Most ceiling fans are installed at locations where only lights existed before. Consequently, there is only one wall switch and one 120 Vac line available to power your fan and light. To turn your fan and light on independendently you have to use those cumbersome pull chains or add another wall switch for the fan and run a new wire between that switch and the fan. The Fan / Light Controller gives you independent control of the fan and the light by using your existing light switch in a simple "off" and "on" 3 - step sequence.