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Why It Is A Good Idea To Have Ceiling Fan Chain Set On High When On Wall Or Remote Control: Part I

1,719 views · Published 10 March 2018 · 8:58 · Indexed 18 October 2026

Channel: The Channel of Random Ceiling Fans · 2018 · Film & Animation

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This video features a 1993 Casablanca Delta II on a solid state speed control from around 1988. Casablanca Delta II has a fixed capacitance rating (10uf) to one winding, and uses 12uf capacitor in series with hot wire for medium, and 5uf capacitor in series with hot wire for low. The solid state speed control only works well when the chain is on high. When the chain is on high, the control works perfectly, going from slow low to high, and is near silent! When on any other speed, the fan actually spins faster when the control is turned down, like to medium-low when the chain is on low, and to medium-high when the chain is on medium, and also buzzes a bit more.
Capacitor based wall control would slow down any fans that uses capacitor in series with hot wire for medium and low with pull chain, regardless of what speed the fan chain is set to, when the wall control is turned down.
Some fans use different capacitance rating to one winding for each speed with pull chain. In that case, the capacitor based wall control can speed up the fan a bit when turned down, when the chain is set to medium or low, while the solid state speed control always seem to slow down the fan. Same applies when the capacitor goes bad. I have a Harbor Breeze Teak with speeds messed up, but when I replaced 2-wire capacitor for one winding, speeds went back in order; high speed went much faster but medium and low slowed down a tiny bit.
Video of Harbor Breeze Teak with bad capacitor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEt7lAJCCKA
Video of Harbor Breeze Teak with new capacitor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRGhlj9eDI4

Some fans use winding taps to change speeds, such as 3 speed reversible Hunter Original from 1984 to 2002, and some spinner motor fans. Some fans use transformer to change speeds, such as many 3 speed antiques. Some fans use separate windings to change speeds, and in that case, the chain MUST be set to high, I heard some 2 speed Original with separate windings to change speeds have burned out with chain on low while on wall control, and those fans can act funny when the chain is on low while on wall control.

However, if the control is connected to at least one fan with chain set to high, or at least one light bulb, the control would always slow down all fans connected to it, because it would mainly focus on at least one fan set to high, or light bulb.

Part II video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipjn4Vq1-is

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