Help... I think I have ruled out the fan motor itself... Could it be something in how the outlet box is wired, or something else on the circuit? I am really baffled and am tired of taking down and putting up the fan every time I need to check something out. I have measured the voltage at both the switch and the ceiling box... 124V steady. The wall switches for both the light and the fan are single pole. There are no other switches except the pull switches for the fan and the light light kit. The are no dimmers or specialty switches. The wiring is 12/3. The common neutral is looped from one switch to the other, with the red wire attached to one switch and the black to the other. In addition to the 12/3wire from the wall switches, the are 2 additional white an one black all pig-tailed together in the ceiling box. That bundle is hot, as I get 124V when I test between the bunde and the White to the fan/light..

The fan and light kit are Hampton Bay Antiqua. The original fan ( no manufacturer name on the fan, just a phone number to Lowe's Customer Service) that was on the ceiling did not make any sound or humming at all, But the three that I have subsequently put up all hum!

Posted below is my original posting of October 13.


Ceiling fan with light kit on separate switches…. Fan motor makes humming noise!
Original question posted on October 13, 2006
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I have recently replaced a ceiling fan with light kit with a newer model. I hooked up the wires from the new fan/light to the same wires in the ceiling box that the old fan was hooked up to. There are two switches on the wall plate, one for the light and one for the fan. When I hooked up the new fan/light, everything seemed to be working, but the fan motor made a humming noise that wavered in pitch slightly. This fan worked for about 2 weeks, making the noise, but then we smelled a faint electrical fire smell coming from the fan. I replaced that fan with one just like it, thinking that the motor was defective. After I installed the second fan, it too made the same humming sound. We ran that fan for about a week, and then the fan suddenly stopped working. Alas, I took that fan back, thinking it was another defective fan. I bought a third fan/light (different brand) and it too makes the same humming sound. Sounds like I might have a wiring problem, but I don’t have any shorts or arcing. Any thoughts as to what might be the problem? It has been suggested to me that the problem might be in the wall switch itself. Something about low voltage

Is the wiring in your house up to date? I had a similar problem; our house is fairly on the old side, and perhaps as with ours the wiring/power isn't strong enough to handle modern conveniences. Hope this helps! :)

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Originally Posted by Sentra

Is the wiring in your house up to date? I had a similiar problem; our house is fairly on the old side, and perhaps as with ours the wiring/power isn't strong enough to handle modern conveniences. Hope this helps!!:)

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Answer... The house is only 5 years old and the wiring is up to code!?

Could it be that the noise is being generated due to vibration between the fan and the mounting brackek or the mounting bracket to the ceiling box?:confused:

If it's a hum, it sounds like vibration being transferred from the motor to the ceiling. Some cheap fans, especially mounted cloe mount, have this problem. You can try to isolate th vibration, see:

http://www.ceiling-fans-n-more.com/c...-and-FAQ.php#6

I'll add, for Sentra, 120vAC is 120vAC, and having old wiring shouldn't make your fan noisy. If you're not using an improper control of some time, noise comes from the fan itself.

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Originally Posted by ceilingfanrepair

I'll add, for Sentra, 120vAC is 120vAC, and having old wiring shouldnt make your fan noisy. If you're not using an improper control of some time, noise comes from the fan itself.

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You know, thanks I will check into that! :)