I am replacing the 3 speed fan switch in a ceiling fan. Upon removal of the old switch (due to a cracked/broken screw port), I noted the secific wire and color that was located in each of the four positions--L, 1, 2, 3. When installing the new switch I ensure the wire connections were identical. Prior to changing the swith, the fan worked fine. Now, upon attempting to start the fan, there is absolutely NO response in any pull-string position. I have verified power to the unit. What is the problem?

Wall mount. Cut the power to the switch by tripping the breaker at the "fuse box". You will need help to see what breaker controls that lighting circuit.
Get new switch,remove old switch from wall mount and note the color coding of the wires.
There will be screws that attach the power wires to the switch and
wires that go to the fan.Power wires are one black and one white. The other wire is a green ground wire.
Remove the wires,one at a time and connect to the switch,IF there is enough wire length to do so.You will need pliers to yank the wires out.
The stripped,bare wire at the end should go on the new fan switch so when you tighten the wire end,the wire end tightens onto the terminal clockwise.

If the stripped end is broken off,strip another 3/4" of wire and wrap the wire around the terminal,clockwise.

You MAY test the switch B-4 you put it back into the wall.Be careful of the "hot" black wire.

Click the circuit breaker back off and install into the wall box.

Remove the switch housing from the fan with a Phillips screwdriver. Depending on the model, there are either two attaching screws on the base of the switch housing, or three screws around the upper rim of the housing. Once the screws have been removed, unscrew the brass finial surrounding the chain on the outside of the switch housing and pull the chain through to detach the housing from the fan.
Insert a thin flat headed screwdriver into the slot next to each wire; twist the screwdriver and pull the soldered ends of the wires out. If the wires are connected to the terminals with screws, undo the screw a few turns and pull the terminals out from under the screw heads. Undo the two screws holding the switch to the fan and remove it.

Take the old switch to the nearest electrical or home improvement outlet and buy an identical replacement part. If there are two similar switches and you're not sure which is the right one, describe the fan to a sales assistant and tell him how many operating speeds it's equipped with.

ceiling light

Testing old and new switches with multimeter is probably the best way to proceed.
Open following links for possible instructions and illustration:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-wire-Cooper-277-pilot-light-switch.html#3-speed
http://www.fixya.com/support/t261326-3_speed_fan_switch
http://www.ceiling-fans-n-more.com/ceiling-fan-pullchain-replacement-and-repair.php

Copy following link for 3-speed fan wiring:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-wire-Cooper-277-pilot-light-switch.html#3-speed

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

Replace the whole speed control, you can find them at most Home Depots. Very simple repair, just make sure you note which wire goes where, and how many wires there are. Not all controlers are the same. If you don't feel comfortable removing old one, Note the make of the fan, and the sales person should be able to assist you.

Typically the old and new switches have no relative relationship to each other .. One way to figure this out is shut off the power and then using the black power wire attach each speed wire to it and turn power back on to observe the speed .. mark the wire with the speed 1, 2, 3, .repeat this untill all the wires are identified .. . then you can put the wires on the appropriate terminations on the new switch ..

questions ..

Please vote !

Sounds like it to me that the netual is not there.

If you are scared of doing it, go to an authorised repairman.

I saved this text I found when I was researching this a while ago.
Let us know how you do.

Wiring a three speed fan switch
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My daughter called me the other day and said Dad the ceiling fan in the kitchen is not working only the light works. I went over and removed the three screws that hold the light and pull chain for the fan down and found that the fan control switch had snapped open and all 4 wires had popped out. The snap clips on each side of the switch had broken off. I went down to Home Depot in the ceiling department and found the switch I was looking for. It said for a four wire ceiling fan. OK, know lets put it back together. First of all if you look at the new switch you should see four holds were the wires will be pushed into. The black wire in the fan is the hot or load wire, this wire is hot whenever the wall switch to the fan is turned on. Put this wire in the hole that is marked “L” this stands for load. Now with this switch in the off position the fan will not work until you pull the chain. The other three holes are marked #1, #2 and #3. On most fans #1 is usually high speed. # 2 medium and #3 low speed. What you now have to determine is what wires are high medium and low. The easiest way to do this is before you put any of the wires back into the new switch is to FIRST MAKE SURE NO POWER IS GOING TO THE FAN. Then simply take one of the colored wires at a time and twist it together with the black hot wire.
Turn the power back on to the fan and knot the fans speed. Do this with all three wires one at a time until you can determine which wire is high speed. Note the color of the wire and mark it down on paper.(Example; blue wire high speed.) Do this with the other two wires to determine there speed. Once you have the speed of each wire you can reassemble the new switch.
Black wire (Load) goes in hole marked L. High speed wire goes in hole marked # 1. Medium speed goes in hole marked #2 and low speed goes in hole # 3. MAKE SURE THE POWER TO THE FAN IS TURNED OFF WHILE YOU ASSEMBLE THE NEW SWITCH.
For those of you that have all these wired hooked up right and still the fan won't work I would then look for an open neutral wire. It should be a white wire. Check to see if all the wires are securly attached.
Good luck. One more word of advice. If you're not sure on what you are doing when it comes to electrical wiring then please do not attempt to do this or any other electrial work yourself. Call a licensed electrian. Any mistakes on your part could void your home owners insurance in case of a fire.

The cause to the problem was replacing a HUNTER fan switch with a Hampton Bay switch. Before removing the old switch, I noted and marked the color and position of the 4 wires. I then duplicated the connections to the new switch.

But the wire positions of Hampton Bay vs Hunter are not identical, therefore 2 wires
were crossed.

The correct way is to note the color of the wires with the corresponding NUMBER
marked on the switches, then duplicate this on the new one.

Du-uh!