Last updated on August 14th, 2022 at 01:28 pm
Power surges are scary; in the blink of an eye, all your appliances could get fried, your bulbs obliterated, and your outlets have blown.
So, if you’re particularly wary of these sudden fluctuations in electricity, you may wonder if any of your devices, say your ceiling fan, is safe.
Sadly, Yes, a power surge can cause severe damage to ceiling fans and other electrical appliances. However, it may either be permanent damages or temporary ones that an electrician can quickly fix.
What Could Cause A Ceiling Fan To Stop Working?
A ceiling fan could stop working when a tripped circuit breaker, loose wiring, a bad motor, or a power surge.
#1. Tripped Circuit Breaker
A circuit breaker trips when it detects excessive current. It automatically shuts off the electricity supply to the plugged-in appliances or the outlets. When this happens, your ceiling fan will stop working.
Luckily, you can easily reset a tripped circuit breaker by turning it in the opposite direction(in most cases, this opposite direction is up).
However, if your ceiling fan still does not work, you’ll require the services of an electrician or a technician to determine whether the circuit breaker can be repaired or replaced.
#2. Loose Wiring
Your ceiling fan can also stop working if there is loose wiring in the house. House wiring can be faulty or loose due to negligence in installation.
Also, they can become faulty due to wear and tear. For example, loose electrical connections can cause sparks which lead to fires.
Thus it’s necessary to do routine checks to ensure that the wires are in place and replace worn wires and dated appliances.
#3. Internal Factors
A ceiling fan will not work due to internal factors such as bad or burned motors. Furthermore, burned capacitors within the motors can stop ceiling fans from functioning.
Motors can also stop functioning due to age as the wires become worn out. Also, when there is an oversupply of electricity to the motors, it can cause the wires to burn and the motors to overheat.
So, when you switch on your fan to high speeds, and it turns slowly or does not even come on at all, it may be a sign that the motors have gone wrong. Another sign is when the fan makes noise but barely produces any air.
#4. Power Surge
A power surge can also stop your ceiling fan from working. A high voltage supply to the fan above the standard rate could fry the wires and damage the appliance.
The National Electrical Codes specify 120V as the acceptable amount of volts allowed in households with 60HZ as frequency.
When home appliances receive voltage more than twice the standard rate, there is a power surge. It can occur due to many factors, from bad wiring to electrical overloading, power outage, or even lightning.
What Can Be Damaged By A Power Surge?
Most of the time, it is plugged-in devices, appliances, or equipment that bear the brunt of power surges. However, power surges also can damage outlets such as sockets and lamp holders, extensions, or adapters.
They are often blown up completely or charred from the sparks created by extreme voltages. Thus it is advisable not to plug-in devices to outlets that receive fewer voltages than the devices.
Power surges do not usually destroy appliances and equipment at once. Instead, it could be gradual; thus, repeated power surges eventually lead to permanent damage to the devices.
In other instances, a power surge can be strong enough to damage your equipment ultimately. For example, a lightning bolt with a high electric charge can instantly ruin computers and other appliances plugged into outlets.
How Do You Reset A Ceiling Fan After A Power Outage?
You can reset ceiling fans by resetting the circuit breakers, the Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs), or the remote module.
You can reset your ceiling fans by resetting the circuit breaker for the fan in the panel box.
Furthermore, in the case of a remote-controlled fan, you can easily replace the remote if it has problems, but if not, you can also replace the remote module in the fan to get the fan working again.
Also, the Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) installed in the house can be reset. Resetting them can redirect power to your appliance.
In other cases, you can replace the fan if it is no longer functioning due to age. You can also install surge protectors to prevent sudden power surges.
As a bonus, it would be best to adhere to safety rules such as unplugging your devices during a storm, after every power outage, when not in use, and when you want to use a standby generator.
Conclusion
Power surges can cause a great deal of harm to appliances and devices such as your ceiling fan. They can either cause them to stop working entirely or temporarily.
In case of a power surge, your ceiling fan can often be easily reset by resetting your circuit breakers and GFCIs. You can also prevent power surges by installing surge protectors in your home or building.
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