Ceiling Fan Capacitor

[BuddingHomeOwner]

I’ve narrowed down my ceiling fan issues to likely being the capacitor. I’m at a loss at how to read/understand the ratings that are written on it. Can someone help me identify a replacement part I can order?

 

[He who knows]

It's two caps in a single package - one 10µF the other 5µF, hence the 4 leads.

Try these people

https://www.eceilingfans.com/capacitors_-_ceiling_fans.html

CeilingFanParts.com - Switchco Products - Capacitors

 

[KenGMac]

The manufacturer appears to be

https://www.cde.com/ This is the American manufacturing company that may assist

 

[AC Power]

yes, 2 caps. together (in parallel) it's 3.33MFD. I'd connect your fan to the 5MFD first, see if it works the way it ought to. If not, then connect it to the 10MFD. The 10MFD is going to hold more of a charge than the 5. In any case, they are both very low in capacitance.

 

[He who knows]

yes, 2 caps. together (in parallel) it's 3.33MFD.

1. 10μF & 5μF in parallel is 15μF, not 3.3.
2. What makes you think they are connected in parallel?

I'd connect your fan to the 5MFD first, see if it works the way it ought to. If not, then connect it to the 10MFD. The 10MFD is going to hold more of a charge than the 5. In any case, they are both very low in capacitance.

1. Which pair of leads is for the 5μF and which the 10μF?
2. Please explain the reasoning behind your suggestion given that currently both caps appear to be connected to the fan.
3. Low the values may be in absolute terms, but we have to assume that they are the right ones for the small motor he has. What is the significance of "In any case, they are both very low in capacitance"?

 

[AC Power]

@He who knows.

Your right, my bad. I accidentally added the caps (Ct) as though they were resistors. I am more used to working on larger motors, where their starting capacitors are in parallel to the motor's start winding, cut out by a centrifugal switch at approx 75% rated rpm.

 

[He who knows]

It's hard to envisage a start/run cap on a ceiling fan which doesn't suck pets and small children up off the floor

Budding - does your fan have 2 speeds?

 

[AC Power]

Here in Canada, we use shading coil motors for low torque loads, such as in some fans. Maybe they use capacitors to modulate the speed...I don't know. Sometimes caps are used also to "snuff" out the reverse EMF (CEMF = Counter Electro Motive Force) that cap "back produce" high voltages upon the de-energized collapsing magnetic field upon it's stator's windings. It saves sensitive electronic parts that might be used in the fan's construction.

 

[He who knows]

I did wonder about a back-EMF snubber, but don't those packages usually have a resistor as well?

 

[AC Power]

I like the term "snubber"...it explanatively defines the function of the cap and/or resistor. We don't use that term here in North America. I'll remember that term...it "fits" well.