Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Ceiling Fan Troubleshooting Guide

Ceiling Fan Troubleshooting Guide


Ceiling fans provide a cooling breeze during the summer and use little in the way of electricity and resources. Ceiling fans, if installed incorrectly, can display a wide array of familiar issues, such as wobbling and a strange humming. Knowing troubleshoot your ceiling fan will keep you cool and worry free throughout the summer.


Not starting


If the fan is not working check to see if the circuit breaker for the room is turned on. A circuit breaker can turn itself off if there is a power surge. When attempting to turn on a ceiling fan from a remote, check to make sure the fan turns on by manually pulling its cords. If it does, then change the batteries in the remote. If the fan still does not turn on, check to make sure the wires are connected properly. Make sure to turn off the circuit breaker before doing so to prevent shock. If any of the wires are disconnected, then reconnect according to the instruction manual. If any of the wires look frayed or damaged replace them immediately.


Noise


A common problem in fans is when they sound noisy. Check to make sure all the screws in the motor housing of the fan are tight. Over-tightening them can also cause noise to screw them in until the are tight, but do not force. If the motor screws are tight, check that all the screws for the fan blades are secure. Wobbling blades can cause noise and will damage the fan over time. Check that all the connectors on the inside of the housing of the fan are properly secure and not hitting together. This can cause a rattling noise. See that all the light bulbs are screwed in tight if the fan has lights. If you are hearing a noise after initially installing the fan allow it some time to break in.


Wobbling


If the fan is wobbling back and forth or up and down make sure the blades of the fan are tightly screwed into their holders and that the holders are secured to the motor of the fan. Also check that all the blades are at an equal level to the ceiling. You can check this by taking a measuring tape and running it down from the ceiling to the bottom of each blade to make sure their measurements are similar. If the blades are angled take the measurement from the lowest angle. Try switching around the blades to redistribute weight if the wobbling continues.

Tags: circuit breaker, make sure, cause noise, Ceiling fans, Ceiling Troubleshooting, Ceiling Troubleshooting Guide, check make