Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Ceiling Fan Controller Only 3 Speeds. To loud For Bedroom.

  1. #1
    Premium Member

    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    1,077
    Thanks
    632
    Thanked 306 Times in 180 Posts
    Rep Power
    300
    Reputation
    4620

    Default Ceiling Fan Controller Only 3 Speeds. To loud For Bedroom.

    Bought a new generic Arlec everyday ceiling fan from Bunnings last week.

    The oldie one had a 5 speed copper transformer type (heavy), that had two live (red), wires going to it. And the misses hates it as it's boxy with yellowed plastic...

    So, like to be obeyed I fitted the new fan and supplied controller, which has 3 speeds.

    However, the lowest speed has the fan creating a 'whoop' 'whoop' sound and I am not happy (Jan), about his noise.

    So I have fitted the old controller back and on setting 2 it spins 'just fine' (which is slow), but it creates that small downdraft. Setting 1 just makes it turn!
    Setting 3 and 4 are ok, still with no noise. 5 it starts to 'whoop'.

    I've seen variable fan speed controllers on FeeBay that are sliding type (if that makes any sense). But they look to be boxy.

    Any ideas on how to either make the new 3speed controller slower. Or a (if it has to be boxy), controller that at least can replace the yellowed one we have?

    Cheers,
    GT250



Look Here ->
  • #2
    Senior Member
    Reschs's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Outside a few schooners
    Posts
    3,080
    Thanks
    907
    Thanked 2,147 Times in 1,058 Posts
    Rep Power
    933
    Reputation
    33238

    Default

    Is the the new controller a switched capacitor type ?
    If so, just change the capacitor value to suit you. Smaller the value the slower the speed.

    WARNING. Use only 240V AC Rated X type capacitors. Available from Altronics etc.

    The motor type will determine the type of controller you can use.

  • The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Reschs For This Useful Post:

    GT250 (24-09-17),TVguy (26-09-17)

  • #3
    Senior Member
    Uncle Fester's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Commonly found in a pantry or the bottom of a fridge, searching for grains, fermented or distilled
    Posts
    6,405
    Thanks
    2,289
    Thanked 4,414 Times in 2,517 Posts
    Rep Power
    2046
    Reputation
    81778

    Default

    Just add another cap permanently in series between controller and motor.
    You or a friendly neighbour might have an old forgotten box or pedestal fan rusting away in the garage(many people do). You will find in it a cap wit three leads, usually a 2.5µF and 1.5µF combo that you can wire together to get 4µF, that gives you three values to try out and find the right speed range.
    Last edited by Uncle Fester; 23-09-17 at 09:58 PM.
    Update: A deletion of features that work well and ain't broke but are deemed outdated in order to add things that are up to date and broken.
    Compatibility: A word soon to be deleted from our dictionaries as it is outdated.
    Humans: Entities that are not only outdated but broken... AI-self-learning-update-error...terminate...terminate...

  • The Following User Says Thank You to Uncle Fester For This Useful Post:

    GT250 (24-09-17)

  • #4
    Senior Member
    Uncle Fester's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Commonly found in a pantry or the bottom of a fridge, searching for grains, fermented or distilled
    Posts
    6,405
    Thanks
    2,289
    Thanked 4,414 Times in 2,517 Posts
    Rep Power
    2046
    Reputation
    81778

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by GT250 View Post

    However, the lowest speed has the fan creating a 'whoop' 'whoop' sound and I am not happy (Jan), about his noise.


    GT250
    ...and what does it do at the highest speed setting?
    Does it regulate the speed at all? Maybe faulty or wrong wired?
    Update: A deletion of features that work well and ain't broke but are deemed outdated in order to add things that are up to date and broken.
    Compatibility: A word soon to be deleted from our dictionaries as it is outdated.
    Humans: Entities that are not only outdated but broken... AI-self-learning-update-error...terminate...terminate...

  • The Following User Says Thank You to Uncle Fester For This Useful Post:

    GT250 (24-09-17)

  • #5
    Banned
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    https://t.me/pump_upp
    Posts
    82
    Thanks
    206
    Thanked 30 Times in 19 Posts
    Rep Power
    0
    Reputation
    520

    Default

    Have you ensured you have adjusted the blades to be in balance? Most times noise is caused by unbalanced fan blades, and usually weights are supplied to balance the blades.

  • The Following User Says Thank You to gordonwh40 For This Useful Post:

    GT250 (24-09-17)

  • #6
    Premium Member

    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    1,077
    Thanks
    632
    Thanked 306 Times in 180 Posts
    Rep Power
    300
    Reputation
    4620

    Default

    The 'whoop' 'whoop' is at the lowest speed.

    The highest speed it looks as though it take off!

    The fan is very balanced, hardly oscillates at highest speed.

    NoMeat, you're correct about the values there So a 4uf would be slower I take it?

    Here are a few pics anyway:-




  • The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to GT250 For This Useful Post:

    ol' boy (24-09-17),Uncle Fester (25-09-17)

  • #7
    Senior Member
    Uncle Fester's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Commonly found in a pantry or the bottom of a fridge, searching for grains, fermented or distilled
    Posts
    6,405
    Thanks
    2,289
    Thanked 4,414 Times in 2,517 Posts
    Rep Power
    2046
    Reputation
    81778

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by GT250 View Post
    NoMeat, you're correct about the values there So a 4uf would be slower I take it?

    Here are a few pics anyway:-

    You would need to remove the grey wire and connect it to one end of another cap in series to the switch.
    What value you need can only be found through experimentation, but my gut says 1.5 - 2.5µF, 4µF might not slow it down enough, the way you describe the fan's performance.

    Now you could actually put two caps here in series without buying another cap. Simply replace the gray wire with the blue one and very carefully isolate the grey wire with an insulated closed end cap terminal and wrap tape around it.
    This will give you only two settings on the switch, low idle and take-off
    The centre position is dead.

    But the low is now 2.5 in series with 1.5 (about 0.94µF), could do the job and if it is still too fast then you know you need to order 1.5µF.
    Last edited by Uncle Fester; 25-09-17 at 04:28 PM.
    Update: A deletion of features that work well and ain't broke but are deemed outdated in order to add things that are up to date and broken.
    Compatibility: A word soon to be deleted from our dictionaries as it is outdated.
    Humans: Entities that are not only outdated but broken... AI-self-learning-update-error...terminate...terminate...

  • The Following User Says Thank You to Uncle Fester For This Useful Post:

    GT250 (29-09-17)

  • #8
    Premium Member

    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    1,077
    Thanks
    632
    Thanked 306 Times in 180 Posts
    Rep Power
    300
    Reputation
    4620

    Default

    Thanks nomeat.

    I've come across things like this though;

    I know it's boxy, the missus is thinking about it

  • #9
    LSemmens
    lsemmens's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Rural South OZ
    Posts
    10,585
    Thanks
    11,868
    Thanked 7,061 Times in 3,338 Posts
    Rep Power
    3153
    Reputation
    132592

    Default

    Something like that, GT250, might be more acceptable to SWMBO if you actually can mount it into a cavity in the wall to make it flush with the surface. Access may be an issue though.
    I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message...

  • The Following User Says Thank You to lsemmens For This Useful Post:

    GT250 (01-10-17)

  • Bookmarks

    Posting Permissions

    • You may not post new threads
    • You may not post replies
    • You may not post attachments
    • You may not edit your posts
    •