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Ceiling Fans are "GREEN"
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Why they are Beneficial and How to choose the one that's right for You.
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It wasn't until the late 1970's until people began noticing that these energy-efficient ceiling fans were a much cheaper alternative to
air-conditioning. And as we all know today, not only cheaper but more eco-friendly. In the present day, we now have several types of
ceiling fans, which vary in shape, size, and devices. They are used residentially, commercially, and industrially and will continue to grow
and change for years to come.
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 ♦INDUSTRIAL
& COMMERCIAL CEILING FANS♦
It is important that commercial and industrial fans are powerful and long-lasting. They push out much more air than traditional ceiling fans and are used in many offices,
factories, and other establishments. Besides being bigger than residential fans, they are different in other ways as well. In the picture to the
right, you notice that there are only 3 blades. They are manufactured with only 3 because, unlike residential fans, they
are operated with an exceedingly high speed. Therefore, the weight of more than three blades would use more electricity, as well as put
more stress on the motor, causing it to burn out more quickly. Unlike residential fans, decoration is not a concern. They are
usually produced only in the colors black, white, or gray. As you can see in the photograph, it is simplified to the bare necessities: a long down-rod
3 large blades, and an electric motor.
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All fans are made up of the same basic parts: |
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A.
electric motor~
in the center of the fan; the control center for all of the other parts.
Gets
its energy source from a few different alternatives, differ in noise
levels, and vary in sizes and strength (see motor size).
B. motor housing~ mainly used on residential fans, it is
a decorative covering to conceal the motor. In association with the motor
housing, the switch housing is also used to hide the inner-workings
of the fan. Also known as a “switch cup,” the switch housing is metal
cylinder installed underneath and in the center of the motor. Its
purpose is to hide and protect wires, switches, capacitors, etc. 
C. blades~ the paddles positioned around the fan that force the
air to circulate.
Are attached to motor by blade irons⒟
and a flywheel⒠,
or rotor. They vary
in material, size, and amount. As mentioned above, residential fans
generally have four to five blades, while commercial fans generally
use three.
♦
blade materials ~
wood, metal, plastic,
and MDF*. Most popular
residentially, are wood blades. Many kinds of wood can be used, such as
cherry, oak, walnut, maple, teak, etc. Though the weights can slightly vary
from one another, the
consumer usually decides the kind of wood by its color,
since it’s being used in a home. Plastic blades (typically made of
fiberglass) and the metal blades
are used industrially and commercially. |
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D. blade irons~
also known as “blade brackets,” “blade arms,” “blade holders,” or
“flanges.” These are the metal supports that hold the blades to the motor.
E. flywheel~ a metal or a tough rubber ring that attaches the
blade irons to the shaft of the motor. The inside of the ring fastens to
the shaft with a lock screw, while the outside of the ring connects to the
blade irons with bolts. A substitution for the flywheel is a “dropped
flywheel,” which is mounted below the fan’s motor housing, as
opposed to level with the motor housing.
F. downrod~ the pipe used to hang the fan from the ceiling. They come
in all different lengths, depending on whether the fans are for residential
or industrial use, or simply the height of the room.
G. canopy~ the piece that is mounted onto the ceiling, and connects
with the downrod.
rotor~
an
alternative part
of the fan; can be used instead of the blade irons. As opposed to attaching
the blades to the blade irons, the blade irons to the flywheel, and the
flywheel to the motor, the rotor connects the blades right into the motor.
This method decreases balance problems and more efficiently hides fasteners.
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*
“MDF” stands for “Medium Density Fiberboard.” This is an engineered wood,
that’s produced by breaking down
the wood and combining it with wax and resin. Recently, more
eco-friendly materials have been used such as, recycled paper, straw,
bamboo, steel, and glass. Most popularly the straw and bamboo are used, due
to their fast growth. Some of these blades are manufactured to be
moisture-resistant or flame-retardant. Definitely recommended given that
they can be less expensive than most
woods, they’re earth-friendly, reliable in strength yet flexible, and have a
lesser chance of splitting. |
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Mounting
Mechanisms, Brackets and Hardware; |
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ball-and-socket system~
a good mechanism for vaulted
ceilings since the piece that connects
to the downrod, moves freely which enables it to be placed on a slanted
ceiling.
close-to-ceiling mount~ similar to the ball-and-socket system. The
difference is that it connects from the canopy straight to the motor
housing, so that the whole fan can be attached to the mounting bracket.
J-hook system~ also known as the claw-hook system. A metal
hook is mounted to the ceiling with a metal bolt and then the fan is
attached to the hook. Usually a rubber bushing is placed in between the
hook and the bolt to minimize noise.
low ceiling adapter *
~ This is a must for rooms with low ceilings since there is no
need for a downrod. However, this adapter must be purchased separate from
the fan. |
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Many residential
ceiling fans are available with light fixtures.
Also known as “light kits,” these lights come in a few different
styles. |
Uplights~
installed on top of the motor, facing upward. They shine light upward onto
the ceiling.
Down lights~
light fixtures that are mounted below the motor and shine down, adding more
light to the room.
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Decorative light bulbs~
mounted inside the motor housing. In this case, the motor housing has glass
panels so when the light bulbs are switched on, the light shines through the glass. |
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Fans have assorted switches, which have many controls,
such as turning the fan on or off, adjusting the speed,
changing the blades’ direction,
and operating light fixtures that may be on the fan. |
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 pull
chain~ the original control for fans. It’s very basic,
controlling both the fan speed and the light fixtures. Usually a bead chain
or a cloth cord, the pull chain generally turns on the fan and goes directly
to the “high” position. After another pull, the fan slows down. It
continues this process until the fan turns back off. It usually cycles
through three speeds - high, medium, and low; but sometimes it can have from
one to four speeds.
wall-mounted~ 2 different types: ס
digital control
»
used for all of the fan’s functions; a
computerized wall control that needs no special wiring and has anywhere from
three to six speeds.
ס
choke
»
comes in different forms. It establishes how much power is being sent to
the fan, controlling how fast it spins.
variable-speed control~
a dial is mounted on the fan. Similar to a dimmer switch, this dial can be
rotated and the blades speed up or slow down depending on which way you turn
the dial, as opposed to having set speeds (high, medium, low…). This can be
installed in 3 different ways:
ס
the dial
can power the entire fan
»
speed,
off/on, and light fixtures.
ס
the dial
is accompanied by a pull chain
»
pull chain controls
whether it’s off or on while the dial controls the speed.
Light fixtures can be controlled by
either of them.
ס
dial and pull chain; pull
chain has two modes
»
¹
"high
power,” ²
“variable.” When the fan is in the “variable” mode, the dial can then
control the range of speed.
wireless remote control~
included with new luxury fans. Like any other remote control, it sends
frequencies that the fan recognizes and it operates accordingly. This can
also be purchased separately and installed into your current fan. |
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Ceiling Fans are
well-known for their Cooling Abilities,
but few know about their Heating
advantages... |
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HEATING (winter)
→
direction set clockwise, pulls air upward; takes advantage of hot air rising
and cold air sinking; pulls the cold air up from the floor to mix with the
warm air from the ceiling
COOLING (summer)
→
direction set counter-clockwise, air is blown downward; doesn’t
actually lower the temperature of the room, but it has a cooling effect
because the breeze helps evaporate sweat and keeps the air from feeling
thick
[side
note: all fans have an electrical switch that changes the direction of the
blades.] |
Usually the blades spin counter-clock wise.
This enables air to be propelled downward. This is how it keeps us cool in
the summer since it causes airflow in the room. Contrary to this “cooling
effect,” when the blades spin clock wise, it pulls the air up.
This is essential in the
winter since cold air sinks and hot air rises. This way, the fan pulls the
cold air up from the floor and combines it with the hot air from the
ceiling.
EXCEPTION: with
ceilings that are two or more stories high the directions would be reversed
(counter-clock wise →
winter;
clock-wise → summer).
This is because the ceiling
would be too far above the ground for the cooling effect, therefore hot air
must be pushed down in the winter and hot air pulled up in the
summer. |
Types of Ceiling Fans |
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“hugger" or a “low profile” fan
~
used for low ceilings,
goes hand-in-hand with the
*low-ceiling
adapter.
It’s installed just low enough that the blades don’t scrap the ceiling.
Cannot be used in a room with vaulted
ceilings.
“Outdoor ceiling fans”
~ meant for porches, sunrooms, or any other room that’s partially outdoors
since they are made of material that can endure cold, heat, and humidity.
It’s important that water cannot reach the fan or the motor; they should
have a rust-proof finish and non-warp blades.
“Spinner fans” and “Spinner-motor fans”
~ differ only in the fact that the spinner fan does not have a motor
housing. This is because spinner fans are primarily
industrial
fans.
“Direct-drive fans”
~ uses a “Spinner / Pancake”
motor and is designed with a
shell that circles around an immobile central piece. The blades are
connected to this shell.
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Along with different fans come
different motors... |
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“stack motor”
~ highly recommended due to its energy efficiency and its powerful drive.
It uses a basic stator (see vocab),
a ‘squirrel cage’ rotor, and
a standard flywheel.
“direct-drive motors”
~ least expensive to produce, yet they are the most likely to break and are
the noisiest. However, they have improved over the years and now standard
for today’s fans. There are a few types of these motors:
ס
Spinner motor
»
a.k.a. the “Pancake motor”; used in direct-drive fans. Designed with a
shell that circles around an immobile central piece. The blades are
connected to this shell. (see direct-drive fans.)
ס
Skeletal motor
»
the best of the direct-drive
motors; generally used in high-quality fans. They are developed with an
open “skeletal” design, which enables maximum ventilation resulting in an
extensive duration of the fan.
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FOR YOUR SAFETY:
When
installing a fan, it should be hung minimally seven feet off of the ground
to decrease risk of injury. However, depending on the activities that might
occur in the room, seven feet may not be high enough. For example, carrying
tall objects or high reaching can either damage the fan and/or cause injury.
“WHY
DOES MY FAN WOBBLE ?”:
When a fan wobbles, it is irrelevant to the
way the fan was mounted or the ceiling that the fan is mounted on.
Causes for wobbling include warped blades, bent blade irons, blades or blade
irons not being screwed on straight, or blades being different weights,
shapes, or sizes. Though a “balancing kit” is included with the purchase of
a ceiling fan, the kit is only capable of evening the weights of the blades
as opposed to fixing the other problems that cause this.
“DOES
WOBBLING CAUSE MY FAN TO FALL ?”:
No, your fan will not fall
from wobbling. When installed, a fan uses
clevis pins*, which are locked with
cotter pins*, to secure the fan. On
the other hand, light kits may loosen and possibly fall. Just make sure to
follow all directions carefully and completely. Also, use the appropriate
mounting screws and fasten them firmly. Light fixtures should be correctly
put together and securely fastened. It’s also important to sporadically
check its security, for instance making sure that it’s tight, undamaged,
etc.
*see vocab. |
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SOME EXTRA VOCAB to help you further understand the terminology of ceiling
fans and related topics.
Commuter ~
rotary electrical switch in certain types of electric motors that
periodically reverses the ‘current’ direction between the rotor and the
“external circuit" armature)
Torque ~ steady
rotating force
Stator ~ stationary
part of the rotor system; may act as a field magnet (or electromagnet)
interacting with the armature to create motion; may act as the armature
in some cases if positioned (manufactured?) in contact with the moving
field coils¤
on the rotor
¤
aka the field
winding; it energizes the electromagnet, aka the stator.
Armature
~ generally refers to one of
the two principle electrical components of a motor
Clevis pin∆
~ a type of fastener
that will allow rotation of the connected parts on the axis of the pin;
consists of a head, shank, and hole; secure and less apt to come loose
during vibration
Cotter pin∩
~ a metal fastener with two
‘tines’ that are bent during installation used to fasten metal together,
like a staple or rivet; typically made of thick wire with a half-circular
cross section; inserted through the hole of the clevis pin to keep it in
place after the assembly of the parts to be fastened
Balance ~
“auto-balancing fan”; uses a flexible disc that ensures fan blades
operate smoothly and evenly with each rotation – even when weighted,
tweaked, or warped
Safety ~ typically
weigh between 15 and 50 lbs; a
fan in motion exerts many additional stresses on the object in which it is
hung, causing an improper junction box
∂ to
fail; all ceiling fans must be supported by junction box to prevent this;
sometimes homeowners replace a light fixture on a fan without upgrading to a
proper junction box.
∂
An electrical junction box is a
container for electrical junctions, usually intended to conceal them from
sight and to some extent to eliminate tampering. It can be a small metal or
plastic container, such as those intended to form part of wiring, junction
boxes form an integral part of a circuit protection system.
A fan must have a proper electric junction box when installed. A typical
fan weighs between 15 to 50 lbs, and though a junction box can support a
fan that’s still, when in motion it puts stress on the box, therefore an
improper junction box can cause damage and possible injuries |
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