OT - Ceiling fan wiring burnt - General Woodworking - Woodworking

OT - Ceiling fan wiring burnt

1/1/07, 5:23 PM #1

Larry Marker in Alabama
Guest

OT - Ceiling fan wiring burnt

Larry Marker in Alabama

>We were given a ceiling fan several years ago for a Christmas present. I don't remember the brand (and I can't find any markings on the unit). It's not the cheapest one you can find, but it's a long way from top of the line.

One of the four lights started becoming intermittant, so I took the the light kit off and investigated. What I found was rather frightening -- the wiring to each of the four ceramic light sockets was cooked at the base of the socket. The insulation was burnt or disintegrated on 7 of the 8 wires involved for a distance of about a half inch from the socket. The one that had become intermittant had the hot lead burnt so badly that there was only two or three of the copper strands still intact.

I bought new sockets and completely rewired it yesterday. The only places open yesterday were Lowes and HD, so I had to settle for 14g THHN (90 deg C) wire -- I would have preferred 16g 105 deg C, but I needed to get it back in service since it's the only real light in that room.

We've been running 60 W bulbs in it most of its life -- We'll use 40's from now on.

Is this a common problem with ceiling fan light kits, or do we just happen to have a piece of cheap junk?

Larry

Re: OT - Ceiling fan wiring burnt

1/1/07, 6:10 PM #2

Fred Bearman
Guest

Re: OT - Ceiling fan wiring burnt

Fred Bearman

>Can't speak to the quality (or lack thereof) of the fan, but I do know that our ceiling fan, which is a Hunter, rates the light sockets at a maxium of 40 watts each. Glad to discovered the problem before it became any more serious. Happy new year!

Fred Bearman

Port Huron, Michigan

Re: OT - Ceiling fan wiring burnt

1/1/07, 6:11 PM #3

Howard Norman-Prescott, AZ
Guest

Re: OT - Ceiling fan wiring burnt

Howard Norman-Prescott, AZ

>All of my ceiling fans(4) are Hunter fans. I haven't had that problem but I find even in one of the Hunter Original fans that the light bulb sockets are a piece of s**t. I don't know why they don't spend another few cents per lamp kit to make them more reliable.

Howard

Re: OT - Ceiling fan wiring burnt

1/1/07, 7:57 PM #4

M. McNamee
Guest

Re: OT - Ceiling fan wiring burnt

M. McNamee

>Larry, I just went through the SAME maintence cycle with a light fixture in the kitchen 2 weeks ago. The wires were in similar shape as you described and I am so glad I decided to do an inspection. This was a fire looking for a time to happen. We (I) always installed 60w bulbs as described by the warning labels.

This fixture has a dimmer installed which MIGHT be part of the problem. I don't know for sure if the dimmer was a contributer and can offer no direct proof. However the wife was bad about not running the dimmer down to off thus leaning a tiny trickle of juice flowing to the fixture. This dimmer is getting replaced. We have several more of the same fixture type that are NOT on dimmers and do not show similar wire degradation. Also, the wires were the cheapest of the cheap which also might have been the main source of the problem.

The top of my Jnauary 1st list is to inspect all the light fixture wiring but the end of next weekend.

Re: OT - Ceiling fan wiring burnt

1/1/07, 10:27 PM #5

Jason Roehl in Mulberry, IN
Guest

There COULD be another cause...

Jason Roehl in Mulberry, IN

>...and that could be a loose connection somewhere else in the circuit. A loose connection elsewhere could cause a voltage drop--and subsequently a current rise. Most parts of the circuit could maybe handle the extra current, except where you found the burnt wire--that could have been the weak point which overheated when faced with the extra current. It wouldn't hurt to check the rest of the that circuit if you can.

Jason

Re: OT - Ceiling fan wiring burnt

1/2/07, 12:57 AM #6

Dan Donaldson
Member
Offline
5,264 posts

Registered: 9/17/01

One thing to try

Dan Donaldson

>After you get it fixed, you might want to think about replacing the bulbs with the fluorescent type. They are much less wattage for a given amount of light. You can get them to be warm white like incandescent bulbs, or fairly close to daylight. They make many of them now that are of a form factor that will easily replace regular bulbs.

- - -

I have been woodworking for about 25 years now, and would consider myself an enthusiastic amateur. My claim to fame (or infamy) has always been fixing stuff. I spent time in the Air Force in the 60's then went to work as an electronic technician for civil service. I finally got my EE, and being fed up with the civil service nonsense, took a job with Ford Motor Company until I went with the split to Visteon last year. I got interested in music and started playing in a bluegrass band. I wanted a new guitar, and that kind of led me into woodworking. I bought some books, a few tools, and built a guitar. Luckily, I didn't know any better than to try that as a first ever project. I still play it when I get a chance, so it must not be too bad if it can live for over 20 years. After a stint in Mexico for my job, I moved into a new house and built a small shop. Since then I have been collecting tools and skills, probably more of the former than the latter ;-). Finding this site has done more for my skills and enjoyment than anything else. I have learned a lot and really enjoy the friendships that I have made here. I have been married to LOML (Lori) for 32 years now and have 6 kids. When they are all gone, I want to get a 1 bedroom house (so there is not room for them to move back in) and at least a 6 car heated/air conditioned garage for a shop. (Dream on...)

Re: OT - Ceiling fan wiring burnt

1/2/07, 1:38 AM #7

Jim Rahbe, Bedford, TX
Guest

Like throwing a hand grenade into....

Jim Rahbe, Bedford, TX

>a room full of watermelons. Jason, I suspect that you might want to take cover�. You�re going to have to explain how your �theory� works, because Ohms Law seems to disagree. :-)

Jim R.

Re: OT - Ceiling fan wiring burnt

1/2/07, 5:25 AM #8

Larry Marker in Alabama
Guest

Re: One thing to try

Larry Marker in Alabama

>I thought about doing that -- do they hold up to the vibration of a ceiling fan?

Re: OT - Ceiling fan wiring burnt

1/2/07, 5:27 AM #9

Larry Marker in Alabama
Guest

Re: There COULD be another cause...

Larry Marker in Alabama

>If there were a loose connection elsewhere in the circuit it would (1) be the place that got hot, and (2) limit the current flow so that the rest of the circuit would run cooler.

Larry

Re: OT - Ceiling fan wiring burnt

1/2/07, 3:38 PM #10

John in New Mexico
Guest

Just a thought Larry...

John in New Mexico

>Heat from the lamps will degrade insulation, but nothing more. I'd guess the melted wire is from arcing due to a loose connection, either caused or at least amplified by the vibration of the fan. I wonder if it would help to use crimp on connectors or maybe tin the wire (assuming its not solid wire) to get a better connection to the screw terminals.

John

(not an electrician)

Re: OT - Ceiling fan wiring burnt

1/2/07, 5:01 PM #11

Dan Donaldson
Member
Offline
5,264 posts

Registered: 9/17/01

Re: One thing to try

Dan Donaldson

>I have two ceiling fans where I have replaced the bulbs with them and they are working fine so far. (about a year)

- - -

I have been woodworking for about 25 years now, and would consider myself an enthusiastic amateur. My claim to fame (or infamy) has always been fixing stuff. I spent time in the Air Force in the 60's then went to work as an electronic technician for civil service. I finally got my EE, and being fed up with the civil service nonsense, took a job with Ford Motor Company until I went with the split to Visteon last year. I got interested in music and started playing in a bluegrass band. I wanted a new guitar, and that kind of led me into woodworking. I bought some books, a few tools, and built a guitar. Luckily, I didn't know any better than to try that as a first ever project. I still play it when I get a chance, so it must not be too bad if it can live for over 20 years. After a stint in Mexico for my job, I moved into a new house and built a small shop. Since then I have been collecting tools and skills, probably more of the former than the latter ;-). Finding this site has done more for my skills and enjoyment than anything else. I have learned a lot and really enjoy the friendships that I have made here. I have been married to LOML (Lori) for 32 years now and have 6 kids. When they are all gone, I want to get a 1 bedroom house (so there is not room for them to move back in) and at least a 6 car heated/air conditioned garage for a shop. (Dream on...)

OT - Ceiling fan wiring burnt

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