I don't know what the problem is

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navycop

navycop

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Joined
Nov 4, 2010
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I took down an old ceiling fan/light kit and repalced it with a newer one. I twisted the white-white, black and blue to black, green to bare. The light kit works but the fan does not turn. I thought maybe there was packing in it, but recall it turning when I put the blades on it. Any ideas? I has taken me a week to put it up (job and time constrants). The LOML is not happy.....
 
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That sounds like it should work to me.

Is that the same wiring scheme as the one you took down? Are all wires in the new one hooked up to something and the same number of wires in the old one as in the new one?
 
I'm sure that you've already tried this.... But because of safety factors, ceiling fans MUST BE SHIPPED from the mfg with the "chain switch" set to off.

I'd go through the pull chain selections one more time....the blue wire controls the lights, the black, the fan. If you connected blue and black from the fan to the house black and the light works, sounds like the fan's wiring or fan switch.
 
I bought a new fan from Lowe's a couple years ago and had to return it b/c a switch inside was bad. Cheap Lowe's fan. :( The replacement worked. But it's a pain to take one down and put another one up just b/c one stupid switch was bad.
 
frank123 said:
That sounds like it should work to me.

Is that the same wiring scheme as the one you took down? Are all wires in the new one hooked up to something and the same number of wires in the old one as in the new one?
Click to expand...

There was one more green wire. A green from the fan. A green from the house. And green from the bracket the fan screws to with the old fan didn't have. But I wirenuted them all to gether.
 
navycop said:
frank123 said:
That sounds like it should work to me.

Is that the same wiring scheme as the one you took down? Are all wires in the new one hooked up to something and the same number of wires in the old one as in the new one?
Click to expand...

There was one more green wire. A green from the fan. A green from the house. And green from the bracket the fan screws to with the old fan didn't have. But I wirenuted them all to gether.
Click to expand...

It sure sounds like you've done it correctly. Sounds like another cheap fan switch claims another victim.
 
Just a random thought. This fan doesn't connect to two, three way switches does it?

The wiring you described doesn't sound like it. I'm just try to help you keep from taking down the fan, returning to store, etc., because it sounds like a Harbor Breeze defective fan switch.
 
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PenMan1 said:
Just a random thought. This fan doesn't connect to two, three way switches does it?

The wiring you described doesn't sound like it. I'm just try to help you keep from taking down the fan, returning to store, etc., because it sounds like a Harbor Breeze defective fan switch.
Click to expand...

It hooks to a "regular" wall switch like the other one did. Pull the chain for the fan and pull the chain to operate the light. I have done a dozen of these in the past and never had this problem. It is a harbor bay from HD.
 
navycop said:
frank123 said:
That sounds like it should work to me.

Is that the same wiring scheme as the one you took down? Are all wires in the new one hooked up to something and the same number of wires in the old one as in the new one?
Click to expand...

There was one more green wire. A green from the fan. A green from the house. And green from the bracket the fan screws to with the old fan didn't have. But I wirenuted them all to gether.
Click to expand...

Yeah, all green should be real ground, and wiring them all together would seem the right thing to do.

I'd be becoming suspicious of a defective unit, like other posters have suggested.
 
Thanks everyone. Makes me feel confident that I didn't screw up.
By the way I did "cycle" the pull chain a few times as mentioned. Still nothing.
 
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The light coming on proves you have power to the unit. I'm betting bad switch. A builder friend got 3 ceiling fans, all 3 had bad switches. Switched brands to Hunter.....no more problems.
 
frank123 said:
navycop said:
frank123 said:
That sounds like it should work to me.

Is that the same wiring scheme as the one you took down? Are all wires in the new one hooked up to something and the same number of wires in the old one as in the new one?
Click to expand...

There was one more green wire. A green from the fan. A green from the house. And green from the bracket the fan screws to with the old fan didn't have. But I wirenuted them all to gether.
Click to expand...

Yeah, all green should be real ground, and wiring them all together would seem the right thing to do.

I'd be becoming suspicious of a defective unit, like other posters have suggested.
Click to expand...
Yeah, makes me wonder why the light would get power seeing as how it has to go through the fan first (or with the fan). Maybe i can just try hooking the fan up with out the light? If I take it down I might as well just take it in...
 
DAMHIKT, But did you pull on the black wire to the fan after installing the wire nut. Way too many times a wire will creep back and loose contact as the wire nut is tightened. That is why we instruct all our young men to pull on each wire after using a wire nut. You would be surprised just how many times one or more wires come sliding out of that dang contraption after I know they were all secured.

Charles
 
ctubbs said:
DAMHIKT, But did you pull on the black wire to the fan after installing the wire nut. Way too many times a wire will creep back and loose contact as the wire nut is tightened. That is why we instruct all our young men to pull on each wire after using a wire nut. You would be surprised just how many times one or more wires come sliding out of that dang contraption after I know they were all secured.

Charles
Click to expand...

Showoff:biggrin:

The new fan brackets are much easier for one person to install, but I still manage to pull a wire or two out of the nut on final "hanging". GOOD CALL, CHARLES!
 
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I can't remember for sure but it seems to me there were 2 white wires on the ones I installed separate neutrals to the light and to the fan because you could get the setup for just the fan or for the fan with the light...are you sure you got both neurtals connected....
 
I'm no electrician but if'n it were me I' check the power going in to the switch and coming out with a meter or such. Also, you might switch the wire going to the light to the fan just to see if it gets power that way.
 
I think the way the wiring was described he can't do that. Mine have separate wall switches for the fan and the lights so that would be an easy check but it sounds like his has just one (or maybe none).
 
Here is another thought, is there a male & female connector inside thats needs to be connected.....I have installed fans that have this
 
I found one of the old fans I had taken down. I hooked just the motor up and hung it on the bracket. It spun as soon as turned on the light switch. I am taking it back tomarrow. Thank you evryone for your help..
 
I'd take the one that you just bought back to BORG, along with the original reciept AND a bill for 3 hours of your time valued at $10 per hour. I'd take it the the "Contractor's desk". I'd be willing to bet that you leave with a complete cash refund AND a $30 card for merchandise credit.

My views are slanted, but the BORG and BBRG KNOW that some of the electrical product that they purchase (by the way, if you like BLUE giants or ORANGE giants, the electrical "fixtures' for both giants are made in the same factory) and unfortunately, they currently have a bit of a QC problem with switches.
 
PenMan1 said:
I'd take the one that you just bought back to BORG, along with the original reciept AND a bill for 3 hours of your time valued at $10 per hour. I'd take it the the "Contractor's desk". I'd be willing to bet that you leave with a complete cash refund AND a $30 card for merchandise credit.

My views are slanted, but the BORG and BBRG KNOW that some of the electrical product that they purchase (by the way, if you like BLUE giants or ORANGE giants, the electrical "fixtures' for both giants are made in the same factory) and unfortunately, they currently have a bit of a QC problem with switches.
Click to expand...
Ya know Andy, I sometimes get the impression that you have a little....just a little.... larceny in your heart.:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
 
Smitty37 said:
PenMan1 said:
I'd take the one that you just bought back to BORG, along with the original reciept AND a bill for 3 hours of your time valued at $10 per hour. I'd take it the the "Contractor's desk". I'd be willing to bet that you leave with a complete cash refund AND a $30 card for merchandise credit.

My views are slanted, but the BORG and BBRG KNOW that some of the electrical product that they purchase (by the way, if you like BLUE giants or ORANGE giants, the electrical "fixtures' for both giants are made in the same factory) and unfortunately, they currently have a bit of a QC problem with switches.
Click to expand...
Ya know Andy, I sometimes get the impression that you have a little....just a little.... larceny in your heart.:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
Click to expand...


Nope. Smitty, my heart is pure! My Mother-in-Law once said to my wife "Andy would give me the shirt of his back if I told him that I needed it". My wife said, "YES, he would, BUT, he'd do the same for that homeless man, over there." "Mama" frowned and said "Yes, he would!" She was mad at me for nearly two years!

I WON'T say that I have "inside information", BECAUSE I DON'T! But, (in NASCAR TERMS, both the "20" store AND the "48" store), know that they may have issues with some of their electrical fixtures (made in the same factory).

Steve, the Manager of my GIANT HOME IMPROVEMENT STORE, who understands that there IS likely a problem with some of the switches on his "moving electrical fixtures" (translated as ceiling fan chain switches) would rather GIVE ME A MERCHANDISE CREDIT for dealing with some DEFECTIVE crap that he had NO PART in making, than to explain to Brittany, his 11 year old daughter, that he can't sit at the dinner table BECAUSE HE HAD FIVE PALM LEAF FAN BLADES impeding his ability to SIT!:biggrin:
 
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