A pull chain switch that stops working on a Hunter ceiling fan light kit is frustrating because the fan itself is usually fine. The motor runs, the blades spin, and everything else operates normally. But the light will not respond no matter how many times you pull the chain, and depending on whether the switch failed in the open or closed position, the light is either stuck off permanently or stuck on and impossible to turn off without cutting power at the wall. If you have the Hunter model 78672 with the 98547-01 light kit, this article covers every realistic option for getting your light working again, from a five-dollar switch replacement you can do in an afternoon to a remote control upgrade that eliminates the pull chain problem entirely and adds functionality you did not have before.
Before getting into the specific solutions it helps to understand what actually failed and why. The light pull chain switch on a Hunter ceiling fan light kit is a simple two-wire single-pole single-throw switch. It has two positions: circuit closed, which means the light is on, and circuit open, which means the light is off. Every time you pull the chain, the switch mechanism toggles between those two states. The internal mechanism consists of a small ratcheting plastic rotor that clicks between positions each time the chain is pulled. That plastic rotor is the weak point. Over years of use, the teeth on the rotor wear down, the spring tension weakens, or the plastic body of the switch cracks under the mechanical stress of repeated pulls. When it fails, the switch either stops completing the circuit entirely, gets stuck in one position, or becomes intermittent where sometimes pulling the chain works and sometimes it does not. A switch that has reached this point cannot be repaired by lubricating it or adjusting anything. It needs to be replaced or bypassed.
The good news is that this is one of the least expensive repairs in the ceiling fan world. The light pull chain switch is a commodity component that is standardized across the industry, and the most common replacement fits Hunter light kits including the 98547-01 without any modification. What follows are your four realistic options, explained in enough detail to let you decide which one fits your situation and skill level.
Option One — Replace the Pull Chain Switch Directly
Replacing the pull chain switch is the fastest and least expensive fix, and it is the right starting point for anyone who wants to restore the original pull chain setup. The replacement switch you need is a Zing Ear ZE-109, which is a two-wire on-off pull chain switch that has become the de facto industry standard replacement for light pull chains across Hunter, Harbor Breeze, Hampton Bay, Casablanca, and most other ceiling fan brands. You will find it at Home Depot and Lowe’s in the ceiling fan parts section for around five to eight dollars. It is also available on Amazon in single and multi-packs, which makes sense to buy in multiples since pull chain switches on fans of the 78672’s age will eventually fail on all the fans in your home if they have not already.
The ZE-109 comes with two pre-installed wire leads extending from the switch body, a threaded collar that secures the switch into the housing opening, and a replacement pull chain already attached. The switch body is a small cylinder roughly the size of a large eraser. The threaded collar screws onto the outside of the switch body and tightens against the housing wall from the inside, holding the switch in place. The chain hangs below the housing through the collar opening. This design is the same across virtually all ceiling fan light switches, which is why a single replacement model covers such a wide range of fan brands and generations.
To do the replacement, start by turning off power at the breaker that feeds the fan circuit. Do not rely on the wall switch alone since some installations leave the neutral wire energized even when the switch is off. Use a non-contact voltage tester at the light kit if you have one to confirm the circuit is dead before touching anything. With power confirmed off, lower the light kit housing far enough to access the interior. On the 98547-01 light kit this means removing the glass shade first by unscrewing the retaining ring or collar that holds it to the bottom of the switch housing. Set the shade aside somewhere safe because replacement shades for older Hunter light kits can be difficult to find. Once the shade is off, look at how the switch housing attaches to the light kit body. On most Hunter light kits in this family the switch housing either unclips from the light kit body with a quarter turn or is held by two or three small screws around its perimeter. Remove the screws or rotate the housing to release it and lower it carefully, since the wires connecting it to the light kit are short and you do not want to pull them free of their connectors.
With the switch housing accessible, locate the pull chain switch mounted in the housing wall. You will see the chain hanging through a hole in the bottom of the housing and the switch body threaded into that hole from the inside, with the wire leads from the switch connected to the internal light circuit wiring via wire nuts. Before disconnecting anything, note which wires are connected to the switch leads. On a two-wire light switch the connections are not polarity-sensitive, meaning it does not matter which lead connects to which wire, but noting the existing setup before disassembly avoids any confusion during reassembly. Remove the wire nuts and separate the switch leads from the circuit wires. Unscrew the threaded collar from the outside of the housing to release the switch body, and pull the old switch out through the inside of the housing.
Feed the new ZE-109 through the housing opening from the inside, thread the collar onto the switch body from the outside, and tighten it snug against the housing wall. Reconnect the two wire leads from the new switch to the same circuit wires using new wire nuts. Tuck the wires back into the housing, reattach the switch housing to the light kit body, reinstall the glass shade, and restore power at the breaker. Test the new switch before considering the job done, and if it does not respond, confirm the wire nut connections are fully seated before assuming the switch itself is defective.
One thing to be aware of before ordering is the thread size of the collar opening in your 98547-01 housing. The ZE-109 uses a half-inch threaded collar which fits the vast majority of Hunter light kit housings from this era, but confirming that the opening in your housing matches before ordering saves a potential return trip. The thread size of the original switch can be measured with a thread gauge or by taking the old switch to a hardware store and matching it against a display unit. If the thread size does not match the ZE-109, Zing Ear makes several variants including the ZE-109M which has a different collar configuration, and ceiling fan switch specialty retailers like ceilingfanswitch.com stock the full Zing Ear range specifically for replacement applications like this one.
While you have the housing open, it is worth looking at the condition of the socket and wiring inside the 98547-01 housing. Ceiling fan light kits of this age can develop other issues alongside switch failure, including corroded socket contacts, cracked wire insulation from heat exposure, and worn wire nut connections that have worked loose over time. Addressing any of these while the housing is already open costs nothing extra in labor and prevents a second repair trip in the near future.
Option Two — Replace the Entire Light Kit Assembly
If examining the 98547-01 housing reveals damage beyond just the switch, or if the switch failure occurred because the housing itself cracked or the switch opening became stripped and will not accept a new switch body, replacing the complete light kit assembly is the cleaner path. This approach also makes sense if the wiring inside the housing has deteriorated to the point where individual repairs to the switch and wiring together would cost more time and effort than a replacement assembly.
The first place to check for a compatible replacement assembly is Hunter’s own parts portal at hunterfan.com. Entering the model number 78672 in the parts finder returns whatever components Hunter currently lists as available for that fan, including light kit assemblies if any remain in their inventory. For a fan of the 78672’s production era, Hunter’s stock of original-specification parts may be limited, but it is worth checking before moving to third-party sources. If the hunterfan.com parts finder does not return the 98547-01 or a listed compatible replacement, call Hunter customer service directly. The phone-based support team can sometimes cross-reference vintage model numbers to currently available compatible assemblies that do not appear in the online database, particularly for light kit components that share mounting hardware across multiple fan families.
For third-party sourcing, eReplacementParts.com and Fix.com are the two most reliable platforms for Hunter parts outside of Hunter’s own channel. Both use model number lookup tools that cross-reference compatible parts and provide real-time availability information. Fix.com in particular maintains a customer question and answer system for each part listing where you can ask directly whether a specific light kit assembly fits the 78672 model number before placing an order. This is useful for vintage Hunter fans where the compatibility list on the product page may not exhaustively cover every model the part will physically fit. Fix.com’s parts team has historically provided accurate fitment answers for vintage Hunter models within a business day of the question being submitted.
When evaluating a replacement light kit assembly for the 78672, three dimensions determine whether the kit will mount and function correctly. The first is the mounting collar diameter where the light kit connects to the bottom of the motor housing, which must match the port on the 78672 motor body. The second is the wire connector type that links the light kit to the fan’s internal wiring, which on Hunter fans of this era is typically a two-pin quick-connect plug or a pair of bare wire leads depending on the production run. The third is the socket type, which affects what bulbs you can use and whether a dimmer circuit will work correctly with your choice of bulb. Confirming all three before ordering avoids a situation where the kit arrives, physically mounts, but cannot be wired in, or where it wires in correctly but the socket does not accept the bulbs you already own.
For light kit assemblies that are confirmed discontinued through Hunter and unavailable through Fix.com and eReplacementParts.com, eBay is a productive secondary market for new-old-stock Hunter light kit components. Searching the part number 98547-01 directly will surface any listings from sellers who have the original assembly in stock. Searching the model number 78672 alongside terms like light kit and Hunter will capture additional listings where the part is described by the fan it came from rather than by the part number itself. New-old-stock Hunter light kit assemblies in this price range typically sell for ten to thirty dollars on eBay, which is comparable to or lower than the cost of a new generic replacement of equivalent quality.
Option Three — Install a Remote Control Kit and Eliminate the Pull Chain
A failed pull chain switch is a reasonable occasion to stop replacing something that will eventually fail again and instead install a remote receiver that takes the pull chain out of the equation permanently. A remote control kit adds a receiver inside the fan canopy that intercepts the power supply before it reaches the fan motor and light kit. The receiver then distributes power to the fan and light independently based on signals from a handheld remote. Once a receiver is installed, the pull chain switches for both the fan speed and the light become non-functional because the power supply no longer passes through them. The remote takes over all control functions, and the pull chains simply hang unused. This is not a workaround. It is a legitimate and common upgrade that Hunter itself sells receiver kits to support.
Hunter’s own remote ecosystem for fans in the 78672’s generation centers on the 99122 receiver paired with the 99119 handheld remote. The 99122 is a receiver-only unit that installs in the fan canopy and connects to the ceiling supply wiring on one side and to the fan motor and light kit on the other. The 99119 remote communicates with the receiver at 303 MHz and provides three fan speeds, a fan off function, and a light on-off toggle. This is the OEM Hunter solution for adding remote control to fans in this family, and it is the combination Hunter’s own documentation references for compatible fans from this production era. The 99122 receiver and 99119 remote are available through hunterfan.com, Amazon, and ceiling fan parts retailers. If you already have a 99119 remote in the home from another Hunter fan and want to add only the receiver, the 99122 is sold as a standalone unit.
One important compatibility note with the Hunter 99122 system is the operating frequency. The 99122 receiver operates at 303 MHz, and its paired remote must also operate at 303 MHz. If you purchase a universal remote that operates at 434 MHz, which is the more common frequency for newer universal remotes, it will not communicate with the 99122 receiver even if the pairing process appears to go through. Frequency mismatches between receivers and remotes are the most common source of installation frustration with Hunter remote systems, and confirming that both units operate at the same frequency before purchasing eliminates that problem entirely. If you are buying an aftermarket remote to pair with an existing 99122 receiver, Anderic makes a confirmed-compatible replacement at 303 MHz and documents the compatibility explicitly on their product listing.
Universal remote kits offer a broader range of options for fans in the 78672’s category. Kits marketed as compatible with Hunter models 99122, 99123, and 99600 are widely available from Amazon and ceiling fan parts retailers in the twenty to forty dollar range for the complete receiver and remote combination. These kits include the receiver, the handheld remote, wire connectors, mounting hardware, and installation instructions, and they pair through a self-learning process that does not require DIP switch configuration on most current models. The installation process for a universal kit is the same as for the Hunter 99122 system: mount the receiver inside the canopy, connect the ceiling supply wires to the receiver input leads, connect the receiver output leads to the fan motor and light kit, restore power at the breaker, and run the pairing sequence documented in the kit instructions.
The receiver body on most kits is compact enough to fit inside the canopy of any standard Hunter fan from this era without modification. The wiring connections at the receiver follow a consistent logic: ceiling black to receiver black input, ceiling white to receiver white input, receiver black output to fan black motor lead, receiver blue output to light kit blue lead, and white neutral shared through the connection. These connections are labeled on the receiver itself and documented in the installation instructions, making the wiring process straightforward for anyone comfortable working in a junction box.
If you run multiple ceiling fans in adjacent rooms and are concerned about one remote controlling the wrong fan, both the Hunter 99122 system and most universal kits address this through individual pairing. Each receiver learns the specific signal of the remote it is paired with, and re-pairing individual receivers while other fans are powered off ensures each receiver responds only to its designated remote. This is a five-minute process that eliminates cross-room interference permanently. It is worth doing at installation time for any home where multiple remote-controlled fans are within radio range of each other, which in a typical house means any fans on the same floor or on adjacent floors.
Beyond solving the pull chain problem, adding a remote receiver to the 78672 gives you light dimming capability that the original pull chain setup does not provide, assuming you are using dimmable bulbs. The light circuit on most Hunter remote receivers supports dimming through a press-and-hold function on the light button, which gradually adjusts brightness in either direction and holds at the selected level when you release the button. For bedrooms and living rooms where adjustable lighting is desirable, this is a meaningful improvement over an on-off-only pull chain. Use dimmable LED bulbs to take advantage of this feature, and confirm that the bulbs are rated for use with ceiling fan remote receivers since some dimmable LEDs designed for standard wall dimmers behave differently on fan receiver circuits.
Option Four — Wire the Light Permanently On as a Temporary Measure
If you need the light working immediately and are waiting for parts to arrive, there is a bypass approach that requires no new parts and takes about ten minutes. With power off at the breaker, open the light kit housing and locate the two wire leads from the failed pull chain switch. Disconnect both leads from the circuit wires, remove the old switch from the housing, and connect the two circuit wires directly to each other using a wire nut. This closes the light circuit permanently, putting the light in a continuously on state whenever the wall switch or breaker supplies power to the fan. The light will turn on when the wall switch is on and off when the wall switch is off, with no independent control from the pull chain or any other light-specific switch.
This approach gets the light working immediately and is electrically safe. What it eliminates is independent control of the light separate from the fan, which becomes inconvenient quickly in a bedroom or any space where running the fan with the light off is a common preference. Using the wall switch to manage the light also means the fan stops every time you turn the light off unless the fan has a separate wall switch circuit, which the 78672 typically does not in a standard installation. The fan speed setting also resets every time power is cut and restored, which means you have to pull the fan speed chain to your preferred speed each time you turn the wall switch back on. For these reasons the bypass is a practical temporary measure while you wait for a replacement switch to arrive, but it is not a workable permanent state for most households. The proper repair is a new ZE-109 switch, a replacement light kit assembly, or a remote receiver kit depending on which path you decide to take.
Which Option Makes the Most Sense
For most owners of the Hunter 78672 with the 98547-01 light kit, the ZE-109 switch replacement is the right first move. It costs under ten dollars, is available locally without waiting for shipping, and restores the fan to its original operating condition in under an hour. If you pick up the switch at Home Depot or Lowe’s on the way home, the repair can be done the same day the pull chain fails. Buy two while you are there. The second switch costs the same as the first and will be waiting in a drawer the next time a pull chain switch fails on any fan in your home, which based on the age of the 78672 is a near certainty within the next few years.
If you have been meaning to add remote control to this fan and the pull chain failure is a reasonable trigger to make that happen, the Hunter 99122 receiver with the 99119 remote is the OEM-aligned choice for this fan generation. Universal kits compatible with the 99122 system are available at lower price points if you prefer to spend less, and they install identically. Either way the remote upgrade permanently solves the pull chain problem, adds dimming capability, and gives you full control of the fan from anywhere in the room.
For all parts lookups specific to the model 78672 and the 98547-01 light kit, start at hunterfan.com, move to Fix.com and eReplacementParts.com for anything not available through Hunter directly, and check eBay for new-old-stock original parts if third-party sources do not have what you need. Hunter’s customer service line is worth a call for vintage model cross-referencing if the online parts finder does not return a direct match for your model number. Having both the fan model number 78672 and the light kit part number 98547-01 ready when you call will make that conversation faster and more productive.