My Hampton Bay Fan Won't Turn
If you switch on your Hampton Bay fan one day to find that it won't turn, there are a few scenarios you can explore to help find and fix the problem. Some of the issues you might face are objects trapped in the fan, electrical problems or a bad motor. It's a good idea to learn how fans work to help you in your troubleshooting. If one of the solutions doesn't fix the problem, move on to the next one.
Fan Operation
An electric motor is the heart of your Hampton Bay ceiling fan. A switch controls the flow of electricity to the motor and therefore the fan's speed of rotation. Typically the switch is alongside the room's light switch, in the wall; otherwise you control the fan with the pull-chain switch at the fan base. When you flip or pull the switch to turn the fan on, the motor hub, connected to the motor shaft at the lowest part of the fan motor housing, begins to spin, and fan blades attached to the motor hub take a ride. Angled just a few degrees, uniformly, the turning fan blades create a draft upward or downward, depending on which way the blades are set to turn.
Objects in Fan
One thing that can cause your Hampton Bay fan blades to not spin when you turn it on an object stuck in the fan. Turn off the power to the fan and use a stepladder or ladder if needed to check the area between the hub and the shaft on the fan. It's possible that an object, say a helium balloon, could catch a blade and become wedged because of the spinning action of the fan. Use a pair of needle nose pliers to pull out anything that may be stuck. It's wise to disrupt power to the fan at the breaker panel to reduce risk of shock if you inadvertently lose control of your pliers or yourself.
Electrical Problems
Check other electrical appliances in your house to see if they are working. If not, you may have a homewide outage, or your neighborhood power could be shut off. Check the circuit breaker that controls the circuit where the fan is installed. Reset or replace the fuse if you find that it is blown.
Motor Burnout
Because the motors in Hampton Bay fans are constantly in use, over time they can burn out. One sign of this is a burning smell in the room when you run the fan. Cut the electricity to the fan and open up the switch box that controls the Hampton Bay so you can access the electrical wires. Turn the electricity back on at the circuit and check the voltage across the wires with a voltmeter. If the wires are live, the motor is most likely burned out. Check for replacement parts where you purchased your Hampton Bay fan. In some cases, it may be easier just to replace the entire fan.
References
Writer Bio
Nathan McGinty started writing in 1995. He has a Bachelor of Science in communications from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Arts in international journalism from City University, London. He has worked in the technology industry for more than 20 years, in positions ranging from tech support to marketing.
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