Ceiling Fans
If you lot take ever felt a ceiling fan shortly after it has been running for a piece, it is likely that the metallic of the fan may be uncomfortably warm. This is natural since fans employ mechanical energy too generate friction patch doing so. However, it is possible for a ceiling fan to get too hot.
In this article, nosotros look at the causes and signs of overheating too as thermal fuses, which are designed to mitigate the risk associated amongst estrus product inward ceiling fans.
Ceiling fans unremarkably generate oestrus. Increased friction from excessive use or lack of lubrication can cause overheating. Faulty wiring, dust, dimmer switches, too hanging things from the fan tin too cause overheating. Signs of overheating include fume, dissonance, piteous operation, together with beingness hot to bear on.
Ceiling Fans Do Generate Heat
Like lightbulbs, motors are not 100% efficient. Although the majority of the run output of motors is transferred into mechanical free energy, roughly of this energy is lost every bit estrus through friction.
The efficiency together with rut output of motors varies according to the type of motor. Ceiling fan motors come in AC in addition to DC types. air conditioning ceiling fan motors are less efficient simply cheaper than DC motors, as well as they are currently the almost commonly used inwards ceiling fans.
Because they are less efficient, AC motors have higher heat outputs. They can attain temperatures of 150 °F (lx °C) merely they are designed to withstand these temperatures.
DC ceiling fan motors, on the other mitt, are more than efficient (85-xc% more efficient), in addition to they generate less rut, reaching upwardly to only ninety °F (32 °C).
Regardless of the type of ceiling fan motor, ceiling fan motors are leap to go hot due to the fact that approximately of their energy is lost through friction.
However, temperatures in a higher place the ones stated for each type of ceiling fan motor would point overheating of your ceiling fan, as would your ceiling fan ceasing to office on all speeds.
What Causes Ceiling Fans to Overheat?
Increased Friction Produces Heat
As mentioned before, friction plays a major function inward the rut generation associated with motors.
When a motor is described every bit 85% efficient, the remaining fifteen% of the energy produced past the motor is converted into estrus.
The scientific discipline of this involves the increased speed at which molecules of the surfaces undergoing friction are moving. This faster move of molecules agency more than thermal energy is released.
Friction is normal but at that place are certain situations in which the total or duration of friction increases, which tin Pb to overheating.
1. Ceiling Fans Should Not Run Non-Stop
You may find that when rubbing your hands together for a prolonged catamenia of time, they may become uncomfortably hot. This same rule applies to ceiling fans.
When they are function, especially at high speeds, 24/vii, the friction is increased, which as well generates a lot of oestrus. This increased friction amongst no breaks tin cause a motor to overheat.
While you lot shouldn’t exit your fan on permanently throughout the summertime (or wintertime), leaving it on for several hours or fifty-fifty overnight should not drive overheating in addition to it should non increase the take a chance of burn down. Typically, it is rubber to function the fan for upward to 8 hours at a fourth dimension.
ii. Proper Lubrication Is Important
A crucial role of the moving components of a ceiling fan is lubrication.
Lubrication decreases friction by creating a thin cinema between the surfaces that would produce friction. This celluloid smoothes the surface, which reduces friction.
This reduction of friction increases the efficiency of the motor in addition to reduces the estrus output.
If your ceiling fan is not self-lubricating, it is strongly encouraged to go on up alongside the oiling maintenance that an efficient ceiling fan requires.
A ceiling fan without proper lubrication volition generate more rut, increasing the chances of the motor overheating.
Improper Wiring Can Cause Overheating
If the wire connections in your ceiling fan are faulty, this greatly increases the chances of your ceiling fan motor overheating.
Wires are used to safely and rapidly transfer electric free energy from one place to some other. When at that place are faulty connections, electric free energy is escaping from the wires. The electric energy dissipates every bit rut, which tin build upward in addition to campaign the motor to overheat.
Dust Can Prevent the Fan From Cooling
Because ceiling fans tin be hard to attain, it can be difficult to go on up with cleaning them. This leads to the buildup of dust on the blades of the fan as well every bit on in addition to inward the motor housing.
Dust on top of a device that produces heat can be unsafe since it tin deed every bit insulation. In something like a dryer duct or basement, insulation is viewed equally something positive since it allows for oestrus to be contained. But an insulated motor is not a expert situation.
The dust insulation volition go far harder for heat to escape into the air surrounding the motor housing, pregnant that it volition construct upwardly faster inside the motor. This leads to an increased adventure of the fan motor overheating.
Dimmer Switch Can cause Overheating
A dimmer switch is a handy improver to a ceiling fan with lights as you lot tin can control the level of brightness too, thence, the ambiance of the room. Unfortunately, non all dimmer switches are compatible amongst ceiling fans. The average one is exclusively made for a touchstone light fixture.
When a dimmer switch for a low-cal is used on a ceiling fan, it may overload your ceiling fan’sec circuit and effort harm to the motor, including overheating.
Additionally, a dimmer switch at the highest setting tin brand the contact in the fan melt from high voltage. This can besides damage the motor as well as fifty-fifty crusade fires inwards extreme situations.
Hanging Items From the Blades Can Stress the Motor
Although it may seem like a groovy thought to hang a damp shirt from a fan to dry it, the added weight to the fan blades tin effort unnecessary stress on the ceiling fan motor.
Because the blades are unbalanced as well as the added weight must be counteracted past more operate from the motor, the motor must go much harder. This increased postulate from the motor tin can movement it to overheat.
The big rut output as well as increased temperatures that stem from a stressed motor, or i that is overheating for whatsoever other argue, can movement the thermal fuse to trip.
Most Ceiling Fans Come With a Thermal Fuse
A thermal fuse is a device inwards virtually fans manufactured today that cuts off power to the fan when the temperature of the motor is also high.
This temperature is commonly about 260 F° (126 C°) which is much higher than the threshold for overheating for both AC in addition to DC motors.
A thermal fuse does not forbid the fan from overheating since the temperature at which it activates is far past the threshold for overheating.
Instead, it prevents farther damage together with fires by shutting off the power to the fan.
With about thermal fuses, the motor is allowed to cool downwardly as well as volition survive the ordeal, simply with others, the fuse does not reset as well as the motor is unusable.
Signs the Ceiling Fan Is Overheating
Persistent Smell
Although a new ceiling fan may smell a bit, a smoky odour tin can betoken an overheating ceiling fan motor. This smoky olfactory property may besides be coupled amongst visible smoke.
The smell does non have to live smoky. It could but be a pungent, unnatural odor.
Noisy Ceiling Fan
Although it is perfectly natural for a ceiling fan to brand or so racket, there are just about noises that tin can signal problems amongst the ceiling fan, including an overheating motor.
A few of the problems stated to a higher place, including the dimmer switch and faulty wiring, postulate electricity. Overheating of the motor due to these issues would nigh probable live indicated by a buzzing, electric audio.
A stressed motor, similar 1 that has something hanging off of it, would virtually probable make grinding sounds.
Noises similar these coupled with odors can bespeak an overheated motor.
Only One Speed Is Working
An overheating motor is likely to not be working properly or at its best. Because of this, it is probable to perform solely at its lowest speed or not live able to modify between speeds.
If y'all observe that your ceiling fan’second speed is stuck at ane degree, too peculiarly if there are strange sounds together with smells occurring, it is likely that your ceiling fan’second motor is overheating.
Fan Is Hot to Touch
Feeling the fan itself may live the best fashion to cheque if the motor is overheating.
It is of import to live careful since ceiling fan motors tin become actually hot.
If the fan is abnormally hot to the touch on, particularly if the speed is malfunctioning as well as there are strange smells as well as noises, your ceiling fan motor is overheating.
If you lot are out when the ceiling fan starts to overheat, then yous volition miss all the initial signs together with it tin pose a risk.
Sources
https://shieldoils.com/how-does-lubrication-bring down-friction/
https://smarthomestarter.com/tin-a-dimmer-switch-command-a-ceiling-fan/
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