How to Repair Fan

Whether it’s the fan blades not spinning or the fan making a lot of noise when operating, most fan problems revolve around lack of lubrication and clogging of the ventilation holes. To fix most fan problems, you’ll need to disassemble the fan, lubricate the shaft and bearings, and clean the vents and motor housing. The process of repairing a fan can be difficult if the fault lies in the motor (the fan makes no sound when it is turned on, and the impeller does not rotate even though you have cleaned and oiled the shaft). Since this unit is not too expensive, you shouldn’t waste time fixing the motor yourself, just buy a new fan instead.

Table of Contents

Remove the fan

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Turn on the fan to check if the motor is running. Plug in the power and turn on the fan to the highest setting. If the propeller rotates, the engine is still running. If you hear no sound, place your ear near the center of the housing behind the propeller. Press the button to turn off the fan and then turn it back on, this time listening more closely to the engine. If there is a humming or vibration, the engine is still running. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Check the fan at multiple outlets. It is possible that the circuit breaker of the power outlet is off, so the fan is not receiving power.

Tip: With most stand and table fans, you don’t have to tinker to test the motor. It is possible that the engine has failed. If the motor does not work, you should buy a new fan. But if you really want to give it a try, feel free to disassemble the fan and fix it.

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Unplug the fan and remove the protective cage or shaft nut. Unplug the power to avoid sudden fan rotation while you are operating. Run your hand around the edge of the guard cage to find the hooks that secure the 2 cage covers together. If you can find it, you can open the latch and remove the front cage cover. If no fixed hook is found, try turning the round cap located in the center of the fan counterclockwise. If the part loosens, continue rotating to remove the cage cover on the front of the propeller. ^{[2] X Research Source}

The rotating shaft is the metal shaft located between the propeller and the housing.
Cage is a plastic or metal part with the function of protecting the propeller, avoiding injury to the user. On most fans, the two cage covers will either snap together with hooks or fasten together via the central round cap.
If you see a screw securing the fan cage, use a screwdriver to open the cage.

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Rotate the impeller or knob in the center of the fan counterclockwise to remove it. Each type of fan will have a different structure, but in general the propeller is usually fixed by a small knob or the shaft itself. If the propeller is blocked by a plastic knob, turn the part counterclockwise to disassemble, then slide the propeller out. If the plastic knob is not available, hold the shaft back and twist the base of the propeller to detach the propeller from the shaft. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Depending on the fan model, there will be a latch located on the side of the shaft to fix the propeller. This pin usually has a sliding mechanism to lock or open the propeller.

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Slide the rear cage cover halfway off the spindle. Remove any plastic or metal nuts located in front of the rear guard cage. You may need to unscrew some screws to access this part. Remove the nut and slide the remaining protective cage cover off the spindle. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

If the propeller is blocked by the front plastic knob, there will be no nut at the rear and vice versa. This plastic knob/nut serves to fix the propeller to the shaft.
If there are plastic covers or covers on the front of the engine, unscrew the screws to remove them.

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Turn the fan back to find the screw on the back. Now that the shaft and front of the motor are most exposed, turn the fan around to see the opposite side of the motor housing. Most fans have plastic vents to circulate heat and air to the motor. You will find screws on the back to secure this part. Use a flat-head screwdriver or a Philips to remove the screws. Set the screws aside and remove the case. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

The motor housing will come off after you remove the screws. If not, insert a flat-head or Philips screwdriver into the air vent and pry the cover off.
On some desktop fans, the motor is usually located under the base. If the fan doesn’t have a bulky head behind the blade but has a wide base, unscrew the screw located on the base and remove the plastic shield.

Spindle lubrication

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Rotate the shaft in front of the fan by hand to see if the shaft rotates. Use your hand to rotate the spindle located in the center of the fan. If the shaft is stuck or stalled, it may be due to a lack of lubrication. During use, the lubricating oil of the rotating shaft has gradually dissipated as the propeller rotates. You need to re-oil the crankshaft to fix this problem. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Dry or sticky spindles are one of the common reasons why propellers stop spinning.
If when turning you find the shaft to rotate easily and without any problems, try turning on the fan to see if the shaft rotates. If not, then the problem is in the engine. In this case, buying a new fan is the easiest option.

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Tighten the nut or bolt at the end of the shaft. At the end of the shaft, there will be 1-2 metal bolts that fix the shaft to the fan frame. Use a wrench to unscrew these bolts. No need to disassemble the bolt, just enough space for you to reach and oil the shaft. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

If there aren’t any nuts or bolts, skip this step.
The nut at this position of the fan can usually be turned by hand.

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Apply lubricating oil to the front and rear of the crankshaft. You should buy bottled lubricating oil with a small spout. Prepare a clean rag and wrap it under the spindle to catch if oil drips down. Turn the lubricating oil bottle upside down and direct the nozzle to the position where the shaft makes contact with the motor frame, then squeeze the bottle body to drip oil onto the front of the shaft. Continue to lubricate underneath the bolts by screwing them into the area where you have oiled them. Repeat this process with the rear of the motor frame so that both shaft ends are lubricated. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

You can use any lubricant. Fan oil in particular or engine parts in general is available at most auto parts stores or electrical and mechanical engineering stores.
Specifications lubricants are all non-toxic, very easy to wipe and wash off with soap. However, you can still wear rubber gloves if you don’t want oil on your hands.

Warning: Use enough oil for the crankshaft surface and avoid getting oil into the engine. If oil is leaking from the shaft, use a towel to wipe off excess oil.

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One hand rotates the shaft, the other rotates the bolts around the lubricated area. Once the spindle has been oiled, you can re-bolt the bolts into place. Use your dominant hand to hold the spindle, with the other hand hold the bolt with a towel. Proceed to slide the bolt back and forth through the lubricated area while you rotate the spindle. Repeat this process with the bolt on the other side of the shaft. ^{[9] X Research Source}

This allows the oil to seep into the inside of the bolt. If the bolts are not lubricated, they will cause friction that interferes with the operation of the shaft.
You can also unscrew the bolts and oil them separately if desired.

Clean the engine and vents

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Wipe off the dirt behind the engine cover (if any). Turn the fan around and look inside the motor housing for dirt. Use a microfiber cloth to wipe away dirt that has accumulated on the inside of the motor housing behind the fan. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Inefficient ventilation systems can accumulate dirt inside the engine housing. This will cause the fan to stop working, especially for fans with a temperature control feature that helps the device turn off automatically when it overheats.

Warning: Do not use water to clean the engine area. If water seeps into the motor, it may cause an electric shock or damage the fan.

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Use a can of compressed air to spray the plastic vent on the back of the fan. Remove the vent cap that you screwed in before lubricating the fan and move it away from the motor. Spray compressed air on both sides of the lid to blow dirt out of the hard-to-reach slots between the slats. Then wipe with a dry cloth. ^{[11] X Research Source}

If the vent is completely blocked by dust or debris, this is most likely the reason why the fan is not operating properly.
If you want a more thorough cleaning, you can soak the vent cap in soap and let it dry naturally. However, this is not very necessary.

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Plug in the power and turn on the fan to see if the main shaft rotates. Before reinstalling the fan, plug it in and test it to see if the main shaft rotates smoothly. If the spindle is working properly, you can reinstall the fan. If the shaft does not rotate or rotates slowly, you most likely need to clean the motor. However, this process is quite complicated, so if this fan is cheap, you don’t necessarily need to spend more time. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Many stand and desktop fans are designed with non-removable motors, which makes cleaning and repair extremely difficult.

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Reassemble the fan by attaching the motor housing, bolts, and impeller. This process will be reversed compared to when you remove. Install the rear guard cage and then turn the nut, then use a wrench to tighten the bolts that secure the crankshaft. Install the propeller so that the rear protective cage cover is between the engine and the propeller. Reattach the plastic vent cap to the rear of the engine housing and tighten the screws. Install the front guard cage so that it matches the rear cage cover. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Turn on the fan. If the propeller rotates much slower than when you checked the shaft, the motor has a problem. This is an indication that the motor is running too low and not enough for the fan to run properly.

Things you need

Remove the fan

Screwdriver

Spindle lubrication

Fan oil
Wrench
Cloth or towel

Clean the engine and vents

Microfiber cloth towels
Compressed air spray
Screwdriver
Wrench

Steps

Remove the fan

Spindle lubrication

Clean the engine and vents

Things you need

Remove the fan

Spindle lubrication

Clean the engine and vents

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