Why Is My Ceiling Fan Not Spinning?

Ceiling fans have special importance at every home and office. They make us feel comfortable when there is humidity or a high temperature. Similar to other appliances, the ceiling fans also need maintenance. However, a lack of maintenance can lead to several problems with the ceiling fan. One of the problems is the ceiling fan not spinning. Let’s understand why fans don’t spin.

Ceiling fan not spinning – Causes

Bad Capacitor

The bad capacitor is one of the common reasons which affects the starting of the fan. Due to overheating or age capacitors damage or simply burn. If you don’t notice the bad blown capacitor, the fan will not spin until you replace the capacitor. To replace the blown capacitor, make sure you replace it with a new capacitor of the same specifications. Read our complete guide on How To Tell If Ceiling Fan Capacitor Is Bad?

Loosely Connected Wires

Wires conduct the current from the power supply to the fan. If the wire is loosely connected, the fan will not receive any current. Therefore, the fan will not be able to turn on, which means it will not spin. Make sure you check the connections and tighten the wires if the connections are loose.

Broken Flywheel

Sometimes the fan won’t spin if the flywheel is broken. In some ceiling fans, blades are connected to rubber flywheels. This flywheel may become weak or brittle if you use the fan constantly for a long time. In this case, the motor will run, but the fan will not spin as the flywheel is broken. It is a rare problem. Hire an electrician and replace the broken flywheel to resolve the problem.

Frozen Bearings

One more frequent reason for the ceiling fan not spinning is frozen bearings. The bearing existing in the motor collects the dust and dirt on the surface, because of this, the bearing may be stuck or don’t spin. This frozen bearing will not allow the blades of the fan to spin. Even if you move the blades by your hands, the fan won’t spin if the bearing is stuck.

Burned Windings and Insulation

You might have heard about the burning of the motor, it simply means the burning of the winding due to overheating. The insulation used between two windings also burns. Therefore, the fan will not spin. You may observe a short circuit around the ceiling fan if windings are burnt. To resolve this issue, rewind the motor with the help of an electrician.

Power Failure

If there is any problem with the switch, the fan will not spin. Occasionally, the power supply may not be available. Problems with the circuit breaker or fuse can also be the reason for a fan not spinning.

Out of lubrication

Due to less lubrication, the fan spins slowly but if you don’t notice and lubricate the fan, it can also be the reason for not spinning the fan. You should lubricate the fan regularly to avoid this problem.

Final Words

If you don’t want your ceiling fan to stop spinning, keep the above reasons in your mind so that you will be able to address the problem quickly.

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