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How to Fix a Flickering or Blinking Ceiling Fan Light
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 ส.ค. 2024
- Video Provides the Training for you to Remove the devise that is causing your ceiling fan to blink or flicker.
Timecodes
0:00 Intro
2:25 Shut Power Off at Switch
2:59 Remove Screws to lower the Light Section
5:23 Part to Remove
10:54 Cut out Bad Part and Re-Wire
17:30 Put Fixture Back Together
20:36 Test Lights and Final Comments
9 yrs later and your video is still helping us DIY’ers. Thank You So Much!! The electrician suggested I buy a brand new fan for him to install 🤦🏼♀️
Yes crazy eh ? I have a friend that says they just toss the old fan and buy again. I laughed and said mine is working perfect now after getting the TH-cam info on how to fix it. Cost Me nothing !
Ken, I am a professional electrician. First, I'd like to say that I like your treatment of installing wire nuts. Many electricians don't even do this properly. Second, I would like to commend you on giving clear, easy to understand narration and good visuals in your video.
My main reason for posting here, though, is to say that the wattage limiter is there as a fire safety measure. The limitation has to do with the fixture's ability to ventilate heat generated by the bulbs, which is directly proportional to the wattage they consume. More heat than the fixture was designed for can accelerate degradation of the wiring going to the light sockets and its insulation and make them fail prematurely or create an unsafe condition. I have repaired many lights that suffered from problems associated with this. I personally have no problems with someone removing a wattage limiter, even though as a professional I must advise replacing the component with one that is equivalent in function. Wattage limiters are a chronic failure point on ceiling fans and a general pain. If they expect them to be effective as a safety device, they should be made less prone to failure. However, in the spirit of safety, one should NEVER exceed the manufacturer's recommended wattage, as heat sinking is a very real safety issue.
If you need more light from your fan, there are many LED products out there that will give much more light while staying within the wattage limitations of the design. Every home improvement store has shelves full of them, at price points ranging from reasonable to obscene, something for everyone.
As for the size of wiring and rating of internal components, they will always be able to handle much more than the fixture is rated for. How long would components last if they were used at their maximum capacity all the time? It's like driving a car to its absolute limits of performance every time you are behind the wheel; your car will never reach 100,000 miles before it is dead. Components being more robust should not automatically be a license to push the envelope of safety and I don't think it is wise to recommend to anyone who is not knowledgeable about the long term consequences to exceed the wattage rating of the product manufacturer for any reason.
Thanks for taking the time to not only say the limiter shouldn't be removed but also to explain the reason why. There's lots of people out there who know enough to safely wire a fixture but need to know info like before making modifications to avoid inadvertantly creating a hazard. I've learned that when an electrical component's purpose seems illogical or extremely overkill (like in this case) it's best not to remove or circumvent it without *knowing* whether or not there are other reasons it was engineered into the design of an appliance.
Nobody wants to be responsible for a home burning down. The more experts like you out there who take the time to help educate the public the safer we can all remain
Thanks for taking the time to not only say the limiter shouldn't be removed but also to explain the reason why. There's lots of people out there who know enough to safely wire a fixture but need to know info like before making modifications to avoid inadvertantly creating a hazard. I've learned that when an electrical component's purpose seems illogical or extremely overkill (like in this case) it's best not to remove or circumvent it without *knowing* whether or not there are other reasons it was engineered into the design of an appliance.
Nobody wants to be responsible for a home burning down. The more experts like you out there who take the time to help educate the public the safer we can all remain
I have a 2 Hunter ceiling fans. I tried using led bulbs (2 @ 9w each) and all they do is flicker. Any ideas why? They’re 15 year old fans now. Also the fans are totally remote controlled w no dimmer that I’m aware of. Regular bulbs work fine but they’re dim. That’s why I wanted to brighten up the room w led
@@Shawn-rq4py I have the same issue with one of my Hunter fans - it's the wattage limiters that don't work properly with LED bulbs. Using LED bulbs shouldn't be a problem since they're far less wattage than the limitation
@@johnchan3251 I'm with you. I just installed a new Hunter fan light and the second day the lights are flickering. I'm going to take out the current regulator. The LEDs are not going to burn up the wiring or anything else. Besides which, the regulator is there in case I replace the bulbs which, they being LEDs, is unlikely. This is another instance in which a government agency has justified its budget by mandating that 100% of the population take a measure that benefits just 0.0000002 of that population. I have not been able to find ANY fire in the United States in 2020 caused by an overheating fan light. There were 160 fires caused by faulty Christmas tree lights. Fan lights don't even show up in the statistics.
Very helpful, saved me a lot of time. However, to anyone who is watching this please, please do not assume a circuit is safe just because the light switch is off. There are many situations where this is not true. If you have an old house it is not uncommon for the hot and neutral wires to be reversed, in which case the single-pole light switch will just disconnect the neutral wire, but the hot wire will still be connected. The light will turn off either way when you flip the switch as the circuit is broken, but then when you go to rewire the fixture you can be electrocuted. Even with proper wiring, if the lighting fixture is connected to multiple wall switches, or the ceiling fan happens to be in the middle of the run rather than the end, there will be live wires in the same junction box as the lighting fixture. They shouldn't run into the fan itself, and in this case it wasn't necessary to enter the junction box, but it is still risky.
When it comes to electrical safety, never assume the last person who worked on your wiring/fixtures did everything perfect. Always turn off power at the breaker box and verify that the power is off (check that the light will no longer turn on) and double check with a voltage tester; they are cheap.
63 years old and your directions were excellent. Light works again!
Thank you Ken. My wattage limiter wasn't in the light section of my ceiling fan, but thanks to you showing me exactly what it looked like, I pulled all the wires and boxes out of the fan unit, cut wires as they were hanging from the ceiling, and followed your instructions. Bingo! My light doesn't flicker any more. I am a 68 year old women and got it done all by myself thanks to your clear instructions!
Hey Ken - - If I may be so bold as to speak for other TH-cam DIYer's . . "Thank you for The Very Best Approach, and The Best Explanation" of what is required to complete current limiter removal from ceiling fan/light assemblies. Well Done my Friend !
I think I’ve watched about 20 of these videos and this is the first one that was clear and informative. I finally understand which wires go where. Thank you so much.
This video was spot on. In fifteen minutes the problem was solved...after changing the light bulbs three times (led v. incandescent and 40 v 60 watts) and the wall switch and the comment by the electrician doing other work in my home, "you need a new fan". Thank you!!
Looks great, and with a brighter bulb installed that’s all the light you need. th-cam.com/users/postUgkxWF88GpljEn-0o34vtLFazEQ5h5Q33SjU As far as ease of installation- this was my first ceiling fan and it took about 3 hours because I had no idea what I was doing and also it’s helpful to have a second set of hands and a magnetic drill bit. Works great.
Thank you, my problem which had battled me and my electrician , solved in 20 Minutes all by myself! I had lived with blinking lights for months but God led me to your video!.
THANK YOU TIMES A 100. I even went to the "experts" at the big box stores and hired a handy man, none of which could figure out this problem. I was searching for the part number to try and replace the part to see if that would would when I saw your video. I was prepared to go buy two new ceiling fans and pay to have them installed (I am NOT handy at all). They no longer make my ceiling fan so, I was going to have to buy two news ones the same and start over. Thank you for your easy to follow instructions. I followed step by step and voila, it's fixed. THANK YOU!!!!!!!
Just an awesome video on how to get rid of voltage limiters. Interestingly, this blinking phenomenon occurs frequently with LED bulbs regardless of whether the limiter has failed. As I found out, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005) by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) requires that manufacturers incorporate some measure such as a fuse, circuit breaker or current-limiting device to ensure the light kit is not capable of operating with a lamp or lamps totaling more than 190 watts. This resulted in manufacturers putting wattage limiters in the light kits. While this may have made sense when everyone was using energy INefficient incandescent bulbs, they make little sense when using LED bulbs. But here is the ironic part, these wattage limiters actually cause problems with some LED bulbs with a blinking phenomenon.
Is this a "Voltage Limiter"? or a "Wattage Limiter"?
Thank you, Ken. We purchased a new home & while painting & replacing lightbulbs @ too high a wattage, we triggered the blinking.
We appreciate your very clear video…very helpful.
Excellent video that saved me replacing a big fan that would have cost me $500 to have installed. This fix on my harbor breeze worked perfectly and cost nothing. Thanks a bunch.
I had the same exact problem with my ceiling fan, did exactly what you did, and now I have light again in my family room. I appreciate this video!
Excellent video! I initially thought it was my switch. After researching many videos for a solution, I came across your video. The fix took 10 minutes. Thank you!
Hello. Two thumbs up for your video. Well explained. I'm a 47 year old woman and I was able to repair my fan following your video. Also because of your explanation on amps, I was able to increase my lightbulb watts, confident it will not create any electrical issues. Thank you so much for taking the time to share.
Great Video, used this info 3 years ago on my first blinking fan, now a 2nd fan started blinking so I found your video again... thanks for posting this info.... cheers!
Worked like a charm! My particular wiring was a bit different but I was able to figure it out based on this video. Threw away the 40w candelabra light bulbs and the current limiter and installed 60w LED bulbs. Now we can finally see in our craft room.
Awesome. My fan lights exhibited the same blinking. Now I understand the likely culprit and the fix. Thanks!
Great job!!! As a precaution for novices, it may be better to remove the lamp shades before unscrewing/removing the light kit from the fan. The item you could not identified that was connected to the fan switch is a capacitor which boosts the fan speed upon start up. If you have a ceiling fan that spins slow at high speed it is most probably because this capacitor is defective. Simply look at the defective capacitor and note the markings on it (e.g. 4.µf-4 microfarads; 250V) and purchase an appropriate replacement. When replacing the capacitor, disconnect/reconnect the wires one at a time so that you don't inadvertently mix up the connections OR take a picture with your camera/smartphone before you start that you could use as a reference later if needed. Also note the number of wires the capacitor has before purchasing a replacement. Some capacitors have 2 potential values based on how many wires are connected.
just take off two screws and drop canopy.. cut of 'cl and on you go.. don't need to take down lots of times.
Ken , thanks very much for this thorough tutorial! I had to replace the identical wattage limiter, same as yours. Compared to other TH-cam clips describing the same procedure, yours is the most detailed and the video is the best quality. Jsyk, Hunter told me they don’t supply the wattage limiter 98480-02 and my fan is obsolete ! They told me to buy a new fan! Thanks for saving me $$$$$.
Just tried it 7/5/2020. Worked perfectly. Only took 10 min.
I like you included the calculations. It's important for people to understand to prevent house fires.
I’ve seen other videos of this issue and yours was by far the best explaining how to rewrite it.
Thank you...thank you....thank you. My electrician said it would be cheaper to just buy a new fan. Your instructions were detailed and easy to follow. Best of all - it works!
worked out great for me. I was about to call an electrician and my wife told me to TH-cam it and I'm so glad I did! Just perfect!
You can leave the limiter in place. You only have to cut the Red & Black wires coming out of the limiter & splice those two together. That removed the load from the limiter & the two neutral wires are already tied together at the input of the limiter.
I agree with the last few comments. Thank you for your clear explanations!!
Thanks a lot!!! Our Hunter ceiling fan w/light fixture failed after 2 years of ownership (fan works though) and the replacement light fixture cost nearly 50% of the purchase price. I couldn't justify that nor the possibility of a ritualistic 2 year light fixture replacement. This isn't a subscription service! Well removing the limiter finally got the light fixture working after about 6 months with no lights. Much appreciated!
I am running 4 "45 watt" led bulbs which are 6 watts each so a total of 24 watts and a dimmer as well. Your description is EXACTLY what happened to mine. ALSO a Hunter fan.
I'm a female landlord and found this same problem after a property became vacant. Your video was extremely helpful and detailed....many thanks for uploading.
Great help. I fixed the flashing lights in less than 15 minutes. I have only one suggestion. Like so many youtube instructional videos yours suffers from LOW LIGHT! Shine a light on the work and make it so we OLD people who have been using our tired old eyes for the larger part of a century can see the details of what you are doing. Thanks Great Grand Pa!
Thanks dude, whole repair took 25 minutes.... 20 of which were spent watching this video!
Thanks for posting this. Got my light working just in time for Christmas morning tomorrow. YES, I have read all the precaution statements.
Finally someone that explains things clear, concise and to the point. Thanks a mill. I have 3 new hunter fan light combo that have flickered since day one with the l.e.d. bulbs they provided. They have remote control dimmers so I I gonna tear one apart n see what we got
Let me know what you find out. Thanks
My ceiling light/fan combo started doing the exact same thing. I searched the problem on youtube, found your video, did exactly the repair you did and presto, fixed it! Thank you for your post. So easy.
Thank you
so, after re-wirng my switch, replacing the switch, replacing the bulbs, checking the light connections etc. etc. I watched your video...thank you, thank you, thank you. I will buy you a very large drink if we ever meet!!
Turn my ceiling fan on one day lights were blinking did what this gentleman recommended and it took care of the problem thank you!
Wonderful!!! Loved slow precise instructions without a lot of unnecessary comments. Just the facts. Thank you so much!
I tried to watch a couple other videos and they confused me when talking about the wiring. Your video describes perfectly how to do this. I will add, that in the newer Hunter fans they hide the wattage limiter in the upper housing. I almost gave up, but then found a video explaining this. I came back to your video and voila, my fan is fixed! Thanks again for teaching me how to do this!
Good video. Everything covered thoroughly. Just an FYI, the reason for the voltage limiter isn't to prevent overloading the wiring. It's a standard mandated by the Federal Energy Policy Act of 2005, which took effect 1/1/2009 which requireds that fan makers install a voltage limiter on the light in order to cut down on energy consumption. No matter what wattage light bulb is installed, the unit will no draw more than the federally mandated amount of current use for that type of device.
Had an identical issue with two fans that I installed for my mother-in-law a few years ago. One went bad after installation of LED bulbs. The very same fix solved the problem. Only in my case, it was even easier: the current or power limiter was factory installed using male/female plastic insulated connectors. All I had to do was unplug and bypass the device using the connectors supplied in the housing. Problem solved!
Don't know if someone mentioned this already, but max is 40 watt bulbs in that fixture. It's right on your video. Sticker on outside of light housing. White sticker, red print.
Loved the video though
Your video saved me from buying a new fan. SALUTE..........................
Finally!! I've been looking for a solution to this blinking issue for nearly two years. After periodically looking for solutions online I stumbled across this video tonight. Fingers crossed that I can implement this solution.
Thank you so much for this video. I've been without light in two rooms for over a year because of this problem, same brand ceiling fan and everything. Your video was very easy to follow and was down to the point.
Thank you! 6 months without a light and with the help of your video I had it apart, back together and working lights in less than 1/2 an hour!
Thank you KenTraining this video was spot on!!!
I had two ceiling fans with this issue for over a year we keep saying we are going to replace and buy new ones. Good old TH-cam always has someone else with the same issue. Found your video and the rest is history. Both lamps work just fine. I am a hero to my wife and daughter. Thank you again!
Thanks for the video. It's just what the doctor ordered.
Wow! Thanks! I have been looking at new fans but couldn't find anything I liked as much as the one I have. Now I don't need a new one. The fix worked great!!!
Awesome video Ken! This is exactly the issue I had with my Hunter fan. Took about 10 minutes to fix thanks to you!
Worked like a charm and the logical explanation was so informative!
Good job, I go to Google for every problem and can always fix things. If I were doing the job you did on this light fixture , I would have dropped the screws a few times. Hey, I’m eighty eight and can still manage a ladder. Thanks for the video, I like your dogs!
Your step by step instructions SOLVED my same problem with flickering Hunter ceiling fan light. Accomplished the task in 15 minutes. able to save the day after Thanksgiving! I'm going shopping!!!!!!!!
THANK YOU so much for this easy to follow video. My boyfriend and I just purchased our first house and aren't very handy yet. We had a fan in our bedroom start flickering and were worried we would have to hire an electrician or purchase a new fan. Your video was so easy, and our fan actually had the same device (with the same model number) inside. It's working like new now!
I have a problem with lights turning off or blinking after a second with a remote operated ceiling fan. Fan part works. I suspected a problem with the new replacement remote or receiver , now I suspect it's a regulator malfunctioning. Well done video, thanks.
Ken-Thank you so much for your presentation. I as well contacted Hunter, they wanted to sell me a new fan package at at discounted price. It was no so discounted. I did exactly as you presented and it WORK'S!!!! I wire nutted and taped my connections,a little paranoid. I had the same 98480-02 and clipped & joined together as described. HenryR
Can't stop thinking about eggs in a paper bowl for breakfast with a bagel on the side. Wash it all down with a wine cooler.
Kids, that's how we did it back in 2014. Haha. Love the video!
That black box you weren't sure about controls the speed settings on the fan. I almost cut it thinking it was the voltage limiter LOL...
Great video, thanks.
Awesome video! Our ceiling fan has blinked since the day we purchased it. Your fix was quick, painless, and spot on. Thanks for the assistance. :)
I take the bulbs and glass globes off to make fixture lighter on the reinstall. Makes it a lot easier. Thanks for the video
This was my problem, thanks for the fix. Appreciate you sharing the knowledge 😊.
This was an excellent video with detailed step by step verbal and visual instructions that I was able to follow and fix my daughters ceiling fan light fixture. All I had to do was borrow the tool that cuts the wires and get some wire nuts and my neighbors were able to help me there. The current or wattage limiter was probably defective as the proper candle style bulbs were installed.
I had gone to Lowes and they said I probably had to change the light fixture at the cost of around $70. I knew it could be repaired, I just had to find out what was wrong and fix an otherwise perfectly good fixture.
Thanks alot!
Excellent Video. Thanks for the education on calculating amp requirement and safety features you use in connecting wires. Took a total of 15 min. to do this task and 20 min. to clean the fan..
Perfect! My Hunter fan that I installed about 4 years ago started doing this recently. Yanked that little box inside the light kit and now it's back to normal!
I have this same problem. I thought i had a poltergeist for a few months. Thanks! I am going to try this after completing the video.
Thank you so much. You saved me the cost of an entirely new fan. Works great and I can see the light!
Thanks for posting Ken. The light on my daughters bedroom fan starting doing the same thing. I had the exact same limiter on my Hunter fan. Removed it and remade connections and working fine.
Thank you! I know very little about electronics and I was able to fix both my ceiling fans with the help of your video. I was already pricing new ceiling fans at the hardware store, and I decided to check youtube first. I'm very glad I did.
Thanks Ken, The fan in your You Tube video has the exact same wiring configuration as mine making it really easy to fix and saved me from spending $40 on a new limiter which might not have even worked with LED bulbs which do not use as much wattage making it not necessary to have a limiter.
Wonderful instruction...this is exactly our problem and my hubby able to fix it within 10 minutes. Thanks a million!
I had to do this to two of my ceiling fans now.
I'm sure they want us to buy more ceiling fans, but, hey, we are beating the system. :)
Thanks for the valuable info.
Detailed explanation proven to be helpful. Thanks
This video was great! Talked me through my problem and how to fix it; I was able to follow along without getting lost and now my fan works again for $0 in repairs!
Thank you so much for the very good information I had exactly the same problem with my ceiling fan
Thanks Ken. The lights were completely out (fan worked). Changed the light switch and wall switch before removing the limiter. Works great now! Appreciate the help.
Awesome, worked like a charm and my wife thinks I am a genius. You rock.
Thanks Ken for the analysis and the math on being safe without the current limiting device ... I just happen to have the same make ceiling fan (diff model though) but with the same Hunter device. Funny how Harbor Breeze is using Hunter brand components. Our fan is working now with the lights without flickering now! Saved us $$$$ and Time too! Gracias Ken!
Great. Nailed it! I got mine fixed. Both LED and CF bulbs work like a charm. Mine is a different design. The fan remote is built on the same circuit board. I bypassed the black wire only.
PERFECT solution to my issue. Thank you.
Ken, you are my hero. You even show the math! Thank you. Fixed my lights for free. Thank you.
You leave Milo alone.... he's living his best life 😂
Very helpful I was able to fix the problem in no time. could not have done it without your video. it worked on a hunter fan
Wow...guess I should have searched for this problem first, my Hunter fan lights started blinking in March, and eventually stopped working all together by April, I figured the Dimmer switch had burnt out, I replaced that today and still the lights blink or barely come on. Guess I need to remove or replace the limiter....thanks so much for your very detailed explanation of this procees....cheers!
My Hunter ceiling fan limiter had a third pair of wires; blue wires labeled Pull Chain Switch Interrupter. I did the same thing with them as with the other pairs. I cut them right near the limiter, stripped the ends, and put them together with a wire nut. It works.
Just finished this video. I skipped through a couple times. First, I was impatient. Then, I was grateful for the time you took to clearly explain everything for someone who may have never touched even a wire nut. I actually ended up removing the light from my fan (an entirely different model) to discover exactly the same set up as your video!! I was stoked. Took me less than 10 minutes total for the job.
Thank you Ken!*
Ken: This is exactly what I was looking for. Like how you explained everything step by step and all the information that you provide. Again thank you very much.
Ken, just to say thanks a lot, i fixed because i found You video (very clear). Before i tried with different ways and nothing... I save time and money!!!
Nice explanation, It help me a lot..Muchas gracias! 👍
Nice, and clear instruction, thank you Ken for sharing!!!
Wow I thought that I would need to replace the light kit. Watched your video and within in 15 minutes my light works just fine. Thank you for putting this up.
Thank you for this video, this will help so many people.
Thanks Ken, I watched several different videos on how to do this. Yours showed me everything I needed all the way down to which wires to splice together. Worked like a charm.
Thank you so much, my Hunter Ceiling fan lights just stopped working (all 3). My wife and I followed your video and we have light again.
Hey I don't have one once of electrical skills and after watching you video I just fixed the blinking lights on my ceiling fan thank you
Thanks for the video. We had 2 Hunter fans doing the diso flash and saved them with the helpful video.
Thanks for the tip...I just fixed our ceiling fan fixture using your video.
Thanks for all the details. This was my first time ever attempting such a task, and it worked perfectly! Thanks again!
Wow this was EXACTLY what i needed to know. I'm very uncertain about home electrics and would have been totally lost once i got to the limiter. I came out of this a bit more knowledgeable and confident. I may even take a shot at replacing the the GU24 socket with a standard as well as installing the remote unit i bought like 10 years ago, but for now I'll settle for just having light.
Good Job!