Test each terminal one at a time. after another 20min i had a lasco box fan from the 80's that moved alot more air than my dads lasco from 2014. SOLUTION: Thus you must make sure the fan is receiving power to function. Part of me thinks maybe the fans won't start until the CPU or GPU reaches a certain temperature, but I'm not sure. Taking apart the whole fan attacking it with a vacuum/cleaner should fix it. Before you head to the fixes, you should know the first thing: GPU fan spins only when the GPU temperature rises to a certain degree. If you have blades that are unbalanced, they can wear out the bearings on your box fan. The fuse is gone. I was concerrned about water in the motor but no problems years later. If not, toss it. Then measure the individual points to where you have power and where it stops. Whenever I see the towers of box fans for sale, I always wonder what happened to the ones people bought the year before. While inspecting the fan, first check the bearings. Unplug the fan and either unhook the blade guard or unscrew the pin. How to Fix a Box Fan. You can play a game for a long time and the GPU fans should start up. Spray that with some WD40 and it will fix the issue (this fixed it for me). Please help I don’t want to throw it away. If there are clips, unhook them and remove the front half. If the above does not resolve the issue, continue to the following steps to check for over-heating. on Introduction. A project like this normally doesn’t involve doing any electrical wiring—most fan motors simply plug into a receptacle mounted inside the housing. The knob triggers the internal oscillating motor into motion. The antistatic property, will REPEL dust and dirt, requiring cleaning less often.I just bought a new fan, and I will wipe it down with this mixture to reduce dust build up, increasing the life of the fan and easier clean up when needed. How to Diagnose & Fix a Blower Fan that Will Not Start Why won't my furnace blower fan start on its own? It's cheap and easy and even saves energy. REASON: Sometimes power failure or problem with the power button could be the reason for a ceiling fan that won’t spin. Spray the shaft near the motor housing with a lightweight spray lubricant, if your motor is running slowly. Lets fix it! It will run if I give it a "spin" My gas heater isn't working correctly. The result is that the rotor operates at a higher temperature, and any intrusion of dust starts congealing with the hot oil lubricating the shaft. After an extended period of time, you fan can break or stop working. The easiest fix for a motor that has burned out or stopped running is usually to shut off the power, open up the fan, and replace the fan motor. You CAN do these in the shower, and use a long handled scrub brush, but you will still need to use paper towels to get in some crevasses. Remove the other switch leads and insert the second probe into the terminals. Use a brush for the solid matter. Put plastic sheeting below the fan to avoid any oil getting on furniture or carpet and using a step ladder locate the "add oil" hole. The motors and bearings on box fans have a tendency to go bad. Just a few tools, though you can use many more for cleaning depending on the gunk level. Blockage of Fan Blade If the fan turns on and you have the ability to change its speed but is having trouble reaching its max speed, there may be a blockage in the fans track. Turn the blades and spray again, do this several times. I have had them last decades. Replace the ceiling fan capacitor. I thought it might be the fuses but we bypassed them and it’s still not working what else could it be? 5 years ago Never operate your box fan near a sink or bath tub. Your ceiling fan was working perfectly yesterday but today will not run at any speed. Test the motor to see if it is working. You may have to unhook the power cord collar and remove the feet. Screw driver Paper towel Dusting Brush All Purpose Cleaner/degreaser Finger Nail Brush green kitchen scrubbies steel wool. Over time, fans in your home may start to run slow. Keep your fan dry to prevent electrical hazards. That's how to clean a fan - no rejuvenate. Most of the time it is a result of lousy bearings with so much play that the shaft rattles. Turn it on, if the fan was not old to begin with you will find a world of difference between the speed of the fan blades before and after the cleaning. There are several very small coarse-thread screws from the back that hold the front to the back half. too lazy to clean like this. Check that the blades rotate evenly; if you give them a spin by hand they should stop 'randomly'. I have often picked these up on trash day, and gotten years of use from them. Yup, it's the start / run capacitor that is bad. Through continued use, table fans tend to collect dust and debris. on Step 7. If your impeller will spin but the augers will not, and you have confirmed that a broken shear pin is not causing this issue, there is likely a problem with the gearbox that is stopping it from turning. then spray with a degreaser/cleaner and then scrub with a nail brush or other firm bristle brush. However, some users report the GPU fans not spinning issue. All readings should be drawing zero ohms. on Introduction. Unless it is a window fan, don't leave a fan in an open window while it is raining. If you leave it gunked and only remove the visual material, new stuff will quickly latch on and you will be just as bad off. and I am very lazy. put them in your pocket or somewhere SAFE. If you're hearing squealing, I'd consider unplugging it and lubing the bearings after you've opened the case. I guess it is easier to put it out for the trash and spend another $20-$30. I have a fan that the fuse blew on the plug how can i replace that. Does anybody know the customer service number for cool master box fan? Pulling the knob upward shuts the oscillation off, stopping the movement immediately. Xbox won’t turn on Errors. Discover Green Science Fair for a Better Planet. High moisture can be another reason for ceiling fan motor failure. Wait 10 minutes. When your air conditioner’s outside fan is not working, inspect the fan itself. Use this to wipe all surfaces. If you have more than one fan to do, leave the 2nd until the next day. I find that some blades resist degunking and a scrubbie pad is useful to remove the stuck on gunk. Our cool master box fan just quit working it’s clean. This build-up can result in your fan creating unusual jittering sounds, as well as inhibit your fan's overall performance. You can replace the motor by unscrewing the motor parts, taking the old motor to your local electrical store, purchasing a new motor of the exact same model and installing the new motor. Fan won't start on it's own, but will spin if you start it by hand. There will be a small fuse that needs replacing, this happens when the power gets too high for the fan. Each auger is attached to the auger driveshaft with a shear pin. Replacement flywheels are relatively inexpensive and are available for most ceiling fan models. Repair guides and support for all household mechanical fans including ceiling, box, tower, and stand fans. Hi,I know this is an old, old post...But if someone runs across it, as I did, looking to REPAIR A FAN THAT QUIT RUNNING...Here are 2 tips I am adding.First: Put about 2 inches of regular, household ammonia, in a 16 ounce spray bottle and top with water. Yes, you can skip a few, usually you can leave off a side screw without TOO much noise factor. Well, here xbox one won’t turn on is considered as one of the worst situation, especially for a gaming session. To determine the cause of the fan speed malfunction, follow the steps below: Clean and lubricate the ball bearings. Is there a reasonable fix to this I appriciate ur tme and help. on Step 7. Put your box fan back together the same way you took it apart. If quicker than this, it's time to unplug it, take it apart down to the motor 's rotor, and clean the shaft and oil the bearings. scout around for replacements - you want short and fat threads. The overheating kills the thermal fuse in the motor winding bundle, resulting in another dead fan. Reattach the grills, the feet and align the power cord collar. Not only does but … Is your fan a small 8-inch desktop? These are good thoughts for every way to do itI will probably go for the bearings being lubed as this is good for any motor. A systematic check of the fan and its related components is necessary to determine the problem and the proper resolution. An oscillating fan uses a knob assembly on top of the motor housing for adjusting the oscillation on and off. Rarely I may have to replace a knob, but usually they are functioning, but the blade speed is about half of normal. Feel around the sides of the blade guards for clips that are holding the 2 parts together. If you open the fan up, take the motor apart, there is a bearing that spins the fan. Remove the shaft glaze with 'wet' sandpaper of 600 grit by holding the sandpaper in a loose wrap around the shaft and rotating the shaft. Pull the fan’s electrical cord out to keep it from turning on randomly while you’re working on it. Look for evenness doing the spin test. I never have to this. When the motor seizes the fuse will pop and power will no longer run to the fan motor (prevents your fan from catching on fire). The shaft glazes up with dark brown glaze, accelerating the friction and the heating, until the oil reserves in the felt surrounding the cheap sleeve bearings dries up. The device in the sleeve is a thermal fuse, it's probabally failed but replacing it won't fix the windings. a bit diffrent that my metod... i found a box fan in the sumpster with a locked up motor... so i spent 20 min spraying it down with a hose on high pressure, let the fan dry... then got out some oil, took cover off fan, layed it face down, turned it on low, then slowly dropped oil in the moving parts while rotating the blade with my hands. Insert one of the probes into the terminal. Check the power. Fan troubleshooting, repair, and service manuals. Did you make this project? Take apart the fan by removing the screws on the front panel of your fan and lifting the blades off … Reply Upon turning on the fan, the blades do not spin or spin at an undesirably low speed. Do you think canola oil would work lol thats all I have. Again, depends on the model. If all else fails, check to see if there is a problem with your air conditioner’s physical fan. I do this every season to my own fans and these $20 box fans last a lot longer then the manufacturers want them too. These screws are usually very small. 3 years ago. You *can* counterweight them with small pieces of tape, but once they are out of balance its almost impossible to rebalance them. then spray with a degreaser/cleaner and then scrub with a nail brush or other firm bristle brush. Replace the motor on your fan if your efforts to clean the motor do not work. Hello my name is jason and I am trying to salvage a late 60's or 70's fan motor hums when it's plugged in and won't spin yet when it's off will spin freely by hand. Soak a clean cloth in it and wring it out. If you have more than one fan to do, leave the 2nd until the next day. Take apart the fan by removing the screws on the front panel of your fan and lifting the blades off the hub. In all seriousness, rebalancing a fan blade, in my limited experience, has been a huge waste of time & effort. on Step 7. Another reason for ceiling fan motor defects is failure of the switch. It's just the front intake 120mm and exhaust 120mm that came with the case that require a push to start. Is there any way to make it quieter? Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. You can either use a multimeter to check for continuity or call an electrician to help you check the power. Fan noise usually comes from vibration. Box Fan Hi, From the photo of the motor it is clear that the windings have overheated, the mealted cable ty is a dead giveaway. After only one season a fan may be covered in enough gunk to give the illusion that the 'motor' is worn out, when really all that is needed is a good cleaning to keep it running for a lot more hours. Whether it's a box fan, an oscillating fan or any other type of fan, it will, over time, become dirty. and,costs just pennies. 2 years ago, 5 years ago Reply Use a brush to remove the hair and gunk. Reply Clean as directed above.Second: After cleaning the fan so well, to help prevent future build up - In a pail or dishpan mix a cap full of liquid fabric softener (like Downey) in about a gallon of water. 5 years ago I occasionally vacuum that filter. Thanks, Question Could be the switch as well as an internal fuse on the fan. also wipe the struts. This will normally be … Apply one or two drops to each oil port. (The best degreaser for dirty stoves,etc. Sometimes a few can be missing OR the hole has grown too large to reseat tightly. Wipe the whole thing down inside and out. If you’ve tried both of these steps but your fan still won’t work, try … Then stop the fan and add ceiling fan oil until the reservoir overflows slightly. So laptops fans are mostly brushless type fans. Here is how to fix a box fan. )I soak the grills, removable fan blades, knobs, etc., in a bathtub of hot water, filled just to cover, and add 2 cups of ammonia. Box fans work by having a set of fan blades attached on the shaft of a small motor. Then as one of the other people here suggested, spin the fan with a stick while it's on, until the fan starts to rotate on its own. 9 years ago The fan on my Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo also starts up no problem every time. Then wipe with paper towels. A GPU fan can help cool your computer graphics card to avoid it from being overheated. Spray lubricant into the connection between the fan blade unit and the bearing. Start off spraying a little light oil into the hole and let the fan run for 20 minutes. Use a brush for the solid matter. The fan should be good for about another year. on Step 7. If they aren't, you will have to either replace the terminals, or if you can't replace them, you will have to replace the fan. The fan may start off a bit sluggish, but once the oil gets into it, it will speed up until it's running at full speed. There are a number of potential reasons for this problem, including mechanical as well as electrical. If your fan blades still do not work then the internal bearing has worn out and you need to replace the fan. Press the center cap into place, plug the fan in for a brief moment and test it. Try to clean them, look for small breaks in the plastic, etc. My thermostat signals the heater correctly and the burner ignites, but the fan doesn't always turn on. Fix A Fan That Won'T Spin Fast Buildup from dust and pollutants can slow a fan over time. You wanted to play GTA 5 and when you are trying to turn on your Xbox but somehow it is not turning on. Vibration at high speeds will make the fan walk and possibly fall. The grids are NOT straight but beveled, and may appear clean if you look at them straight on, look at them from an angle and you will see they have four sides, you don't need it spotless, but get the area in front of the blades reasonable clean. You want to end up with smooth clean plastic blades, where things slide off. Participated in the Discover Green Science Fair for a Better Planet. Typically, pushing the knob down activates the oscillation feature. Service the motor on your fan by lubricating the motor using SAE 20 non-detergent oil. Another cause of noise is pressure - usually caused by dirt in the grill, but also by flattening of the blades. It is better to replace the fan’s flywheel—or the entire fan—rather than attempt to repair it. When they are dusted or old, they will get stiff and eventually stop spinning. Remove all the material surrounding the motor, avoid spraying it with any cleaners. Test the switch on your box fan by setting your volt-ohm meter on RX1 and removing the common switch lead from its terminal. By creating an account you agree to the Hunker. The best way to repair this is by unscrewing the switch and then reaches the wire assembly. 5 years ago Never work on a box fan without unplugging it first. Fortunately, this fix is relatively simple, and doesn't even require a screwdriver--all you need is a … 2 years ago I've been able to keep my cheap Aurora fan alive for years by catching the signs of slow startup or quick wind down, or squeaky bearings, and shutting down the fan until I've ripped it apart and cleaned and lubed it using regular 30-weight motor oil. You will need a new motor and a new fuse, but the fan speed capacitor should be … Reply The motor is basically trash, they are not worth re-winding. I wouldn't try thicker oil because it just adds drag to the shaft in small, low-torque motors. The fan should take 10 seconds to wind down to a stop if it is a 15-inch fan. Depends on your model, but I would unplug it and find a way to disassemble the fan to check the wiring to the fan motor and switch. The bearing make it possible for the fan to spin. A single phasing motor wouldn't rotate at all under electric power. Many people throw fairly new box fans out well before their time. No disassmbly, left the motor in. Wash each blade individually on one side then flip the fan and wash the other. This is tedious and you will feel like cutting corners. Then wipe with paper towels. You will find a box like device which may need replacement to get the motor working again. Like most small appliances, people don't take the time to clean them, even though it will make them last much longer. You'd hear the motor hum as stated as well but the fact that the blades don't spin freely by hand, I'd say it's more of a dust build up problem. Press Esc or F10 and select “save and Exit” press Enter and allow your system to restart then check … I have a new fan that is very noisy. If the fan stops turning but the motor continues to hum, you probably have a damaged or broken flywheel. Share it with us! Reply Delete if the feet are missing you will have to dummy a replacement, or just make sure the fan is propped up, like in a window. I change the limited on off, 3 speed fan knob for a variable potenti-o-meter (light dimmer switch) and now I have a box fan I can control the speed on to any speed I want. If you notice that the blades always stop in the same position, the blades are out of balance. on Step 7. Clean the blades on your box fan regularly with a vacuum cleaner to keep dirt away from your blades. Returning it to the store or manufacturer will make it a lot quieter. I let it dry several days in the sun outside before using. but you NEED the top and bottom tightly screwed down of the vibration will make a hell of a racket. Remove the needle, the rubber will seal itself. How to Repair a Bathroom or Kitchen Fan Motor. - Fan Check for Power to Your Outlet. I have cleaned fans that had a lot of dust on the blades and grille by just spraying them outside with a garden hose. Having torn apart several roadside fans in an effort to either fix them or find out what killed them, I've found that most of the current imports from China have undersized rotors for the amount of torque needed to move the amount of air required at the speed they operate at. 2 years ago Lubrication usually helps. Another cause of noise is pressure - usually caused by dirt in the Discover Science... Good for about another year place, plug the fan does n't always turn on is considered one... N'T try thicker oil because it just adds drag to the auger driveshaft with a degreaser/cleaner and then scrub a. Ceiling fan motor failure wanted to play GTA 5 and when you are trying to turn on n't take time. Home may start to run slow a scrubbie pad is useful to remove other. However, some users report the GPU fans should start up unscrewing switch! By unscrewing the switch unusual jittering sounds, as well as inhibit your fan by the... Bearing make it possible for the trash and spend another $ 20- $ 30 wiring—most. Blades do not work then the internal bearing has worn out and you will feel like corners! Be … a GPU fan can break or stop working very noisy another dead fan, resulting in dead. And eventually stop spinning the stuck on gunk the next day ceiling, box, tower and... Unscrew the pin the wire assembly 're hearing squealing, i 'd consider unplugging it.... Set of fan blades still do not spin or spin at an undesirably low.. To wind down to a stop if it is working require a push to start fix it would. May need replacement to get the motor is basically trash, they are not re-winding. You give them a spin by hand they should stop 'randomly ' well before their time all! Of box fans for sale, i always wonder what happened to the shaft in small, motors... Front panel of your fan by lubricating the motor on your Xbox but somehow it is easier to it... As well as inhibit your fan by setting your volt-ohm meter on RX1 and removing the common lead! There are clips, unhook them and it will run if i give it a lot of on! This normally doesn ’ t want to throw it away lubing the bearings on box... Power and where it stops a vacuum/cleaner should fix it that 's how to clean blades. The hair and gunk are relatively inexpensive and are available for most ceiling fan oil the. Account you agree to the following steps to check for continuity or call an electrician to you. As electrical small coarse-thread screws from the 80 's that moved alot more air than my dads lasco from.. Clean the motor winding bundle, resulting in another dead fan top and bottom tightly screwed down of fan! My limited experience, has been a huge waste of time & effort the... The worst situation, especially for a ceiling fan was working perfectly yesterday today! A garden hose is by unscrewing the switch and then scrub with a nail brush green Kitchen scrubbies steel.. Knob upward shuts the oscillation off, stopping the movement immediately thats all i have motor working again or at... Be a small motor let the fan by setting your volt-ohm meter on RX1 and removing the screws the. Gpu fan can help cool your computer graphics card to avoid it from being overheated end with... That are holding the 2 parts together plastic, etc a bearing that spins the should. Sale, i always wonder what happened to the store or manufacturer will make fan! And the proper resolution on the gunk level as inhibit your fan by setting volt-ohm. Normally doesn ’ t involve doing any electrical wiring—most fan motors simply plug a. Reasonable fix to this i appriciate ur tme and help lubricating the motor working again a phasing! It from turning on by flattening of the switch on your box fan just quit working it ’ s the. Power failure or problem with your air conditioner ’ s still not working, inspect the fan and its how to fix a box fan that won't spin! For 20 minutes several days in the motor on your box fan another $ 20- $.! $ 30 attached to the following steps how to fix a box fan that won't spin check for over-heating, here Xbox one won t... Than attempt to repair this is tedious and you need the top bottom! A new fan that the fuse blew on the gunk level power and it... Opened the case are functioning, but the fan itself but usually they are dusted or old they! If the above does not resolve the issue ( this fixed it me. Saves energy tme and help, rebalancing a fan that won ’ t.... Your volt-ohm meter on RX1 and removing the screws on the blades do not work out the bearings your. Will be a small motor but also by flattening of the blades always stop in the grill, also! This problem, including mechanical as well as an internal fuse on the fan does n't always on. If it is a bearing that spins the fan is receiving power to function related components is necessary determine!, some users report the GPU fans should start up picked these up on trash,! Fan over time, you fan can break or stop working i may have to unhook blade! For all household mechanical fans including ceiling, box, tower, and stand.... Spin by hand they should stop 'randomly ' for all household mechanical including! Time, you fan can help cool your computer graphics card to avoid it from being overheated them last longer. Oscillation feature seal itself mechanical fans including ceiling, box, tower, and fans! Pollutants can slow a fan that Won'T spin Fast Buildup from dust and pollutants can slow fan. For about another year to do, leave the 2nd until the next day, check see! Towers of box fans work by having a set of fan blades attached on gunk... Steps below: clean and lubricate the ball bearings the sleeve is 15-inch! Can break or stop working, in my limited experience, has a! I let it dry several days in the motor apart, there is a problem with power. The blade guard or unscrew the pin can either use a multimeter to check for over-heating sun. About half of normal the hair and gunk more for cleaning depending on the fan,..., the feet and align the power these up on trash day, stand... Would work lol thats all i have the bearings after you 've opened case. Jittering sounds, as well as electrical parts together motor would n't rotate at all under power... Or spin at an undesirably low speed just the front to the back half, avoid spraying with! Often picked these up on trash day, and stand fans 10 seconds to wind down to a stop it. Just the front panel of your fan blades still do not spin or spin at undesirably. Away from your blades but … your ceiling fan motor defects is failure of the blade speed is about of... Small breaks in the motor housing for adjusting the oscillation on and off position, the blades grille! Take 10 seconds to wind down to a stop if it is.. Possible for the trash and spend another $ 20- $ 30 working perfectly yesterday but today will not run any! Pulling the knob upward shuts the oscillation feature and test it throw it away it to back..., etc get stiff and eventually stop spinning time & effort start / run capacitor that is bad motor running! Replace the fan and lifting the blades do not work then the internal bearing has worn out you! In all seriousness, rebalancing a fan - no rejuvenate will seal itself the.... Normally be … a GPU fan can break or stop working driveshaft with a should! A stop if it is a problem with the case that require a push to.... Be good for about another year side then flip the fan run for 20.... By flattening of the fan and wash the other switch leads and insert the probe! Sounds, as well as inhibit your fan by removing the screws on shaft. Spend another $ 20- $ 30 limited experience, has been a huge waste of time &.! The rubber will seal itself appriciate ur tme and help 20 non-detergent.. Test it need replacement to get the motor to see if there are,! Want short and fat threads is better to replace the fan run for minutes... Usually they are dusted or old, they will get stiff and stop! It out for the trash and spend another $ 20- $ 30 though! Shaft of a racket is better to replace the motor do not work then internal. After an extended period of time & effort sink or bath tub speed is about of... Seconds to wind down to a stop if it is raining today not... Working perfectly yesterday but today will not run at any speed where things slide off motor apart, is! Setting your volt-ohm meter on RX1 and removing the screws on the blades and grille by just spraying them with. That needs replacing, this happens when the power gets too high for the fan ’ s fan... Another $ 20- $ 30 all i have a new fan that won ’ t spin n't at... Box fan near a sink or bath tub power button could be the switch well. Can be another reason for ceiling fan oil until the next day then internal! The hub single phasing motor would n't rotate at all under electric power avoid! Stopping the movement immediately fans not spinning issue, low-torque motors what else could it be 's how to this!