# Ceiling Fan Not Working



## handy man88 (Jan 23, 2007)

I have a Minka-Aire ceiling fan with a light kit. 

Last night, I had difficulty with dimming the lights when I pressed the light button down, but it eventually dimmed. Was probably just being impatient.

This afternoon, the light was not working, but the fan worked.

Now the fan does not work.

I tested the power both before and after the receiver, and the voltage measures about 90V (black hot to ground) when the wall switch is turned on, which seems fine.

The dip switches on both the remote and receiver are set the same.

I read somewhere that the remote needs to be either reprogrammed or reset by first turning the wall switch on, and then holding down the off button for 3 seconds. 

Battery has been replaced on the remote.

Does anyone have any ideas?


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## EBFD6 (Aug 31, 2008)

handy man88 said:


> I have a Minka-Aire ceiling fan with a light kit.
> 
> Last night, I had difficulty with dimming the lights when I pressed the light button down, but it eventually dimmed. Was probably just being impatient.
> 
> ...


90 volts? I think that may be your problem unless I am misunderstanding what you're saying. Is something wired in series with this load to cause that kind of voltage drop? Something is not right here.

As far as the remote, there are many different manufacturers and models. We will need more specific information to be able to help.


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## handy man88 (Jan 23, 2007)

EBFD6 said:


> 90 volts? I think that may be your problem unless I am misunderstanding what you're saying. Is something wired in series with this load to cause that kind of voltage drop? Something is not right here.
> 
> As far as the remote, there are many different manufacturers and models. We will need more specific information to be able to help.


Check that.

I tested the voltage again and it's 120V...both from the supply from the wall switch, and the leads after the fan's receiver module.

Therefore, either the fan is shot, or the remote is shot or the receiver is shot, even though it is transmitting current. Not sure.

I guess I'll go the cheaper route and get a new remote to see if this fixes the problem.

The remote is a Minka Aire model, and when I press the buttons, the red light does turn on, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's sending commands to the receiver.

Thoughts?


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## EBFD6 (Aug 31, 2008)

I would suggest first taking the remote unit completely out of the circuit and wire the fan and light to a standard single pole switch. If the fan and light work you have a bad remote unit. If they don't work you have a bad fan/light. Start simple and work you're way up the troubleshooting ladder.


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## handy man88 (Jan 23, 2007)

EBFD6 said:


> I would suggest first taking the remote unit completely out of the circuit and wire the fan and light to a standard single pole switch. If the fan and light work you have a bad remote unit. If they don't work you have a bad fan/light. Start simple and work you're way up the troubleshooting ladder.


Thanks for the suggestion.

I removed the receiver from the circuit, checked to make sure that the voltage was 120V, and hooked it directly to the fan. I wired the supply to fan first, and then to the light afterwards. Neither the fan nor the light works when I switched them on individually.

The ceiling fan was made over 10 years ago. I've read that's the general expected life of a fan even though these units are not working nonstop for 10 years.

I do find it kind of strange that both the fan unit and its light kit don't work. Aren't they exclusive of each other since they are wired separately?

Does anyone know whether fans have overload switches or fuses that need to be switched back on or replaced, respectively?

BTW, this ceiling fan unit does not have pull strings. I assume if it's reversible, that you must somehow access it inside. The fan is Minka-Aire unit, I believe, and the blades are shaped like ships propeller (more modern style, so that's why there are no pull strings).


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## jbfan (Jul 1, 2004)

In my experience, a fan/ light without a pull string can only be operated with the remote control.


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## kbsparky (Sep 11, 2008)

Is your neutral connection secure? Sounds like a bad neutral, since both the fan and light quit at the same time?


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## handy man88 (Jan 23, 2007)

kbsparky said:


> Is your neutral connection secure? Sounds like a bad neutral, since both the fan and light quit at the same time?


Yes, I've been swapping out and testing the white wire. 120V from black to white on the switch, and 120V from black to white on the receiver.

Wired hot (black) directly to the black wire for the fan and neutral (white) directly to the fan. Flipped switch and does not run.

Wired hot (black) directly to the light (blue) and neutral (white) directly to the fan. Flipped switch and light does not turn on.


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## handy man88 (Jan 23, 2007)

jbfan said:


> In my experience, a fan/ light without a pull string can only be operated with the remote control.


Interesting, even if you hard wire (minus receiver) directly to the fan and flip the wall switch? The way the fan looks, there is no pull string b/c it would clash with the design of the fan.

Interesting if this is true...it may be worthwhile to buy a new remote and receiver and replace it. If it does not work still, just return it to HD.

It looks a bit like this.

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...ages?q=ceiling+fan,+propeller&hl=en&sa=N&um=1

I don't even know whether it's reversible, as the fan was there when I bought the house and the remote does not have a reverse button.


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## Photo Guy (Nov 17, 2013)

*MinkaAire Ceiling Fan Remote Control - HandyMan88*

Hello Handy Man88,

Wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your help with my MinkaAire ceiling fan remote control!

My handyman skills are pretty much limited to changing the batteries in a flashlight. That's about it. ;-)

My MinkaAire ceiling fan remote control failed last week.

Tonight, I replaced the battery in the remote control, got nothing.

I googled "MinkaAir Ceiling Fan Remote" and wound up on the DIY chatroom page.

Then I read this on your post...

"I read somewhere that the remote needs to be either reprogrammed or reset by first turning the wall switch on, and then holding down the off button for 3 seconds."

HANDY MAN88: NOW HEAR THIS! YOU WERE EXACTLY RIGHT!!! 

Thanks to you, my MinkaAire is working again!

I have printed off your post and put it in my ceiling fan folder, in case it happens again. (Old men like me tend to forget things.) ;-)

Thanks so much!


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