I can only imagine being in a hot environment, sweat dripping all over the body from the excess heat, and then you decide to switch the ceiling on to cool the body down. The ceiling fan then fails to respond or starts moving its fans slowly. Sadly this happens to many people, and this problem can be corrected. Below are some ways to make these ceiling fans faster when they slow down.
The fans are vital in our homes, and when they develop issues and either break down or get slower, it causes devastation to the users. I have highlighted the different ways one can improve the speed of the fans and the possible causes that may lead to the fans slowing down.
I have designed some solutions to this horrible situation of slow fans that one may have found himself in. I have come up with ways someone can get their fans moving faster again and hence improve their conditions in the living space below.
5 Effective Ways To Make Ceiling Fan Faster: Proven Techniques
If an individual finds themselves in this unfamiliar situation, knowing the easiest ways of increasing their fans’ speeds will be essential. Here the aim is to get ways that will help improve the situation and increase speed for the fans.
Way 1: Lubricate The Fan
It is important to note that a fan is a machine, and all devices require lubrication to operate at an optimum level. Failure to lubricate makes the blade very difficult to move and thus develops into slow speeds by the fans. I have highlighted steps to enable proper lubrication.
Step 1: Acquire Oil Lubricant
Start by ensuring that one has the correct oil lubricant. The lubricant should be suitable for the machine parts. The fan owners have to ensure they get the appropriate oil for the job because many types of oil are available. Get the correct oil for the job to make it easy for the machine.
Step 2: Apply The Oil On The Bearings
Identify the fan’s bearings and pour some onto the bearings. This should yield results immediately. The fan will be back to running as fast as before and check to see whether other parts require lubrication.
Way 2: Balance The Blades
Blades can become slow in movement as a result of being unbalanced. Lack of balance makes one side of the fan heavier than the other. This makes it difficult for the blades to move due to the imbalance. Below are ways in which someone can balance them out in case they are imbalanced.
Step 1: Cleaning The Blades
Start by cleaning the blades by wiping them with a clean cloth. This is because the blades get dirty by dust that usually floats around the fan. These lumps of dust affect how the blades rotate around and thus make them heavier.
Step 2: Balance The Blades
Imbalanced blades usually occur when dry-rated fans are installed in a wet area. The effect being these blades develop rusting after a while. This results in having unbalanced blades because of the weight difference. The solution is to attach small weights onto the fan blades evenly to balance the weights evenly.
Way 3: Replace The Pull Chain Switch
Many fans come with pull chains that enable the adjustment of the speed of the blades. These pull chains usually get damaged and fail to change the pace as they should. When this happens, it shows the need for the pull chain switch to be removed and replaced.
Step 1: Turn The Fan Off And Open The Cover
The first thing to do is switch off the fan to ensure there will be no electrocution. Proceed to unscrew the fan’s cover on its hub to access the pull chain. Ensure the wires do not touch each other as they are opened up.
Step 2: Unscrew The Chain Switch
Here, detach the existing chain switch, which has developed a problem. A new button will then be attached to the fan. Someone will then close the fan’s cover and switch it back on. At this point, the blades should be going very fast when you increase the speeds.
Way 4: Replace The Capacitor
When a fan develops an issue, the most likely suspect is the capacitor, as it’s easily damaged in the fan. I have shown steps below that someone can follow to remove a capacitor and engage a new one into the fan.
Step 1: Get The Replacement
Start by ensuring that the replacement for the capacitor is available and they should be from the same manufacturer. Proceed to take a photo of the existing capacitor, this is to minimize the risk of buying the wrong capacitor.
Step 2: Switch Off The Fan And Open The Cover
The fan needs to be switched off to avoid electrocution. The next step is to carefully unscrew the cover of the hub containing the capacitor to avoid damaging the existing wires.
Step 3: Detach The Wires
The wires from the spoilt capacitor can be used in the new capacitor, and remember to practice caution here to get the wire combinations right. This avoids a situation where one turns the fan on and damages the wires or the new capacitor due to faulty connections.
Way 5: Replace The Speed Controllers
It’s possible to find out that the issues with the fan are not really on the fan itself but the device controlling the speed of the fans. The remotes or the control systems may have an issue that must be checked. I have shown below how to go around this challenge when it occurs.
Confirm that the remotes used to operate the fan belong to the same manufacturer as the fan. This is because most users have remotes incompatible with their current fans. Controlling the speed becomes problematic because of their different speed levels.
4 Steps To Troubleshoot Ceiling Speed Problem To Make Faster
Everyone desires to have a proper functional fan. If it malfunctions, it is crucial to know the exact problem. This is so that one may get a lasting solution to the challenge. I have shown some steps someone can follow to troubleshoot the speeding problem.
Step 1: Switch Off And Test
Switch off the fan and spin the fan’s blades in any direction. When a blade is seen to have difficulty moving, then that’s a sign of a bearing problem. The problem indicates there is a need for lubrication. The remedy is to lubricate the blades for them to move faster. This will be because it will be easier for them to move now.
Step 2: Accelerate The Speed
This speeding of the blades is usually done so that one can observe and listen to
any unusual buzzing sound. This sound may come out of the fan as it increases speed over time. A buzzing will indicate a failed capacitor that needs to be replaced.
Step 3: Check For Squealing Noises
When loud noises are coming, there is a bushing problem that needs to be addressed by lubrication. And if this does not work, the bushes require replacement to make them perform better.
Step 4: Check For Wobbles
Confirm whether the blades look stable or are slightly unstable, meaning one side is heavier than another. If they present this, the blades are unbalanced and must be balanced using equal weights. They may also have got damaged somehow, and they might require changing.
Reasons Why Your Ceiling Fan Running Less Faster
Various reasons can lead to a fan running slower than usual, and all of them are natural to machines. It’s also important to note that fans require some maintenance. It is therefore essential to ensure that they are checked occasionally. Below are some reasons that cause a fan to slow down.
- Lack Of Lubrication
A fan will get slower with time if it is not well-lubricated. The slow speed is because lubrication of the bearings makes the moves seamless and smooth. The lubricant helps the blades move around, and it’s important to note that no machine can operate without oil.
- A Defective Capacitor
This refers to a bad capacitor. A fan cannot run well when the capacitor has an issue. One will therefore have to change the capacitor to increase the fan’s speed to the level someone wants it to be at. It just cannot work without one.
- Rust And Dust
Dust particles are always floating around the blades. The dust forms bundles of dirt on the blades, making the blades’ movement difficult. This is because it will make the blades stuck as they go round, thus reducing the speed.
- A Stuck Pull Chain Stuck
I am very sure most of us have seen this occurring. The pull chain usually gets stuck on the fan. This usually makes the blades’ movement very difficult due to being between the blades. Once this happens, you must remove it to resume your desired speed.
4 Tips To Keep A Ceiling Fan Faster Always
No one will want to have a slow fan in the house or the office. It is therefore essential to learn some tips to ensure the ceiling fan is always running. I have highlighted some ways of keeping the fan fast below.
Tip 1: Lubricate Regularly
This means you will always have a bottle of oil in the house just in case you want to lubricate the fans. The bearings need regular lubrication so that they cannot get destroyed in the future due to not having oil lubricants.
Tip-2: Regularly Clean The Blades
Ensure that you wipe the blades to remove the dust particles that usually form when the dust particles are blown around the fan as it is rotating. This dirt usually makes it harder for the blades to move, reducing the speed around the bearing.
Tip-3: Avoid Objects Being Too Close To The Blades
This is so that the blades cannot get hit and suffer a dent, making it hard for them to balance out. These blades should be evenly balanced out, and in case of such damage, the only option is to remove the blades and install new ones.
Tip-4: Use Compatible Remotes For The Fans
Do not mix different manufacturers’ brands in the fans and the remote. When these two are different, the speed of the fans tends to be affected as the two have different modes of speed that they can use.
Related questions:
How Do You Fix A Ceiling Fan Speed Control To Make Faster?
Fixing the fan’s speed starts with turning off the fan’s power and unscrewing the kit’s cover. Continue to the fan’s speed control switch, where you will remove the switch using pliers. Notice the wiring pattern into the fan speed control or take a picture. This is important to avoid a wrong connection when replacing the wires.
Disconnect the switch and replace it with a replacement. Then continue to tie the nuts backup and connect the wires as they were in the previous photo. Proceed to then close the cover by screwing it around. You then go to the fan switch and switch it back on.
How Can You Increase The Speed Of Ceiling Fans?
Start by eliminating vibration in the blades where you ensure zero vibration moments. Proceed to lubricate the bearings then regularly, ensuring the bearings are well lubricated for smooth operations. You will proceed to clean the blades and test them.
You will then keep an eye on the fan’s pull chain switch and ensure it is appropriately fixed where it cannot cause problems. Pulling it to test whether it is working correctly is also crucial. You can also change the capacitor as this changes the fan’s performance.
How Do You Keep Your Ceiling Fan Running With Proper Balance?
Ensure all objects that can hit the fan and affect the blades’ balance are avoided. This is done to reduce the risk of exposure to damaging agents that can cause dents to blades and therefore make the fan unbalanced. When moving big objects in the room, one has to be careful not to touch the fans.
Regularly cleaning the fan and its blades is done so that the dust particles that assemble and collect as dirt are not there. This dirt usually comes together and becomes quite heavy and weighs down the fan due to the additional weight on the fan.
What Controls Ceiling Fan Speed?
The ceiling speed controls and capacitors control ceiling fan speed. The ceiling fan controls the speed by using the different settings that it possesses, and they have a low to a high level. These different levels are used to achieve the desired speeds by users.
The capacitors are the ones that essentially supply power to the motors. When a level of 50 Is set, the capacitor gives power to the amount requested. It can move the speed up to 100 depending on the make of the fan. When the capacitor is damaged, it can lead to slow speeds of the fans.
Can Ceiling Fan Run Without Capacitor?
It cannot run without a capacitor. The capacitor is the main component of a fan. It’s the fan’s engine because all the energy resources it needs come from the capacitor. Without it, the fan has no energy source and can’t function.
This is why when any malfunction or damage is done to the capacitor. It suffers wear and dramatically affects the fan’s running. And when a capacitor is new after replacement, the fan works differently. The performance levels significantly improve.
How Can You Make Your Ceiling Fan More Powerful?
Replacing the capacitor will make the ceiling fan more potent. When capacitors are replaced, they significantly increase the efficiency and quality of work the fan produces. The best way to thus increase power to a fan is to put a capacitor in place after some time.
You can also choose to replace the size of the blades and put in bigger, better blades. This change in size can significantly affect the overall power of the fan, as the bigger it is, the better airflow it generates for the users. It is a sure way of improving the ability of the fan.
How does fixing your slow ceiling fan cost to make it faster?
It depends on the type of repairs being done to the fan, and simple repairs can cost a maximum of $50. The expensive repairs and replacements can cost $200 per fan. It also varies depending on the fan you are increasing speed for.
This is because some brands are more expensive than others. The most costly replacement is that of the blades because capacitors are readily available and do not take too much money to acquire. The cost of lubricating oil is also relatively low, so it is not an expensive affair.
Final verdict:
We have shown in the article how to make ceiling fans faster. This is because the ceiling fan needs to adjust to the different speeds it has at all times, and that will be very beneficial to the users who rely on them to provide a much-needed breeze in a hot environment.
The fans, therefore, require proper maintenance so that they always operate at different speeds when needed. We have established that increasing the speed of your fans is very easy, and it should not trouble anyone anymore. You should now relax and enjoy the breeze resulting from the increase in the fans’ speed.
