replace speed control switch of hunter ceiling fan 2

[tomato5]

chain broke replaced switch after wiring found that the max speed before and after was the same, but middle and low speeds were slower than the middle and low of the earlier switch

the only other thing i observed was that the wiring of the existing switch was 18 AWG, while I used 14 AWG for the repair

please comment if my mistake

 

[DRWeig]

Is your replacement switch the exact same make and model number as the original switch? Since you mentioned chain, you must be talking about the switch inside the fan wiring box. Did you get a switch assembly with capacitors and all, or just a switch?

Voltage drop in those short pieces of wire is nil. Wire size should not matter at all. 14 AWG was a lot harder to cram into that little space, I bet.

Best to you,

Goober Dave

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[dougarthur42]

If you used 14 AWg for the repair and the orig was 18 then you have more current carrying capacity. The speed wiring of the fan should be in the wiring of the motor itself not the switch so the switch should have no bearing on fan speed. 120 volts across a certain number of wiring coils produces a certain speed, faster speed would require more windings and draw more current. But you should not be current limited if you used bigger 14 AWg wire. ???
sorry don't now the answer.

 

[DRWeig]

Agree, dougarthur42.

I had time today to look at the Hunter data. Modern models all have the same switch, and the switches sold at Home Depot, Lowe's, etc..., will not work just like the original. Apparently, there are two capacitors that assist with the speed control.

High = one of the capacitors
Low = the other capacitor
Medium = both capacitors

Hunter does not offer replacement switches. In the not-so-olden days, they would send you a new switch for free if you just called them up (lifetime warranty). Hunter was the old, venerable, top-quality fan. Nowadays they have stuff made overseas for the lowest possible cost, and they're no better than any other fan company. It's interesting to read the company history on its own web site. Prior to 1988, the story is all about quality, tradition, and the employees. From 1988 on, the story discusses nothing but marketing, profitability, debt, reorganization, and other bizness buzz-terms.

There was a leveraged buyout of Hunter by a private equity firm in 1988. 'Nuff said.

Enough diatribe. If you want your fan speeds to be the same as they were, you need:

MFG: Zing Ear
Model: ZE268S6

Good luck finding one.

It's possible that a local fan repair shop has the info to craft one from scratch. OR, you can call Hunter and get the information you need to send the entire switch unit (including the wiring box) back to Hunter for repair.

Personally, I'd be happy with the new speed scenario that you have now. If I couldn't make myself be happy with it, I'd head to the store for a new fan.

Good luck!

Dave


Best to you,

Goober Dave

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[tomato5]

drweig and douglas42 very good answers, no bull nonsense
hunter after my recent experience with them on this repair is not better than cowshit! the phone rings and rings written questions are responded to with gibberish (re chriss of hunter recently)
drweig you had a model answer to this, technically and otherwise

 

[DRWeig]

No problem potato5. I share your pain.

I feel like I need to say something good about a ceiling fan company, so I will. I hung two Hampton Bay indoor/outdoor ceiling fans from the roof of my screened-in deck in Memphis in 1999. They get cleaned a few times a year with a pressure washer or garden hose while running. They're still just like new.

Best to you,

Goober Dave

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