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-   -   New Hampton Bay ceiling fan hums but doesn't turn (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=98847)

  • Jun 5, 2007, 05:11 PM
    hamlin11
    New Hampton Bay ceiling fan hums but doesn't turn
    What would cause the ceiling fan to hum, but not turn the blades? We can manually spin them easily. There are two switches on the wall: one for the light and the other the fan. The light is working fine. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.
  • Jun 5, 2007, 06:04 PM
    ceilingfanrepair
    Is it a remote fan?

    General ceiling fan troubleshooting and help FAQ- Ceiling Fans N More
  • Jun 5, 2007, 06:10 PM
    hamlin11
    It doesn't say anything about a remote, but does say an optional wall control unit is available.
  • Jun 5, 2007, 06:22 PM
    jcrawf
    How old is the fan, it sounds like there is a problem with the fan motor windings. There is power being delivered to the motor (hence the humming) but the induced voltage is not turning the rotor that the fan blades are attached to. You would still be able to turn the blades freely when the power is shut off. Since there are really no serviceable parts to a fan motor, you may be in need of a new fan.
  • Jun 5, 2007, 06:25 PM
    hamlin11
    Thanks for your input. It sounds like the fan is defective, since we bought it new.
  • Jun 5, 2007, 06:27 PM
    jcrawf
    As per my last post, you may have the magnets and brushes of the motor serviced but you would need to balance that against the cost of a new fan. That being said, I change that line to "since there are really no parts of a fan motor worth serviceing".
  • Jun 5, 2007, 06:35 PM
    hamlin11
    This is a discontinued model, so I would like to get it working. How would I go about finding someone who works on ceiling fans?
  • Jun 5, 2007, 06:39 PM
    ceilingfanrepair
    Ceiling fans don't have brushes.

    Confirm the reverse switch is firmly in the up or down position.

    Or it could be a bad capacitor:

    American made ceiling fans - Ceiling Fans N More
  • Jun 5, 2007, 06:43 PM
    ceilingfanrepair
    Sorry that link should read ceiling fan capacitors
  • Jun 5, 2007, 07:20 PM
    jcrawf
    Well, thanks for the info, I'm glad I never opened one up looking for the brushes :o . Getting the power to the fan is easy, what happens after it gets inside is magic :p ,
  • Jun 5, 2007, 10:15 PM
    ceilingfanrepair
    Not magic. Most have PSC motors, some older fans are shaded pole.

    Frequently asked ceiling fan questions - Ceiling Fans N More
  • Aug 3, 2012, 10:38 AM
    llutz35115
    I recently purchased a harbor breeze ceiling fan also, the fan part worked fine for a few minutes and then it stopped spinning and started humming and wouldn't do anything else. I called the manufacturer, they said the motor has locked up and that I needed to return it to the store (home depot) where I purchased it... hope this helps

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