. Each step switches in a resistor coil that drops some of the voltage before it reaches the fan. The fan slows down, and the voltage dropped across the coil becomes heat. That is why these regulators run warm and why the plate around them often discolours over the years.
At low speed a resistor regulator saves little electricity: the power the fan does not use is burnt in the coil instead. It also needs a large box on the board, which is why many old piano boards have a big square cut-out beside the switches. We do not make resistor regulators; every regulator in our catalogue is electronic.
If your home still has one, it is usually the first thing worth changing when a board is redone, because an electronic regulator takes a fraction of the space and does not cook the plate. Our guide to modular vs normal switches explains what else changes when an old board goes modular.
A resistor regulator is purely electrical and an electronic one is not; our electrical vs electronics guide uses the two as its everyday example.
A regulator that is hot to touch, smells of burning or has a scorched plate should be switched off at the MCB and replaced by an electrician.
For where the fan sits among a home’s other loads, see how to save electricity at home.
| Resistor step | Electronic regulator | Light dimmer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it slows the fan | Burns surplus power in a coil | Controls power electronically | Not designed for fans |
| Heat | Runs warm | Runs cool | Can overheat on a fan |
| Size | Large, needs a big box | 1M or 2M, or a small plate | 1M or 2M |
| Humming | Rare | Rare with a matched fan | Common on a fan |
| BLDC fans | Follow the fan maker | Follow the fan maker | No |
| We make it | No | Yes, 4 and 5 step | Yes, for lights only |
| Our MRP range | Not made | ₹215 to ₹450 | ₹130 to ₹540 |
Electronic fan regulators: what we make
An electronic regulator controls the power reaching the fan electronically instead of burning it off in a coil. It is compact, it runs cool, and it fits one or two modules or a small plate. Our catalogue lists its regulators as EME step regulators under HSN 84149030.
In KEMPS, the K213 Tiny EME 4 step is ₹405 and the K214 Duro EME 5 step is ₹450 in white (K613 ₹440 and K614 ₹495 in G.Grey). In VIZA white, the V275 Tiny EME 4 step is ₹340, the V276 5 step ₹395, the V278 1M Royal 4 step ₹360 and the V279 2M Royal 5 step ₹425. VIZA Black in matt black and S.grey has the V1276 4 step at ₹374 and the V1277 5 step at ₹433.
For conventional boards, VIYONA makes the 137 mini 4 step (₹215), the 138 medium 5 step (₹225) and the 145 ABS plate type 5 step (₹230); see VIYONA electronic regulators and plate type regulators.
Pick the regulator from the same range as the switches on the board: KEMPS in a KEMPS frame, VIZA in a VIZA frame, VIYONA on a conventional board.
For the wiring itself, our fan regulator connection diagram shows where the regulator sits on the phase wire.
Compact, runs cool; every regulator we make.
Same top speed; five steps give finer low speeds.
Fan switch, then regulator, then fan. Neutral direct.
A light dimmer on a fan can hum and overheat.
4 step vs 5 step regulator: which is better?
A 5 step regulator is the better choice for a bedroom or any room where you want a very low night speed, and a 4 step regulator is enough for a living room, hall or kitchen, because both reach the same top speed and differ only in how finely they split the range below it.
The step count is the number of fan speeds. A 4 step regulator gives four speeds plus off; a 5 step gives five. The last step passes full power in both, so neither makes a fan faster. The extra step simply adds one more setting between slow and full.
Fan speeds available, 4 step vs 5 step
Bars are proportional to the number of speed settings. The top speed is the same on both; the fifth step adds a setting, not extra speed.
In our range the 5 step version costs a little more: K214 is ₹450 against ₹405 for K213, and V1277 is ₹433 against ₹374 for V1276. For a bedroom that difference buys a finer low speed; for a room where the fan runs flat out all summer, the 4 step is the sensible saving.
Fan regulator price: our MRPs by range
Our electronic fan regulators run from ₹215 for the VIYONA 137 mini 4 step to ₹450 for the KEMPS K214 Duro 5 step in white, with the VIZA modular regulators between ₹340 and ₹433. These are printed MRPs from our current catalogue.
Our electronic fan regulators by MRP (current catalogue)
Bars drawn to scale against the ₹450 KEMPS K214, rounded. Blue bars are 4 step, green are 5 step. KEMPS prices are for white.
The spread follows the board, not the speed: a VIYONA regulator for a conventional board costs about half a modular one, because it does not have to fit a modular frame. Within a range, the 5 step is the small premium. Our switch board price guide shows how a regulator sits in a whole board’s cost.
Compare regulators at the same finish. A KEMPS regulator in G.Grey costs more than the same code in white: K613 is ₹440 against ₹405 for K213.
Modular, plate type or conventional: which fits your board?
The switch board decides the type: a modular board takes a KEMPS or VIZA modular regulator from the same range as its switches, while a conventional piano board takes a VIYONA mini or medium regulator, or the VIYONA plate type regulator that comes on its own small plate. In detail, a modular board takes a KEMPS or VIZA regulator that clips into the frame like a switch. A conventional piano board takes a VIYONA mini or medium regulator, and the VIYONA plate type regulator comes on its own plate, which suits a spot where an old resistor regulator used to sit.
Space a modular regulator takes on the board
Bars are proportional to module width. The VIZA Royal sizes are in the catalogue names; count your own model from the product before sizing the plate.
A regulator is 1M or 2M depending on the model, so count it with the switches and sockets when you choose the plate. The plate size calculator does the sum, and our guide to modular plate sizes explains the steps from 1M to 18M.
Our plates fit all major modular switch systems and carry a 5-year warranty, so a new regulator does not force a new plate if the module count stays the same.
Fan regulator 100W: what does the wattage mean?
A wattage on a fan regulator, such as 100W, is the largest fan load the maker says it can control, and it matters only if your fan draws more than that; most ordinary ceiling fans are rated below 100 W, but the fan’s own rating plate is the number to check, not a guess.
Our catalogue does not publish a wattage for our fan regulators. It lists them by step count and range, so we do not quote one here. If your fan is unusually large, such as an industrial or high-speed fan, ask your dealer or call us before you buy a regulator for it.
Do not confuse this with the wattage printed on a dimmer. Our dimmers carry ratings such as 450W, 650W and 1000W, but those are the maximum lighting load, not a fan load, and a dimmer is not a fan regulator.
Two numbers to check before you buy: the fan’s wattage on its rating plate, and whether the product label says “fan regulator”. If either is unclear, ask before fitting.
Can a light dimmer be used as a fan regulator?
No, a light dimmer should not be used as a fan regulator, because it is designed for lamps, not for a fan motor; on a ceiling fan a dimmer can make the motor hum, run unevenly or overheat, and it can damage the dimmer itself, so fit a regulator that is labelled for fans.
We make dimmers too, in KEMPS, VIZA and VIYONA, for lighting loads only. The wattage on each is the largest lighting load it can control:
Our dimmers by maximum lighting load (current catalogue)
Bars drawn to scale against 1000 W. These are dimmer ratings for lights; they say nothing about fans. KEMPS prices are for white.
A dimmer on a fan is the most common mistake we hear about, because the two look alike on the board. Our fan regulator and dimmer range lists both side by side so the codes are clear.
Some products are sold as a “dimmer and fan regulator”. Read the label: use it on a fan only if it is marked for fans.
Fan regulator connection: how is it wired?
A fan regulator is connected in series with the fan on the phase wire: phase runs from the MCB to the fan switch, from the fan switch to the regulator, and from the regulator to the fan, while the neutral goes straight to the fan and never passes through the regulator.
The order on the board is MCB then fan switch then regulator then fan. The switch turns the fan on and off; the regulator sets the speed. Because the regulator sits only in the phase line, a regulator typically has just two terminals, marked on the module. The neutral and the earth run to the fan without touching the board.
This is also why a regulator can be added to an existing fan point without new wiring: the phase that already reaches the fan switch simply passes through the regulator on its way to the fan. Our 1 way vs 2 way switch guide covers the switch side of the same circuit.
Switch off the MCB and prove the circuit dead with a tester before touching a regulator. If you are not sure, call a licensed electrician.
Fan regulator connection diagram, step by step
Read the diagram below from top to bottom: it follows the phase wire from the supply to the fan. The regulator is the third stop, after the fan switch, and the neutral bypasses the board entirely.
Fan regulator connection, in order along the phase wire
Bars show order along the circuit, not a measurement. A two-terminal regulator goes in the phase line after the fan switch; follow the marking on the regulator itself.
Three checks after fitting: the fan should start at every step, it should slow down as you turn it down, and it should not hum. A fan that only runs at full speed usually means the regulator is bypassed or wired to the wrong terminal. A fan that hums at low speed can point to a dimmer fitted by mistake, or to a fan that does not suit a regulator.
If a regulator fails any of these checks, switch off at the MCB and have it looked at before using the fan again.
To see where the regulator sits among the other switches and the socket on a real board, follow the full switch board wiring diagram.
If the fan hums or will not start at any step, the regulator may not be the culprit; a weak fan capacitor causes the same symptoms.
Fan regulators and BLDC fans
A BLDC fan typically controls its own speed electronically, usually from a remote, and many are designed to run from a plain on/off switch. Our catalogue makes no statement about BLDC fans for any of our regulators, so we do not make a claim either way; the fan maker’s instructions decide it.
On a new board for a BLDC fan, read the fan’s installation sheet before you choose the modules. If it asks for a switch only, the space a regulator would have taken can hold a socket or a USB charger module instead.
On an existing board, leaving an old regulator in circuit with a new BLDC fan is not something to guess at. Ask the electrician fitting the fan to follow its sheet, which may mean replacing the regulator with a switch. How much a BLDC fan saves against a normal one is worked out in our ceiling fan power consumption guide.
Changing to a BLDC fan? Keep its installation sheet with the board plan, and tell your electrician before the board is closed.
Choosing a regulator for your switch board: a worked example
Match the regulator to the board and count it in the plate. A typical KEMPS bedroom door board at printed MRP has two K101 10AX 1 way switches for the light and fan (₹130), a K213 4 step regulator (₹405), a K192 6A shuttered socket (₹110) and a 6M Orchid plate K305 in white (₹230): ₹875 in total.
Bedroom door board, KEMPS, at MRP (₹875 total)
Bars drawn to scale against the ₹405 regulator, rounded. Swapping K213 for the 5 step K214 adds ₹45, for ₹920.
The regulator is the largest single cost on that board, so choose the step count deliberately. In VIZA, the living room board in our price guide uses the 1M V278 Royal 4 step at ₹360. Our KEMPS switches and sockets and VIZA switches and sockets pages list every module, and how to choose a switch board walks through the whole board.
Planning a new board? Keep one spare module. A regulator added later needs room in the frame, and filling a blank is easier than changing the plate.
Replacing an old regulator
Replacing a resistor regulator with an electronic one is a common upgrade. On a conventional board it is usually a direct swap, the two wires moving to the new VIYONA regulator. On a modular board the regulator unclips from the frame like a switch, and the new one clips into the same space if it is the same module width.
The same safety steps apply as for any switch: MCB off, prove it dead with a tester, and move one wire at a time so the phase in and phase out do not get swapped. Our guide to replacing a switch in a switch board covers each step. If the fan hums or will not slow down afterwards, switch off and call an electrician.
A plate that has browned around an old regulator is a sign of heat. Our plates are UV-protected and do not turn yellow, so a new plate stays the colour you bought. For bulk or dealer orders, see our fan regulator manufacturing page.
A scorched plate or melted terminal around the old regulator means the board needs checking, not just a new regulator. Our guide to a hot switch or sparking socket explains the warning signs.
FAQs
What are the types of fan regulator?
What is the difference between a 4 step and a 5 step regulator?
How is a fan regulator connected?
Can I use a dimmer as a fan regulator?
Can I use a regulator with a BLDC fan?
What is the price of a fan regulator?
Why buyers choose Vinayak Electricals
- Made in our own works at Marol, Andheri East, Mumbai, since 1995.
- ISO 9001:2015 certified manufacturing, across 2000+ products. Our switches are made to IS 3854 under ISI licence CM/L-7567794.
- Modular (KEMPS, VIZA) and conventional (VIYONA) regulators, 4 step and 5 step.
- MRPs published openly in our catalogue, code by code.
- Plates are UV-protected, do not turn yellow, fit all major modular systems and carry a 5-year warranty.
- Sold through 500+ dealers across India; call us or visit a dealer to buy.
See our regulators
Electronic fan regulators, 4 and 5 step, with MRPs.
Vinayak Electricals is a fan regulator manufacturer in Mumbai, supplying dealers, electricians and contractors across India by the box. Ask us for prices and stock.
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