They're quite a bit bigger than I expected. czcams.com/users/postUgkxb-KpJPmXtqM2xdYLP72ICq6QCcD0V8e7 If you ever had an air king round tilting fan, these are basically the same thing but in a window shroud. There's quite a few reviews about them being out of balance. I can say that mine pretty close to balanced. I purchased two of them for cooling my shop during my crypto operation. One intake, one exhaust. Combined they're moving over 7K CFM which is plenty for my 20x30 shop. If it helps you comprehend just how much air they move, both of them on intake and it's incredibly hard to close the door on my shop. The prescribed dimensions are accurate, they barely fit in my small windows.
Great video! Thanks for putting this up. I have a fan with similar symptoms, and when I searched, there were a ton of videos on how to lubricate a fan. As if you need a video for that, let alone hundreds, LOL. But lubrication isn’t my fan’s problem, because it spins easily by hand when the power is off, but feels like someone’s holding it back when the power is on. Will give this a try.
I just had the start cap in my 10,000 btu a/c die. At first I thought the compressor tied up until I realized it had a start cap tucked away in a hidden compartment lol!! The problem was it was a 55/15uf split cap that NOBODY has. I found a used one on ebay for $60. I went to 7 motor/industrial shops in the area, no luck. I ended up just cramming 2 caps in there, one for the compressor and one for the fan. Saved myself $300. Caps were only $18 for both. Great video!
Another aggravation was they mounting the damn thing terminals down and the "vegatable oil" leaked on the terminals and caused 3 of them to corrode and one to the point of it charring and all needing new terminals, lol! Damn chinese a/cs, soleus air is the brand btw.
The dual caps are garbage. Replace it with 2 separate caps, one for the compressor and the other for the fan. That is what I did when my dual exploded in the compressor unit outside.
I found a very old one. Says it contains PCBs. Well at least I know it will be good for 40 years, and I will worry about disposing of it then.Well I won't. I doubt I will be here in 40 years, and if I am I will be very old.
I really enjoy your videos. The explanation with the schematic was really helpful from an understanding how it works perspective. It is always a pleasure to watch you in action. Thank you for sharing and taking the time to make these videos.
Thank you. I had a fan "die" last year with the same symptoms but I was told after I dismantled it lol, that it was like the run/start cap. No loss my fan was literally falling to bits anyway, the plastic parts on it were so brittle.
I know what you mean; mine was in the window, with the sun bearing down on it, for 8 years and the plastic had the strength and consistency of dried cheese.
Ahhh cool again :-D, I had a larger style capacitor explode in my old wolf bench grinder, it was an old grinder so not supprising, it made a right mess, i didnt have a single capacitor with the correct value so two paralleled ones sit on the back of the grinder like air tanks on a divers back :-D.. Your box fan really doesnt look very old, really neat unit :-D.
NOTE for people that have a 220v.... this Caps are usually between 1.2mf and 3mf........ and are usually of 400v............. a 7mf x 250v in a motor of 220v..... it will damage the motor as Dave here mention..... Or the capacitor. will brake....
I have a Westinghouse model AW11-1 metal fan with five big plastic blades from the early 1970s I believe.. Two speeds, fast and slow and on FAST it cranks! It didn't start up on it's own until I sprayed wd-40 in there. It worked good the three times I've sprayed it but last week I poured liquid oil in there for the first time, let it soak in, and then took the power blower to it to dry it out and rotate those blades! It works GREAT!
Yes I actually walked into a store and asked for a flux capacitor and got blank stares. Finally an older guy in the back overheard and came out and said, 1 flux capacitor coming up! Had to grow up in the 80's to get that one.
Those shaded pole motors definitely have very low starting torque. Its interesting how the brazed copper shorting strap around the coil laminations make the magnetic field sweep around and starts the armature rotating.
The copper straps form the secondary coil of the transformer, which in turn produces an opposing force in the rotor core and like magic the rotor spins. They are not very efficient, and that is why modern fans use the capacitor run motor like this.
I will probably do a tear down on a shaded pole motor fan I need to lube, and will go into detail how these ones work, because when I was young I never really understood what the copper was for.I was thinking of the magnetic principle, and as you know copper is not magnetic, and did not think of it as part of the coil, to induce an opposing magnetic field in the rotor. Of course that was when I was very young. I had that figured out by the time I was 10, when I removed the copper and surprize surprize it doesn't spin. It just sits there and buzzes.
Interesting that particular schematic shows a polarised capacitor for the start/run cap. I always thought they weren't polarised ie mylar too. Almost implies they are using an electrolytic in there.
Schematic is incorrect. All AC motors use an AC capacitor, non polarized. Either a mylar or polyester for small caps, or oil filled for the larger sizes.
Great video. You obviously have a great wealth of experience to draw upon. I was wondering what your formal education would be. You seem to have all the theoretical knowledge as well.
I did take electronics courses in high school and college, and took the challenge exam for the Canadian electronics and appliance service association, along with dozens of manufacture courses in my 20 years in the industry. I am now a journyman telecom electrician CO to CP which means I work on wiring from the central office to, and including customer premise.
Oh wow, thats very interesting. I took technician papers in telecom and then went on to elec. engineering. Ended up working as a tech for the defunct Nortel. How do you become aware of what manufacturing courses are available?
When I worked in the service industry I worked in a fairly large warranty depot for Sony, Panasonic, JVC, RCA and Mitsubishi.When new products came out the manufactures put on seminars that service techs would attend to learn about the new products, and the theory for them. I filmed a Betamax course that Sony put on back in the 80's I look back on that now with fond memories I shared with my fellow techs, as even though this stuff is pretty simple by todays standards it was cutting edge back then for consumer stuff. I wish I had recorded more of the seminars, because I have attended over 100.I did Color TV, Betamax, VHS-HIFi, SuperVHS, Video 8, 8MM Handycam, Hi-8 Handycam, DV Handycam, Projection TV, HiScan TV (HDTV), Plasma TV, Switch mode Power supply deep dive, Class A / AB audio amplifier. Digital Audio, CD/DVD optical playback.I got out before LCD TV became main stream.
If the the capacitor is in series with the start coil and the main coils are wired across the line (through the speed switch), you should try running it with the capacitor clipped out. If it doesn't even hum at that point, the main coils, or the fuse that's embedded in them, it probably burned out, so changing the capacitor might not fix it. I just had to ditch my Lasko 20" box fan; I'll save the new capacitor, maybe for the next one.
I left my box fan running in the window while i went shopping and it rained while I was gone so the fan got a little wet. I turned it off and took it out of the window to let it dry for few days. When I plugged it back in and turned it on, it wouldn't work. Is there a simple fix or should I just buy another one?
not too many people cover this part of fans not spinning fast. I have a 2 year old fan that i oiled and either there's buildup that is slowing it down or a capacitor is going bad. On High it spins like low and on low i can hardly feel anything. here in the last few weeks if it's been running for a few minutes it starts speeding up. but now it's not speeding up as much.
H Dave Thanks so much i learned a lot. I found a 1970's Toshiba desk fan a few years back and never took the time to fix it, It works on speeds 1 and 2 but speed 3 is the same as speed 2. Where should i start first? Capacitor or cleaning out the bearing and shaft? Thanks for your help
I have two box fans Lasko brand.. One is running faster than the other. Therefore I'm guessing it's the capacitor maybe one is better than the other? But they're both new though 🤔🤷🏾♂️
When it is the middle of summer, and all the stores are sold out of fans for the season, this is actually very little effort. Total cost to repair the fan was 2.20. Cost to replace that fan 40.00. Do the math.
Same here, my grandparents bought a Windsor box fan in the mid 60s, they ran it for countless summers and then eventually gave it to my parents who did the same until we got AC but I still run it on really hot days because I'm in the highest part of the house where the AC doesn't reach and the thing still does a great job cooling.
Excellent video! Thanks for posting. Can you point me to a good source for buying the replacement capacitors at a price that makes sense? Some places are asking 10$ or more and that is nearly half the price of a brand new fan.
Know the old adage, "My dog ate my homework"? Well, my dog ate my floor fan switch. Everything is there, and the capacitor tests good, but all the wires are chewed up. Can anyone post a schematic for a 3 speed fan with a single capacitor? Of particular concern is where the capacitor goes into the circuit. That's what I can't figure out. THANK YOU!
I'm not getting any hum at all. Aside from battery smell (electric burn smell) it's the first thing I checked. Blades aren't locked up - I can spin em and they will go a few seconds and not tighter than normal. What's my next check?
Fan switchws usually have HIGH right after OFF. Is it bad for the fan to plug a fan into the wall and start it straight from LOW? Also, is it bad to switch from OFF and quickly switch to LOW, racing through HIGH and MED?
That depends on the fan. This one goes off low med high. No it will not hurt it to plug in with the switch on. All the switch does is select 1 of 2 or 3 windings. Some have only 2 windings (plus the phase shifted winding for the capacitor) They run low on the 1 winding, med on the second, and switch both on for hi
Hi, I had no idea that a capacitor was involved with those fans. I've got a much older, American made box fan. It's got to be from the 60's or 70's. Does that use a capacitor as well or is it a different design? Is what you used called a safety capacitor? And if so, where do you buy something like that? Thanks again for all you do. Regards, Tom
Shaded pole induction motors don't require a capacitor and these were popular in a number of smaller fans, and old record players.The cap I put in was just a standard AC capacitor I picked up at the local electronics components shop. It is a motor capacitor so it would have internal short protection. Larger motors typically use a squirrel cage design, and use a capacitor to develop more torque.
no caps on induction motors, BUT a good clean and lube of the motor shaft bushings is a must. If you don't know how to tear down a motor, simply spray contact cleaner in the motor shaft and spin the blade a few times, then oil the shaft so oil goes down into the bushing. Some motors have oil holes for the shaft on front and rear of the motor. Make sure that the motor airways are cleaned of dirt, use a vacuum cleaner hose. Don
Thanks for your very thorough answer. It's good information to know. I know one day I'll find a fan with the same problem and your video should help me to get it working again.
Thanks for the prompt response. The original cap is actually 2 uF not 2.5. Browsing last night, found a 2 uF cap but no wires. Wud have to solder the original wires to the leads. How can I determine which wire (red or black) to connect to which lead or does it even matter ? Thanks again. There was also a 2.5 uF with the red and black wires available but based on your response, using this might cause possible overheating of the winding ... so probably best to stick with the 2 uF.
great and informative video. So i have a treadmill incline motor with a cbb61 capacitor on it that seems to be bad, only it has 5 wire terminals on it instead of 2 (12 uf, 250v). Been looking for a replacement but having trouble finding one. Any idea where I can get one?
Is it a multiple capacitor or a single? My HVAC used a dual capacitor one for the compressor and the other for the fan. When it blew I just replaced it with 2 separate capacitors.
I think its just one, it looks just like the one in this link: www.ebay.com/itm/Icon-Health-Fitness-Treadmill-Incline-Motor-220825-120-V-McMillan-C1026B4037-M-/122512451860?hash=item1c864fa914:g:vScAAOSwaeRZFaWv
Hey, great video. I have two fans with the same problem. Both have capacitors CBB61 250vac, 50/60Hz. One is a 3uF and the other a 10uF. Went on line looking for capacitors and didn't see exactly what I need. Can I use a 5uF 250vac? How about a 10uF 450vac? So confusing.
Thanks for video I have a box fan that just stopped working and hopefully it's the capacitor. Is there a website you can recommend to buy the capacitor?
I have seen fan capacitors before I thought they were for AD units,I never realized they were for house hold fans good to no ,you just saved yourself some money.and other people some.money too.how old is that can when it failed?
I have a Fan, "stand up' and it does the same thing. it has a run cap on the top , it hums and such. should i be checking the Run Cap?250V 4 uF..... and if i don't have the exact, can I use another rating .Amy, From Nova Scotia.
Yes as long as you are close. Most use between 4 and 7uF for 60Hz countries. Just don't go crazy and put in a 15 or 25. That's a little too big.When my HVAC blew last time it used a 7uF 450V as the motor runs on 240v. I didn't have one, and couldn't find the exact size, but I found 2 15uF 450V in a few old low pressure sodium light fixtures I had kicking around. So 2 15uF in series gives me 7.5. That's close enough for me. Been fine for years. Will probably blow on the hottest day of the year when I really need my AC.
So, I have a fan that runs too fast. If I remove the capacitor it will run on the single primary coil at a slower speed and the direction it spins depends on which direction I give it a shove thereby giving me a reversible fan. Sounds like what I need.
I was wondering does the capacitor have anything to do with the range in between speeds? My lasko fan has a poor increase in speed between medium and high. Do you think I should replace the capacitor?
What if your fan doesn't have a capacitor.... and your fan experienced a power surge and now isn't working at all... I've checked all wires all are in good shape and connected... it is a 30 year old toastmaster box fan ..... it's name might mean what is is now... toast.... welcome any insight... I took switch apart as well... all looks fine all wires attached no brown or black burn marks anywhere.
Sometimes they go out with a bang and blow their guts all over the place. When the start cap on my HVAC compressor blew you could hear it up at the corner. Sounded like a bomb going off. It blew the case apart and blew the 60 amp 240 volt breaker. What a mess. Oil filled, it was all over the inside of the motor control box.
I am new to this sort of thing so please go easy on me.I have a question regarding capacitors, mine went on my fan, and i found one identical online , except for the last numbers on the capacitor.These numbers are below where it says "max temperature 70 degrees c. mine says 15.2 and the capacitor i was looking at says 15.11. do i need to have all numbers on a capacitor match exactly ? please help
I just purchased 2 Lasco power fans in July they run for a couple of hours and slows down and rattles . I let them cool down and they run again and do the same thing. Now this is 2 fans doing that. If I run them on low speed I dont get them to do this. They have 6 uf caps. What do you think?
My box fan will start and run at high speed for about 20 minutes... and then seriously decreases in speed, over the next 5 minutes, and remains slow until I turn off the fan and let it 'rest' for an hour or two. Is this likely a capacitor issue, or a coil issue?
Is your oscilloscope a Trio? looks like mine too ( mine's a dual trace). I'm retired, just do the odd repair to personal (family) stuff these days.....you know, "Give it to Grandad, he'll fix it!"
Yes it is a Trio. Never really used the 3rd input except as external trigger. The level is fixed at .1 / div but it works. I still see the odd paid repair, but most of the stuff is stuff I have rescued from the recycle bin and sold off after I fix it.
My wife's work has a handful of dead flat screen monitors. As I am fixing my monitor at the moment (waiting for parts as I no longer have a supply having given them to my son before crossing the country to retire), I've been tasked, by said wife, to look at these monitors too. I think I might get a full time job, just so I can have the occasional day off to go fishing.
Hi I'm tryna fix my brand new box fan which currently has this issue. Can anyone tell me what specific capacitor I should be looking for online? Many thanks, I'm a newbie
Hi please can you advice me on some resistors,diodes that i am having dificulty to find them.please contact me and i will forward the details of the componant.thank you shoyaib.
I had a fan in a dusty barn. It quit and only hums, possibly from dust clogged grills. I cleaned the grills and it only hums like yours. I turn the switch on low and it barely move one way, I turn it on high and it barely moves the opposite direction. I changed the 15uf capacitor and still no change. Could it be something other than a capacitor?
Its a very old American made Fluke 12. I have had it for probably 25 years. I bought it at a ham radio flea market for 12.00 I think. Best investment in equipment I ever made. The Tektronix 604 X-Y scope I turned into a clock was another good buy for 20 bucks.
@@12voltvids I think the capacitors regulate the fan speed. Not the magnetic force from the coils. I'm guessing soldering resistors in series with the coils would indeed lower torque, but should do very little to RPM.
@@ProDigit80 if you travel the wires from the switch you will find they go to seperate windings. Ok it is the same winding but there are multiple taps. The capacitor goes to its own seperate winding.
@@12voltvidsIt seems that an AC based fan can only change speed if: a- The AC power frequency lowers or b- The coils get rewound Apparently, changing the resistance (magnetic flux) of the coils (by soldering a resistor in series with it), can cause overheating and kill the motor. .
I had similar Lasko fan that blew the thermal fuse while on the lowest speed but the capacitor tested ok at the rated 5uf, could it still be bad? The fan was about 10 years old and before it overheated it was running much slower, none of the main or auxiliary windings were shorted to the core and resistance seemed ok. When I ran the motor out of the case bypassing the thermal fuse it started to run hot with burning smell after few minutes.
@@mobiletechnewphite146 Next time I know to replace the capacitor when it starts spinning slower, the windings got so hot that it blew the thermal fuse then just stopped working. That would explain why the motor started burning up with the thermal fuse bypassed.
Depends on failure. If it goes open then there will be no flow in aux winding. If short then too much current will flow but no phase shift. So either failure will cause no rotation but leaky or short will overheat the winding and could trip the thermal cutout.
Wire in a dimmer switch in place of the single pole switch you're using to turn it on. This should adjust the speed. It's a way easier option than reengineering the fan with resistors. Stepping down the capacitor will likely do nothing but prevent the fan from starting.
There are still a few places. I use RP electronics and Lee's electronics out here. There are fewer parts stores around but there are still a few and then there is eBay.
@@crazysquirrel9425 no that's what type of motor yours has. Squirrel cage induction. Capacitor less. Only 1 coil. Regular induction. Has 2 and a cap to create lag for Secord coil to create rotating magnetic field.
They're quite a bit bigger than I expected. czcams.com/users/postUgkxb-KpJPmXtqM2xdYLP72ICq6QCcD0V8e7 If you ever had an air king round tilting fan, these are basically the same thing but in a window shroud. There's quite a few reviews about them being out of balance. I can say that mine pretty close to balanced. I purchased two of them for cooling my shop during my crypto operation. One intake, one exhaust. Combined they're moving over 7K CFM which is plenty for my 20x30 shop. If it helps you comprehend just how much air they move, both of them on intake and it's incredibly hard to close the door on my shop. The prescribed dimensions are accurate, they barely fit in my small windows.
Thank you for the info on the startup capacitor. I've been too lazy not to look it up on my own.
Great video! Thanks for putting this up. I have a fan with similar symptoms, and when I searched, there were a ton of videos on how to lubricate a fan. As if you need a video for that, let alone hundreds, LOL. But lubrication isn’t my fan’s problem, because it spins easily by hand when the power is off, but feels like someone’s holding it back when the power is on. Will give this a try.
Good work! I had a desk fan that displayed exactly the same symptoms. Changed the cap and it's now working properly. Many thanks.
thanks for taking time to show how it all works, very educational. I am going to try to see if I can fix a non-working fan
I just had the start cap in my 10,000 btu a/c die. At first I thought the compressor tied up until I realized it had a start cap tucked away in a hidden compartment lol!! The problem was it was a 55/15uf split cap that NOBODY has. I found a used one on ebay for $60. I went to 7 motor/industrial shops in the area, no luck. I ended up just cramming 2 caps in there, one for the compressor and one for the fan. Saved myself $300. Caps were only $18 for both. Great video!
Another aggravation was they mounting the damn thing terminals down and the "vegatable oil" leaked on the terminals and caused 3 of them to corrode and one to the point of it charring and all needing new terminals, lol! Damn chinese a/cs, soleus air is the brand btw.
The dual caps are garbage. Replace it with 2 separate caps, one for the compressor and the other for the fan. That is what I did when my dual exploded in the compressor unit outside.
I found a very old one. Says it contains PCBs. Well at least I know it will be good for 40 years, and I will worry about disposing of it then.Well I won't. I doubt I will be here in 40 years, and if I am I will be very old.
I really enjoy your videos. The explanation with the schematic was really helpful from an understanding how it works perspective. It is always a pleasure to watch you in action. Thank you for sharing and taking the time to make these videos.
Not for me it wasn't. I still don't know how the hell a motor works. I need more background info.
Thank you. I had a fan "die" last year with the same symptoms but I was told after I dismantled it lol, that it was like the run/start cap. No loss my fan was literally falling to bits anyway, the plastic parts on it were so brittle.
I know what you mean; mine was in the window, with the sun bearing down on it, for 8 years and the plastic had the strength and consistency of dried cheese.
Thanks for the video! Learned quit a bit from this one.
What about a dead vintage Galaxy box fan?
Imo Tory I actually knew how these motors worked before this video but it's still interesting
Very helpful and informative for a newbie like me -- thank you for sharing!
Ahhh cool again :-D, I had a larger style capacitor explode in my old wolf bench grinder, it was an old grinder so not supprising, it made a right mess, i didnt have a single capacitor with the correct value so two paralleled ones sit on the back of the grinder like air tanks on a divers back :-D.. Your box fan really doesnt look very old, really neat unit :-D.
NOTE for people that have a 220v.... this Caps are usually between 1.2mf and 3mf........ and are usually of 400v............. a 7mf x 250v in a motor of 220v..... it will damage the motor as Dave here mention..... Or the capacitor. will brake....
I have a Westinghouse model AW11-1 metal fan with five big plastic blades from the early 1970s I believe..
Two speeds, fast and slow and on FAST it cranks!
It didn't start up on it's own until I sprayed wd-40 in there.
It worked good the three times I've sprayed it but last week I poured liquid oil in there for the first time, let it soak in, and then took the power blower to it to dry it out and rotate those blades!
It works GREAT!
another "flux capacitor" success story!
Yes I actually walked into a store and asked for a flux capacitor and got blank stares. Finally an older guy in the back overheard and came out and said, 1 flux capacitor coming up! Had to grow up in the 80's to get that one.
Love that Bob the Builder reference in the title.
omg is there a video for regular ppl tht dnt know much about capacitors. I just want to fix this fan. :/
This bad boy is gonna be bad! Lol. I just had to poke fun. Very informative and helpful! Thanks!
Have never seen a small box fan with run cap. Ours are shaded pole. Cool!
I have a shaded pole fan (exhaust fan for equipment room) that needs to be lubricated, so perhaps I will do a tear down on that one too.
Those shaded pole motors definitely have very low starting torque. Its interesting how the brazed copper shorting strap around the coil laminations make the magnetic field sweep around and starts the armature rotating.
The copper straps form the secondary coil of the transformer, which in turn produces an opposing force in the rotor core and like magic the rotor spins. They are not very efficient, and that is why modern fans use the capacitor run motor like this.
I will probably do a tear down on a shaded pole motor fan I need to lube, and will go into detail how these ones work, because when I was young I never really understood what the copper was for.I was thinking of the magnetic principle, and as you know copper is not magnetic, and did not think of it as part of the coil, to induce an opposing magnetic field in the rotor. Of course that was when I was very young. I had that figured out by the time I was 10, when I removed the copper and surprize surprize it doesn't spin. It just sits there and buzzes.
Interesting that particular schematic shows a polarised capacitor for the start/run cap. I always thought they weren't polarised ie mylar too. Almost implies they are using an electrolytic in there.
Schematic is incorrect. All AC motors use an AC capacitor, non polarized. Either a mylar or polyester for small caps, or oil filled for the larger sizes.
Sir good day can you tell me about the wire of the motor itself and how it is wired...thanks
I believe one set of wires are connected from the motor coils to the capacitor. Hope this helps in a way.
Great video. You obviously have a great wealth of experience to draw upon. I was wondering what your formal education would be. You seem to have all the theoretical knowledge as well.
I did take electronics courses in high school and college, and took the challenge exam for the Canadian electronics and appliance service association, along with dozens of manufacture courses in my 20 years in the industry. I am now a journyman telecom electrician CO to CP which means I work on wiring from the central office to, and including customer premise.
Oh wow, thats very interesting. I took technician papers in telecom and then went on to elec. engineering. Ended up working as a tech for the defunct Nortel. How do you become aware of what manufacturing courses are available?
When I worked in the service industry I worked in a fairly large warranty depot for Sony, Panasonic, JVC, RCA and Mitsubishi.When new products came out the manufactures put on seminars that service techs would attend to learn about the new products, and the theory for them. I filmed a Betamax course that Sony put on back in the 80's I look back on that now with fond memories I shared with my fellow techs, as even though this stuff is pretty simple by todays standards it was cutting edge back then for consumer stuff. I wish I had recorded more of the seminars, because I have attended over 100.I did Color TV, Betamax, VHS-HIFi, SuperVHS, Video 8, 8MM Handycam, Hi-8 Handycam, DV Handycam, Projection TV, HiScan TV (HDTV), Plasma TV, Switch mode Power supply deep dive, Class A / AB audio amplifier. Digital Audio, CD/DVD optical playback.I got out before LCD TV became main stream.
Holy cow, thats a priceless education. Thank you for sharing your story and your wisdom.
Very cool Dave! Pun intended!
Vintage Electronics Geek b.
thks for your video 👍👍👍. GBU
Thank you for the instructions ! i will try it on my fan. thank you again
Man, it's like a turbo fan aircraft sound!!! lolol
At least it happened in a fan, and not a delorean.
Right you wouldn't want to be stuck in 1954.
Your ESR meter is exactly the same as mine....EA (Electronics Australia in my case) kit. Still working after all this time....
yes works great.
If the the capacitor is in series with the start coil and the main coils are wired across the line (through the speed switch), you should try running it with the capacitor clipped out. If it doesn't even hum at that point, the main coils, or the fuse that's embedded in them, it probably burned out, so changing the capacitor might not fix it. I just had to ditch my Lasko 20" box fan; I'll save the new capacitor, maybe for the next one.
But then you can always throw a meter on it. If open then Houston we have a problem.
I left my box fan running in the window while i went shopping and it rained while I was gone so the fan got a little wet. I turned it off and took it out of the window to let it dry for few days. When I plugged it back in and turned it on, it wouldn't work. Is there a simple fix or should I just buy another one?
what about if the Fan not spinning at all
Thanks for the video.
either the motor nor the thermal fuse is blown
not too many people cover this part of fans not spinning fast. I have a 2 year old fan that i oiled and either there's buildup that is slowing it down or a capacitor is going bad. On High it spins like low and on low i can hardly feel anything. here in the last few weeks if it's been running for a few minutes it starts speeding up. but now it's not speeding up as much.
Very interesting and informative post. Thank you.
H Dave Thanks so much i learned a lot. I found a 1970's Toshiba desk fan a few years back and never took the time to fix it, It works on speeds 1 and 2 but speed 3 is the same as speed 2. Where should i start first? Capacitor or cleaning out the bearing and shaft? Thanks for your help
I have two box fans Lasko brand.. One is running faster than the other. Therefore I'm guessing it's the capacitor maybe one is better than the other? But they're both new though 🤔🤷🏾♂️
Thanks for your help
As a stingy, grumpy tightwad I do love knowing how to fix just anything but man that's a lot of effort for a box fan.
When it is the middle of summer, and all the stores are sold out of fans for the season, this is actually very little effort. Total cost to repair the fan was 2.20. Cost to replace that fan 40.00. Do the math.
Not really John, that is pretty simple & it does not cost much at all.
any idea where I can get one of the switches? The one that connects both power lines and speed wires??
, i still have my 50 year old Electrohome all metal Fan from the 60`s running , i hate today world :(
Same here, my grandparents bought a Windsor box fan in the mid 60s, they ran it for countless summers and then eventually gave it to my parents who did the same until we got AC but I still run it on really hot days because I'm in the highest part of the house where the AC doesn't reach and the thing still does a great job cooling.
A balloon string got wrapped around the blades I was finally told but I don't know where to check next. No volt meter
Excellent video! Thanks for posting. Can you point me to a good source for buying the replacement capacitors at a price that makes sense? Some places are asking 10$ or more and that is nearly half the price of a brand new fan.
I paid 3.00 for it at lees electronics
Know the old adage, "My dog ate my homework"? Well, my dog ate my floor fan switch. Everything is there, and the capacitor tests good, but all the wires are chewed up. Can anyone post a schematic for a 3 speed fan with a single capacitor? Of particular concern is where the capacitor goes into the circuit. That's what I can't figure out. THANK YOU!
Nice vlog boss.
so if I want to SLOW DOWN a fan, would putting a smaller capacitor in do that?
I'm not getting any hum at all. Aside from battery smell (electric burn smell) it's the first thing I checked. Blades aren't locked up - I can spin em and they will go a few seconds and not tighter than normal. What's my next check?
thank you! this got my problem fixed!
What brand is that fan because I am willing to get one of these
One of my childhood fans!!
It's one of my biggest most loyal fans.
Unlike some of the trolls here.
How can it be a childhood fan when it was made sometimes after 2010?
@@sethhorst6158 because I’m 13
Fan switchws usually have HIGH right after OFF. Is it bad for the fan to plug a fan into the wall and start it straight from LOW? Also, is it bad to switch from OFF and quickly switch to LOW, racing through HIGH and MED?
That depends on the fan. This one goes off low med high.
No it will not hurt it to plug in with the switch on.
All the switch does is select 1 of 2 or 3 windings.
Some have only 2 windings (plus the phase shifted winding for the capacitor)
They run low on the 1 winding, med on the second, and switch both on for hi
Thank you for the answer.
Hi,
I had no idea that a capacitor was involved with those fans. I've got a much older, American made box fan. It's got to be from the 60's or 70's. Does that use a capacitor as well or is it a different design? Is what you used called a safety capacitor? And if so, where do you buy something like that?
Thanks again for all you do.
Regards, Tom
Shaded pole induction motors don't require a capacitor and these were popular in a number of smaller fans, and old record players.The cap I put in was just a standard AC capacitor I picked up at the local electronics components shop. It is a motor capacitor so it would have internal short protection. Larger motors typically use a squirrel cage design, and use a capacitor to develop more torque.
no caps on induction motors, BUT a good clean and lube of the motor shaft bushings is a must. If you don't know how to tear down a motor, simply spray contact cleaner in the motor shaft and spin the blade a few times, then oil the shaft so oil goes down into the bushing. Some motors have oil holes for the shaft on front and rear of the motor. Make sure that the motor airways are cleaned of dirt, use a vacuum cleaner hose. Don
Thanks for your very thorough answer. It's good information to know. I know one day I'll find a fan with the same problem and your video should help me to get it working again.
Thanks for the prompt response. The original cap is actually 2 uF not 2.5. Browsing last night, found a 2 uF cap but no wires. Wud have to solder the original wires to the leads. How can I determine which wire (red or black) to connect to which lead or does it even matter ? Thanks again. There was also a 2.5 uF with the red and black wires available but based on your response, using this might cause possible overheating of the winding ... so probably best to stick with the 2 uF.
As long as it is an AC capacitor you will be fine. Polarity doesn't matter on an AC motor run capacitor.
great and informative video. So i have a treadmill incline motor with a cbb61 capacitor on it that seems to be bad, only it has 5 wire terminals on it instead of 2 (12 uf, 250v). Been looking for a replacement but having trouble finding one. Any idea where I can get one?
Is it a multiple capacitor or a single?
My HVAC used a dual capacitor one for the compressor and the other for the fan.
When it blew I just replaced it with 2 separate capacitors.
I think its just one, it looks just like the one in this link: www.ebay.com/itm/Icon-Health-Fitness-Treadmill-Incline-Motor-220825-120-V-McMillan-C1026B4037-M-/122512451860?hash=item1c864fa914:g:vScAAOSwaeRZFaWv
Thank YOU! Where can we get the capacitors? I was about to just buy another fan but that's wasteful. It spins just slower...
I got it at lees electronics but any parts place should have it
Thx for the guide
I have two box fans Lasko brand.. One is faster than the other though why?
Hey, great video. I have two fans with the same problem. Both have capacitors CBB61 250vac, 50/60Hz. One is a 3uF and the other a 10uF. Went on line looking for capacitors and didn't see exactly what I need. Can I use a 5uF 250vac? How about a 10uF 450vac? So confusing.
Yes Miguel you certainly can, always remember that you can go higher in Micro-farads & volts but not lower.
How much was the part,because I no those fans don't cost to much,nice job
Thanks for video I have a box fan that just stopped working and hopefully it's the capacitor. Is there a website you can recommend to buy the capacitor?
Where did you get the capacitor, local or online? We don't have a decent electronics store around here.
They are available both online and locally. I got mine at the local electronics shop.
I have seen fan capacitors before I thought they were for AD units,I never realized they were for house hold fans good to no ,you just saved yourself some money.and other people some.money too.how old is that can when it failed?
I have a Fan, "stand up' and it does the same thing. it has a run cap on the top , it hums and such. should i be checking the Run Cap?250V 4 uF..... and if i don't have the exact, can I use another rating .Amy, From Nova Scotia.
Yes as long as you are close. Most use between 4 and 7uF for 60Hz countries. Just don't go crazy and put in a 15 or 25. That's a little too big.When my HVAC blew last time it used a 7uF 450V as the motor runs on 240v. I didn't have one, and couldn't find the exact size, but I found 2 15uF 450V in a few old low pressure sodium light fixtures I had kicking around. So 2 15uF in series gives me 7.5. That's close enough for me. Been fine for years. Will probably blow on the hottest day of the year when I really need my AC.
k thank you
can you direct me to a wiring diagram for that fan? thanks
So, I have a fan that runs too fast. If I remove the capacitor it will run on the single primary coil at a slower speed and the direction it spins depends on which direction I give it a shove thereby giving me a reversible fan. Sounds like what I need.
Nice fix!!!
well done.
Ah, A Dick Smith ESR meter, designed by Bob Parker. Nice!
I was wondering does the capacitor have anything to do with the range in between speeds? My lasko fan has a poor increase in speed between medium and high. Do you think I should replace the capacitor?
The capacitor creates the rotating magnetic field. The speed is more or less turns on the main coil
If you're going to hold the cap in front of the camera so we can see it, FOCUS THE CAMERA SO WE CAN SEE THE #@$&*^ THING.
Thank you.
Auto focus what can I say. That was an old camera and the af could not be turned off.
Great video.
What if your fan doesn't have a capacitor.... and your fan experienced a power surge and now isn't working at all... I've checked all wires all are in good shape and connected... it is a 30 year old toastmaster box fan ..... it's name might mean what is is now... toast.... welcome any insight... I took switch apart as well... all looks fine all wires attached no brown or black burn marks anywhere.
do capacitors go from 100% operational to critical failure or will they always/sometimes slowly degrrgate over time?
Sometimes they go out with a bang and blow their guts all over the place. When the start cap on my HVAC compressor blew you could hear it up at the corner. Sounded like a bomb going off. It blew the case apart and blew the 60 amp 240 volt breaker. What a mess. Oil filled, it was all over the inside of the motor control box.
I would really interested in who the goof is that gives these great videos a thumbs down.
Big man hiding behind a keyboard.
Its me giving my own videos a thumbs down.. Duh!
I am new to this sort of thing so please go easy on me.I have a question regarding capacitors, mine went on my fan, and i found one identical online , except for the last numbers on the capacitor.These numbers are below where it says "max temperature 70 degrees c. mine says 15.2 and the capacitor i was looking at says 15.11. do i need to have all numbers on a capacitor match exactly ? please help
I just purchased 2 Lasco power fans in July they run for a couple of hours and slows down and rattles . I let them cool down and they run again and do the same thing. Now this is 2 fans doing that. If I run them on low speed I dont get them to do this. They have 6 uf caps. What do you think?
My box fan will start and run at high speed for about 20 minutes... and then seriously decreases in speed, over the next 5 minutes, and remains slow until I turn off the fan and let it 'rest' for an hour or two. Is this likely a capacitor issue, or a coil issue?
Oil the bearings.
Is your oscilloscope a Trio? looks like mine too ( mine's a dual trace).
I'm retired, just do the odd repair to personal (family) stuff these days.....you know, "Give it to Grandad, he'll fix it!"
Yes it is a Trio. Never really used the 3rd input except as external trigger. The level is fixed at .1 / div but it works. I still see the odd paid repair, but most of the stuff is stuff I have rescued from the recycle bin and sold off after I fix it.
My wife's work has a handful of dead flat screen monitors. As I am fixing my monitor at the moment (waiting for parts as I no longer have a supply having given them to my son before crossing the country to retire), I've been tasked, by said wife, to look at these monitors too.
I think I might get a full time job, just so I can have the occasional day off to go fishing.
Why do we need to cover something transparent on the wire. Just asking. Thanks
our fan here wont rotate. the blades are ok but the rotation of the fan is stiff
Oil the bearings.
Get some electric motor oil. and oil the bearings really good. Should get it running again.
Had the same problem change the capacitor out still the same slow moving fan blades what can it be any help would be appreciated
Hi I'm tryna fix my brand new box fan which currently has this issue. Can anyone tell me what specific capacitor I should be looking for online? Many thanks, I'm a newbie
do own any vintage fans i got alot of them they run better and cheaper than the newer ones to but
Hi please can you advice me on some resistors,diodes that i am having dificulty to find them.please contact me and i will forward the details of the componant.thank you shoyaib.
Box fan with a run cap? never seen one ... everyone I have had do this was the bearings fried on them...
I had a fan in a dusty barn. It quit and only hums, possibly from dust clogged grills. I cleaned the grills and it only hums like yours. I turn the switch on low and it barely move one way, I turn it on high and it barely moves the opposite direction. I changed the 15uf capacitor and still no change. Could it be something other than a capacitor?
Check or replace the bushes
@@mobiletechnewphite146 Thank you. I will check this. I did not know they would wear out so soon. The fan is only one year old.
I have a older metal box fan... has same symptoms ...don't see a cap anywhere on it... unless it is inside the motor?
Depends on the motor type. Squirrel cage motors don't use one.
This video U made makes me want to buy the meter you have ! Where can i get one or something like it ?
Its a very old American made Fluke 12. I have had it for probably 25 years. I bought it at a ham radio flea market for 12.00 I think. Best investment in equipment I ever made. The Tektronix 604 X-Y scope I turned into a clock was another good buy for 20 bucks.
@@12voltvids Well thanks for replying back . I guess i will have to check around to see if i get lucky 2 ! hahhaa
Hey, I wonder if a different capacitor can get your fan spinning slower or faster?
If you go smaller it will reduce the current in the second winding which will reduce the torque and this the speed will also drop.
@@12voltvids I think the capacitors regulate the fan speed.
Not the magnetic force from the coils.
I'm guessing soldering resistors in series with the coils would indeed lower torque, but should do very little to RPM.
@@ProDigit80 if you travel the wires from the switch you will find they go to seperate windings. Ok it is the same winding but there are multiple taps. The capacitor goes to its own seperate winding.
@@12voltvidsIt seems that an AC based fan can only change speed if:
a- The AC power frequency lowers
or
b- The coils get rewound
Apparently, changing the resistance (magnetic flux) of the coils (by soldering a resistor in series with it), can cause overheating and kill the motor.
.
I had similar Lasko fan that blew the thermal fuse while on the lowest speed but the capacitor tested ok at the rated 5uf, could it still be bad? The fan was about 10 years old and before it overheated it was running much slower, none of the main or auxiliary windings were shorted to the core and resistance seemed ok. When I ran the motor out of the case bypassing the thermal fuse it started to run hot with burning smell after few minutes.
Replace the capacitor Sir
@@mobiletechnewphite146 Next time I know to replace the capacitor when it starts spinning slower, the windings got so hot that it blew the thermal fuse then just stopped working. That would explain why the motor started burning up with the thermal fuse bypassed.
Awesome 👍🏼
my fan keeps blowing it plug fuse
Help
Does a bad capacitor prevent power from flowing through the aux winding completely, or does it flow through but doesn’t create a phase shift?
Depends on failure. If it goes open then there will be no flow in aux winding. If short then too much current will flow but no phase shift. So either failure will cause no rotation but leaky or short will overheat the winding and could trip the thermal cutout.
12voltvids Thanks. Is fan speed controlled by phase shifting?
hope he gets around to screen recording
what's the brand name of that fan ? and good video
I have another fan that isn;t spinning as fast as it used to, could it be a failing run cap?
or it needs clean and LUBE.
or it needs clean and LUBE.
*****
Tried that, works better for five minutes then slows down again.
bearings may be shot
Slow spinning could be a weak run cap or bearings loosing their lubrication.
I have a fan that runs fine for a while and then slows down and eventually stops. MAybe as the cap gets warm it stops working?
Bearing dry ?
Hi there
My ceiling fan uses 4uf but low speed is too high for me, can I put 3uf or 2uf instead of 4uf to lower it's speed ?
Thanks for the video
Wire in a dimmer switch in place of the single pole switch you're using to turn it on. This should adjust the speed. It's a way easier option than reengineering the fan with resistors. Stepping down the capacitor will likely do nothing but prevent the fan from starting.
Whiteout RadioShack, where does a novice now get parts? Any suggestions?
There are still a few places. I use RP electronics and Lee's electronics out here. There are fewer parts stores around but there are still a few and then there is eBay.
my fan rlly just died just right when summer hits, im gonna kms oml
Lucky me mine does not have a capacitor. If it slows down I need to oil the bearings.
squirrel cage
@@12voltvids Hamster wheel might be more fun?
@@crazysquirrel9425 no that's what type of motor yours has. Squirrel cage induction. Capacitor less. Only 1 coil. Regular induction. Has 2 and a cap to create lag for Secord coil to create rotating magnetic field.
👍🏼
DOES BRETT TURN ON MY FAN