My Ceiling Fan Is Slower Than It Used To Be  

If your ceiling fan starts rotating slowly it has a faulty capacitor. Bad ceiling fan capacitors make fans turn at different speeds than they should. Sometimes, a ceiling fan won’t even start with a bad capacitor. 

I would say 90% of the time the cause is a faulty capacitor. The other possibility could be the ceiling fan motor. If your ceiling fan motor is shot, then your fan could be spinning slowly. 

Signs of a Bad Ceiling Fan Capacitor

• Rotating slowly
• Rotating erratically 
• Not starting
• Humming sound from the fan 

Can it be Fixed?

Yes, you can replace your ceiling fan capacitor yourself at home. Replacing your ceiling fan capacitor can be done in a couple of quick steps. Make sure to always turn off the electricity and double-check!

How to Fix a Slow Fan

1. Remove the light kit and the housing fan from the ceiling fan. 
2. Locate the capacitor It should look something like this.

3. These capacitors are usually permanently wired to the ceiling fan. This requires you to cut the wires. 

4. Take a picture with your mobile phone before you cut the wires so you can replace the wires correctly. 

5. I recommend bringing the old capacitor to a fan or an electrical outlet store. If not you can always find a match and order online. You can use the numbers and letters on the capacitor to find the model. 

6. When you find the right capacitor splice the wires and use your picture to rewire. 

7. There should be a place to mount the capacitor inside the ceiling fan housing. 

Check for Obstructions 

Be sure to check for any obstructions near your fan blades. Turn the ceiling fan off and spin the fan blades with your fans. The blades should spin freely with no scrapping or friction. Dust and other fan parts can obstruct the path of the fan blades making it difficult for it to spin. 

Possible Mechanical issues 

Lubrication: Ceiling fans that lose bearing lubrication can begin to slow down over time. Apply lubrication can insure that your fan blades can spin with no friction. 

Fan blades: If ceiling fan blades are unbalanced, The fan can have trouble spinning at full speed. Check out this article if your ceiling fan is making a knocking noise.

Regular Maintenance 

Performing regular maintenance on your ceiling fans can result in a longer lifespan. Cleaning the blades, checking the wires, and check the bearing. Taking care of a ceiling fan should be the same as taking care of any other mechanical machine you own. Fixing problems now can save you money later.