Ceiling Fan Speed Selector switch repair

Why replace a broken switch when it can be easily be fixed.

[@LiamB360]

You were the only one who believed in me, 12voltvids. All the other videos said, "just buy a new switch, it's impossible to fix it around the spring." But I watched you, the master, at work. Then I did it.

[@12voltvids]

Cool

[@snailhoe326]

This video was so helpful!! No one else described how to FIX the switch, only replace the broken one with a new

[@TheBlacksheep777]

Want to thank you for this video, my hubby and I are in our mid 70’s and your video explained the procedure so we could understand and make the repairs to our fan! Thank you!

[@lagoon7977]

To anyone who's having trouble. You might need a pair of pliers with a thin tip to strengthen the spring. My spring didn't have enough strength so when I winded it up and pulled it would make a click noise, but wouldn't pull back. What I did was use a pair of pliers to hold one end of the spring and a pair of thin nose pliers on the other end to twist it and give it more strength. After, it was able to pull down and pull back up. You may have to maneuver around the spring a bit, but keep at it. You'll get it. Hope this helps someone.

[@seathanjenkins4844]

I was so confused until I read this comment Thankyou very much!

[@JollyRogers1503]

This video was extremely helpful. The ball chain broke off inside the switch and I managed to replace the chain thanks to this video. For anyone that may have trouble getting the chain to retract when pulling on it, there's a piece of spring that sticks out and you must align it with the notch on the underside of the base where the ball chain is attached to.

[@jeffhughes2186]

Great video. I struggled getting my switch apart, slightly different model. But then I noticed that the pull chain only broke off maybe 3/8" inside the opening. I was able to grab it with one of those extender clasps at the end of another chain length. Got lucky and didn't have to reassemble anything.

[@leonidasx3007]

I tried this a couple months ago. Gave up. Tried again few mins ago, because fan stood powered on. And it’s getting chilly, with my newborn home. I tackled this assignment after seeing your video. Thank you so much, I liked your video and hope your having an amazing life man… you’ve changed many souls. Mines , inspired and accomplished. Thanks to you! Cheers mate!

[@12voltvids]

👍

[@Wertyspec]

Thank you! I was having a trouble reassembling the switch, just started to think I would have to buy it when I found your video! You just saved me 15 bucks! Thank you!

[@rayislooking2]

I have replaced many of theses but never really took one apart . I might try it next time. Thanks for the video

[@jacqueline6141]

Single mom here, i fix everything myself , my 5 yr old son tried catching his call off the bed and broke the chain. I was struggling on how to open the zing ear so i could reconnect the chain . This was very helpful, thank you

[@tohme09]

Thank you for taking the time to create this. Great guidance and helped me fix my issue!

[@looklooklearn5531]

You saved the day!!! Thanks so much for your tips/lesson. I had gotten ALMOST as far as “winding the chain once around” but could not figure out how to get it to work. Looked on eBay to purchase a $20 piece, then checked KZbin and found your video. I was laughing as you commented through the sections that were tricky. Instead of soldering the chain back together, I replaced the entire chain. Thanks so much. It’s working!

[@12voltvids]

I would have had I had a piece, but I didn't and hey it works and is still working.

[@neubb]

I wanted to smash this switch with a hammer but this video helped me figure out I needed to wind it..got it fixed eventually.thanks

[@mbutler101]

Same...I'm glad I exercised a modicum of restraint and found this video instead and repaired my fan chain successfully.

[@karashrestha7477]

We just had the same issue come up today. So thankful you made this video and showed us what to do! We don’t have a way to solder but might do it since now we know how to do it.

[@carolinepua7866]

Thank you so much!! I appreciate your detailed description of what to do. I'm absolutely NOT mechanically inclined so the extra explaining really helped so much. Thank you again!!!

[@evyc9727]

Works great ~ Thank you ! My mom broke her chain all the way up inside the fan and was going to replace the fan till i told her i can fix the chain. So my son and i looked for a video and there you were. Wehad a few glitches but finally got it. Only problem is now the fan goes high, medium, low, low, off. Not sure why but ok. Hopefully its ok to run like that. Thanks again

[@rickychariot]

Thank you! This really helped me so the same expect repair. The only issue I have now is that I no long have three settings for my ceiling fan. It only turns on at full power or off.

[@mltonsorangestapler]

Yeah man, that spring in there was a real conundrum for me, but thanks to your tutorial I got an idea about how to wind it 1 turn before putting the plate cap back on. Thanks dude! Fan works great again

[@Bushougoma]

Finding those fan speed switches isn't always as easy as just going to the hardware store. How they connect those wires with each chain pull varies by fan manufacturer. I learned that the hard way. If you're lucky the diagram is stamped on the switch body if you're not you'll have to buzz it out with your meter manually. Also you can get extension pull chain at the hardware store and cut it to length with a pair of side cutters. It's perfect for repairs like this.

[@12voltvids]

Yes I know. This is a 4 position switch, not a 3 way as a light would use. This has a common and 3 outputs. It goes: off, 1, 2, 3. A normal light switch has 2 outputs and goes. off, 1, 2, 1&2.

[@thesohnly]

This video helped me so much. I was so confused about getting the tension of the spring right but there it is plain as day. Thanks, man

[@cyntitix33]

thank you for this amazing video. you helped me save so much time replacing my chains.

[@richardhz-oi8px]

When I was about 13 I did a similar repair on our old ceiling fan, on mine all the contacts fell out and when I put them back in, I got them out of order and it became something like Off-Medium-Low-High.

[@USSiR2]

I just repaired mine last night. My switch was different and I did not have to wind the spring at all, just had to stack the pieces in there correctly. Luckily I had some extra chain. Nice to fix it to get it working again right away.

[@dongjas1358]

Believe me or not. I accidentally break the cord and I'm so afraid my wife will catch me. I tried fixing it but the spring of the switch, the thing that you will w Pull isn't coming back. I'm so frustrated until I saw this video. Now, I already fixed it. Thanks to you sir 🙏

[@Arsenal.1984]

AWESOME video, I’m in the same boat never having touched one of these switches prior to this evening. My neighbor had taken it apart but couldn’t put it back together. Prior to your video, I went to help her and reassemble the switch and fan, which I did, but after having everything ready to close up I pulled the chain and “click”. Thought I was done, smh, but the chain did not recoil back ??? I messed with it thinking I’m doing something wrong it’s just plain broke. Since I wasn’t the one to disassemble it, I didn’t know there was a spring missing !!! Thanks to your video I do, so after I hit the send button I’m going to grab a spring ‘if she does not have it’ and complete the task. Thanks again.

[@leezy7787]

Did you receive some 🐈?

[@Handles-R-Lame]

@@leezy7787 legend says it was an elderly lady. So if ur in to that, go get that GILF !

[@mikelove9832]

Thanks for saving things ! It make a big thing in are life . Straight Ahead

[@markmarkofkane8167]

I am a "fan" of this channel. Cool repair!

[@madonnahernandez483]

Thank you for this ckear and easy to follow tutorial video that you made. I managed to change the switch control of my fan. My fan was a bit more difficult to take out but I did it.

[@supertsarr]

Thanks for the helpful vid - the trick was to keep tension on the chain as you snap the cover back on the switch. Got mine fixed.

[@ptoricoluv]

Dude. You rock. Thanks. I seriously would not had been able to do this without this video.

[@drlong08]

With this I fixed mine! 5 years of turning on the light and no way to stop the fan cause the chain broke. Thanks!!

[@pixofu01]

Thanks for the video, it helped a lot. Sadly though, the switch in the ceiling fan didn't come apart. But the replacement was very easy.

[@vicall67]

Thanks. I was replacing the capacitor. That chain switch came apart while I was replacing wires. I needed help putting it back together.

[@loki1300]

This video helped me a lot fixing the ceiling fan chain, which my son broke. Thank you very much!

[@clinton7360]

I was about to go crazy tensioning that spring. Thanks!!

[@mariogiraldo9047]

Thank you for the video, after replacing the chain I was trying to figure out how to make the spring work again, did not realize to wrap the chain around it. good work! thank you

[@r_r_rye2441]

Exact same issue. Helped me immensely.

[@juanpelotas6947]

Should be something on our minds because I had the same obstacle until i saw the video. thanks.

[@mjbswenson]

This was the hardest part for me. For some reason, I kept turning the spool clockwise. It needs to go a turn counter-clockwise. When you turn it counter-clockwise, and feed the chain in, you can hold the chain to keep the spool in place, with tension, while snapping the cover back on.

[@jamesmcgowan3871]

Thanks so much...worked like a charm. The only issue I had was that once I replaced the black plate, the chain would bind. I finally managed to figure it out. After installing the black plate, I had to come under it and lift it slightly with a small flat blade screwdriver. When I did that, I heard a click and voila! Just like new again. I also watched another video where the guy said that if it binds, you can push down on the center piece holding the spring (after full reassembly) and it will properly align everything for smooth operation. :-)

[@buildstoys]

Enjoying the recent repair videos :)

[@12voltvids]

Many more to come. I have a bunch of stuff in the garage, and more coming in. Right now I only shoot on my days off, which is a rolling schedule. My work schedule this year is M-F followed by 2 sun - thurs shifts On my short week where I only have 1 day off, I rarely do any, my second week where I have 2 days off I try to get a couple done, and my long weekend like today I try to do more. In January I change shifts to a 4 on 3 off weekly schedule, so I will have more time to do videos, and my days will be free during the week so it should be quiet, because everyone else will be at work.

[@frankjohnsonjr3413]

This help thanks... I was able to change my switch with the help of my video.. funny I was about just buy another one but I watched your video and was able to follow alone thanks again

[@luiscabrera5647]

I was about to give up an order a new switch when I cam across your video. Thanks for saving the day!!!

[@12voltvids]

Your welcome

[@coondogtheman]

I had to do this to one of my ceiling fans but I just replaced the switch with a spare one I had lying around. I still have the old one which is seized and I'm going to try and fix it.

[@Maxpower36912]

After much fiddling and swearing I finally got it back together and working. Thanks very much for the video

[@bauman11]

Thank you so much for this, the detail was super helpful and we managed to fix our fan.

[@thickivicki89]

I’m frustrated! Can’t seem to pry open the 3 little plastic things on the light blue part 😩

[@MySetDancer1]

You are my hero! Fixing this kind of stuff is what I am about. Of course, it should not have broken in the first place. Low quality.

[@MilkDrinker218]

My mom broke the chain, lucky for me I think yours might be the same exact one our fan has, will update this comment once the repair is done

[@scottg5771]

Thanks! The key here really is winding it up one turn, but it's doing so BEFORE you put the widget back on the spring.

[@techmerepair6006]

Nice work sir!

[@kharismaryan]

thanks uncle,your video really help me.

[@natalies9194]

Idk if you'll see this comment but YOU THE MANNN!!! With this video it literally took me less than 15 min to get this fixed. Thank youuu!

[@12voltvids]

I see the comments. You're welcome.

[@natalies9194]

​@@12voltvids sir since watching this video four months ago. I have fixed 4 fan switches.. you really came through with this video.. so I wanted to thank you again cause I probably would have bought 4 whole new ceiling fans without your help.

[@12voltvids]

@@natalies9194 lol you know where you can tip your tech support?

[@covocy842]

The taped off extra wires are for the Light assembly.

[@kurtkellyvideo]

this video helped me greatly last night! thank you sir!

[@uneekdezinesmedia]

this video was really helpful thanks a ton

[@HDXFH]

big fan of these repairs

[@Fk67Lg]

You made my face hurt

[@catboyzee]

Very informative, thanks for posting.

[@12voltvids]

One could buy a new switch but where would the fun be in repairing the old one.

[@sealife564]

Ty very much. I was able to fix it. Who would have thought there would be a video on this!!!@

[@12voltvids]

I did, thats whY I made it and 71,223 views later it appears to have been a good choice.

[@DjIgrade]

Thanks for the vid saved me a drive to lowes

[@edrickjeffersonsej1395]

Great video

[@alexanderthatch9792]

I love this video, you are great and patient

[@ashishshrestha4697]

Great!! I was able to repair the switch. Thanks!

[@weaponx1334]

Helped a lot thank you 🙏

[@daugherofaset8648]

I did the repair but not the fan will not switch off. It changes fan speeds with each chain pull but will not turn off. What did I do wrong?

[@matthewbestdfghy]

Spats bear just uploaded a video about a celing fan today. Must be the day for celing fans.

[@waltoncraghead7422]

*Easy install, so far Works great **Fastly.Cool** !*

[@edgarbonilla2032]

Thanks. This was extremely helpful.

[@deborahjjj]

Thank you. I did it all by myself.

[@forg0tin397]

The little post that holds the spring end and all the parts is broke off on mine. So I just opened it up manually put it on the second speed cause it originally broke on slow speed. I normally only run it on second speed the 3rd speed is too fast and to loud for me.

[@machinus]

All I need to do is replace the chain. Opening LOOKS simple enough, but it's too small and stiff. Is there a trick to it?

[@HDXFH]

certain clothing department stores use ball chain on their retail tags on certain brands of products

[@paulca3321]

Thank goodness 🙏 for KZbin !!! I fixed mine with the help of this video !!

[@12voltvids]

Glad it helped

[@AThreeDogNight]

I WD-40 mine once in a blue moon & it keeps them working. Done this for over 25 years plus fart fans, motors while hot will keep them running like tops.

[@danmatson8685]

WARNING, don't do it while it's running. WD-40 is flammable & sparks could ignite it.

[@AThreeDogNight]

@@danmatson8685 In over 30 years it never happened once but my first few times I thought about the same thing so it was a nail biter those first several times.

[@TMC815]

I’m having trouble putting the black piece over the held tension

[@SergioHernandez-nr3qn]

thanks really helpful 🤙🤙👍

[@journeye]

ok. I had saw what you did. You had mentioned that the spring (if it pops off) you may have a hard time getting it back on. I havent fully finished the video but you had skipped maybe intentionally or unintentionally on how to put the spring back on. I may or may not have a bigger issue here. So I will continue to look onward and hopefully i find some useful information. I will finish the video although showing how to put the spring back on and maybe some other info would have been inclusive with this video. overall it does help significantly, just not in my case.

[@cdrepaircd5598]

great job

[@GabrielFerreira-kj5di]

Thank you very, veeery much, mate! You are a hero!!!!

[@johnc1280]

You seem to know what you were doing. I just did this in my harbor breeze fan. The manufacturer sent me a replacement pole switch assembly. And a new capacitor. I wired it all up. I went from a ceiling fan with a light, to now this fan without a light. I just hooked it up. I got nothing. Any pointers?

[@Outerlane]

Those extra wires are for a light I believe that can be fed through the hole that's capped off by a brass nut.

[@12voltvids]

Yes I know. Figured that out once I got it apart. Different models had a light. Same wiring harness.

[@jefferyb304]

I have never ever had a ceiling fan work right after messing with these switches. I usually just get a new fan.

[@seathanjenkins4844]

Great help ty ty!

[@nestorestebandorado3955]

Excelente + Muchas gracias + desde Argentina, Santiago del Estero +

[@jonathan230182]

Gracias me sirvió mucho tu video

[@JesusSanchez-ot4yt]

Thanks 😊

[@HawksFootSection]

Thank you!

[@earlgallup5223]

Thanks a lot Einstein

[@dianasantiago2035]

Hola buenos días. Me gustó mucho el vídeo. Es el único que he encontrado que muestra como se arma el interruptor de cadena. Seguí el tutorial. Pero agradecería si me explica cómo se colocó el resorte. No he podido hacerlo. Agradezco la respuesta

[@overdriver99]

good job. I respect how you did it. but I am clumsy person so I would go buy new part..

[@12voltvids]

Well you see i am very careful with my money. I fix everything i can and don't replace on a whim or to upgrade just because there is a new model. My cell phone is over 4 years old still going strong. Why spend 20.00 on a switch when it can be fixed in 5 minutes. You should see the computer I edit on. It is over 10 years old now and running like a champ. Don't get me wrong I buy new things all the time but i generally hang onto them untill they can't be fixed anymore.

[@zx8401ztv]

Smashing repair, cost nothing except a little time and patience :-) I've seen that type of ball chain on sink plugs and venetian blinds. I fitted one of those fans for a frend, it had a light under it as well. The fan was perfect but the dam light didn't work!. It was too late at night to take it back. One of the crimp style maretts was crimped to the insulation not the copper lol. Lack of quality checking in the factory i suppose.

[@12voltvids]

It just dawned on me what those wires in the little plastic bag inside the unit were for. A light! The wiring harness would be the same, and models with a light would just plug into that connector, and probably another ball chain switch on the other side for the light fixture.

[@zx8401ztv]

Yes thats how my mates fan/light worked, two ball chains :-) Near the fan and on the light unit underneith.

[@enriquereyes2671]

I tried but I lost the spring,, now I have to buy a new one,,😥

[@Fk67Lg]

I feel for you. Trying to find a spring that small with just the right tension will be a challenge. Just keep looking, and good luck.👀

[@manuelestrada4984]

Nice fix

[@AstAMoore]

Global shutter in your camera?

[@12voltvids]

Could be. Never looked up the spec. It is a proper video camera, not a dslr, or mirror less. I shoot on a Sony FDR-AX33 and FDR-AX100. The 100 is used for my scenery and commercial shoots that I still do from time to time, and the AX33 for youtube videos. Sony tend to make the best cameras for video work IMO. Been using the for years. When in the production business I tried a Panasonic and JVC professional camera and regretted it, and went back to Sony.

[@AstAMoore]

@@12voltvids Very interesting. I looked up both the AX33 and FDR-AX100, and they each use a regular CMOS sensor, which apparently suffers from the rolling shutter effect. However, looking at the footage of the spinning fan, I can’t see the effect. The blades look straight and I see no apparent artifacts in the rotation of the fan. That’s excellent.

[@12voltvids]

@@AstAMoore Yes they are CMOS, but sony has good silicon. They do make their own after all. On my AX100 if I crank the shutter speed up to 1/250 I can start to see the blades bending slightly but then the AX100 has a larger sensor. It has a 1" sensor. It is also older than the AX33 which is my favorite camera. I would buy the AX53 in a heartbeat as it has a 20X optical zoom lens as opposed to 10X. My ax100 has been really good, and durable. I dropped it from the trypod this past summer. It fell off the head and landed on concrete lens first. I thought it was fubar because it was totally out of focus but I turned it off, and back on, it buzzed and went in - out and then in focus and worked perfectly. Must have jarred something in the lens, and when I rebooted, it ran the lens back and forth through the range and reset itself. The AX33 the plastic around the tripod mount cracked, and was repaired with JBweld, and other than that has been fine. I did get it wet during a down pour this past summer, and the manual focus ring trips from time to time on its own. (in AF if you try turning the dial, a message comes up to remind the camera is in auto focus. Well that message pops up intermittently, so the sensor must have gotten wet and it false sending dial turn. I have had this one for seberal years too, so when it breaks I will buy another one. Since I use these for youtube production I can write them off.

[@AstAMoore]

@@12voltvids Ha! You sure like putting your gear through its paces and then some.

[@12voltvids]

@@AstAMoore Dropping a 2000 camera was not planned. I placed it on the big sticks to do some scenery shooting and it wasn't locked in properly, and when I let go it slid off the mounting plate and down it went. It basically landed on the mounting base, but the lens hit the legs of the tripod on the way down. The mounting plate that slides onto the head is actually bigger than the camera, and the AX100 is a fair size itself. The tripod is one I bought 30 years ago for my betacam. The tripod and head was about 4 grand. So basically the tripod is worth double what the camera is.

[@riginstmacenat9448]

Thank You!!!!!!!

[@DimebagDrl]

Retensioning the spring is much harder than it looks here. So much so, that I quit and purchased the replacement spring mechanic for $8 instead. If you're looking at that green assembly inside your fan housing, its a "Wire Zing Ear ZE-268S6 Pull Chain Switch control replacement 3 speed control switch."

[@12voltvids]

Was not that difficult. Just have to be patient. What can I say, I am cheap.

[@mjbswenson]

Re-tensioning is a full turn counter-clockwise. I was turning clockwise, failing, and getting frustrated. Once I realized it was a turn counter-clockwise, it was easy

[@steve4321able]

I put a new switch in and I have 2 speeds, the high speed is gone. What happened?

[@12voltvids]

Wrong switch?

[@steve4321able]

@@12voltvids Not sure but had a handy man wire it up and all the wires went in. I guess have him rewire it?

[@DORKYNIKKY]

I’m doin a fan right now an I made the same mistake with the top thank you 🙏 Seriously I was getting 😡

[@nestorfabiancordobavictori4586]

Thanks!!!

[@Ochibason]

Cool!

[@MarcelaOntiveros]

My dad bet that if I find a video on how to repair this particular switch he'd buy me lunch. Thank you good sir for the free lunch(:

[@12voltvids]

Hope he took you some place nice. :)

[@cuchumaster1377]

Awesome...

[@Nirky]

Scintillating!