Recently, we had a warm spring evening. When we were ready for bed, we opened the bedroom windows for the first time this year. The air was still warm, so we decided to run our ceiling fan. Efiwym, my wife, pushed ON on the remote. Nothing. She pushed it again along with other buttons. Still nothing. Now I had a project and I wanted to go to bed.
I took out the 9-volt battery from the remote and gave it the tongue test. You know, you put both terminals of the battery on the tongue and wait for that tingling feeling. A strong zap of power, the battery was good; a little tingle, it was time to change it. I received a little tingle. I went downstairs and went to our battery drawer. I was not optimistic that I would find a 9-volt battery. The 9-volt battery is not a popular battery, and it is expensive, so we do not keep an inventory. Voila! There was a 9-volt battery in the drawer. I gave it the tongue test. Zap! It was good.
I installed the battery into the remote and…nothing. I stood on the bed to check the on-off switch on the fan. Nope, it was ON. I shook the remote. (Like that would work?) I tried the remote again. Nothing. We gave up. We would just start off with no covers and add them as the room cooled down. A new project for a weekend.
Efiwym reminded me about the ceiling fan on Saturday. I had forgotten about it, maybe because I might need to do more work than I wanted. I informed her that I would work on it on Sunday.
After breakfast on Sunday, I grabbed the step ladder from the garage along with a Phillips and slotted screwdrivers. I could not find the voltmeter. I must have left it at work. So, I made the trip to work and returned home with a voltmeter.
I went upstairs with the ladder and tools. I needed to separate the bed. (We both have adjustable beds. The beds are next to each other, but not connected.) The legs on both sides were planted deep into the carpet. I finally was able to muscle the bed apart wide enough to slip the ladder between them.
I removed the screws from the housing and dropped down the fan onto the ladder. I removed the wire nuts and checked for power. We have power. It could be the wireless module, but I decided we should just buy a new fan.
Efiwym and I went to our favorite home improvement store, where we could save big money, to look for a ceiling fan. We needed a flush-mounted ceiling fan with a remote and light. (Efiwym wanted a light.) The pickings were slim in our price category, which is “cheap.” We only found one. It was bronze and it was not flush-mounted. Since it was above the bed, I did not think it would be an issue. We purchase the fan, along with a can of spray paint and fertilizer. Why not? While you are there, get some more stuff.
Time to install the ceiling fan without reading the instructions so you can take it apart and put it back together right. I did initially sit down and opened the instructions and looked at them briefly. I installed ceiling fans before, how could this one be different? Well, because it is. I removed all the parts from the box and took an inventory. Where was the light kit? Does it come with one? Sure, it does. There it was. In the box.
I grabbed what I needed to start the installation and headed upstairs. Efiwym followed with the rest of the parts. I installed the box bracket first. I completely forgot about the need to shim out the bracket. The box was not installed deep enough, so I needed the nuts from the old bracket. I was lucky, Efiwym did not collect them when she tossed the old fan in the garbage. There they were on the dresser. I did not remember how the ground (green) wire was attached. On this model, the green wire was attached to the bracket. I needed to connect the ground wire to this wire. The screw on the bracket was not long enough to allow for 2 wires. I took a screw from the packet, hoping there was extras.
I installed the wireless module, and I was ready to attach it to the fan. The manufacturer provided me with about three feet of wire. I only needed about a foot. I get a little nervous cutting wire, especially on a new item. What if the fan does not work and I need to take it back? Will they refuse it because I cut the wires? Or maybe worse, what if I cut the wires too short? No worries, I moved on and cut the wires. I matched up the wires and screwed the wire nuts on. I jammed the wires into the housing and screwed down the housing to the bracket. I connected the LED light unit. I let it hang by the wires. Time to test it out.
I installed the batteries in the remote. I pushed on, or the button with the power icon. Cool! The bladeless fan was turning. I checked the light. Wow! The light was brighter than I thought. So far, so good. I showed off my work to Efiwym. Unimpressed, she organized the fan blade parts for me to install.
I installed the blades and light unit. I gave the fan another test run. I checked the three speeds and the two different light colors: cool and warm. The fan was lower than I wanted to be, but it was mostly over the bed, so it would be okay.
Efiwym, graciously, cleaned up the bedroom and she desperately wanted to vacuum under the bed. I took down the ladder and tools while she vacuumed. I returned to put the two beds together. I spent a little more time playing around with the ceiling fan. I was happy the installation when somewhat smoothly, even though I was pretty sweaty. Another DIY project done.
