How do you balance a ceiling fan

8 years ago

One of the fans in my new house wobbles when it goes into the three highest speeds. This is a problem, because its an outdoor fan and we were are likely to use the faster speeds over the slower ones. I supplied the fan for them to install, so I think I'm on the hook to balance it. What's the best practice here?

Featured Answer

toxcrusadr

8 years ago

If nothing is loose or otherwise obviously out of whack that is clearly the culprit, you can weigh the blades on a digital scale. I bought several identical used fans from an apartment complex reno, with all the blades already taken off, and when I put them up in my shop with random blade sets, they wobbled. I borrowed a kitchen scale that would handle up to 2 lb and weighed each blade in grams. Surprising what a range of weight there was - about +/- 5% of the average. If you find a light one, add weight; if there is a much heavier one, add weight to the others, etc.

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Comments (6)

chisue
8 years ago
The installer should balance it. If it can't be balanced when running on high, there's something wrong beyond the blades. Does it 'rock' in the mounting?

You can do it with small lead weights that you attach to the top of the blades. Talk to a fan repair store.
Holly Stockley
8 years ago
Dad used to tape coins to the tops of a blade or two until it was balanced. This is probably not an "approved method."
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Izzy Mn
8 years ago
Possibly one fan blade is off a bit. I knocked a blade out of balance while moving a ladder while painting a bit and fan started wobbling. Had to get up on ladder to see which one was off. I was really hard to tell as I was gripping the ladder for dear life. After three people voted for one particular one being off we twisted it and that worked.
Michael Lamb
Original Author
8 years ago
Here is something that I read about, and would have never thought about doing it this way... Measure from the ceiling to all of the blades(in the same spot), and add weight to the blades that are closest to the ceiling, until they are all the same distance from the same spot on the ceiling. Would this work? Its a 3 bladed fan...
ci_lantro
8 years ago
You can pickup a fan balancing kit at just about any home improvement store.