Cleaning Panasonic Whisper & Other Bathroom Exhaust Fans

[@barotraumabruce4245]

As an electrician for most of my life, I’ve installed and repaired many, many of these in various brands and configurations. I chose this Panasonic unit because they are many cuts above anything else. Now, the toughest part of any appliance repair is figuring out how to get to the part that needs fixin’. Your video took out the guesswork. Geez, there must be a dozen screws I was looking at to remove before I looked for someone else who had waded before me. As others have said, thanks for taking the time to show us!

[@cfldriven]

Bruce, thank you for taking the time to watch and provide the kind feedback, it is much appreciated.

[@cfldriven]

I do have an electrical question, a while back I came across a receptacle and I expected incoming and load wires but what I found was two incoming. They were both from the same circuit. I just added another receptacle, one for each incoming. Any idea why it was wired that way back in 1968?

[@barotraumabruce4245]

@@cfldriven That’s interesting. Were the yokes broken off to separate bottom and top halves of the receptacle? And, the lines (2 hots and 2 neutrals) were from two different breakers? Your solution is the route I would have taken in that situation. Ya can’t have too many receptacles!

[@cfldriven]

@@barotraumabruce4245 No the yokes were not broken off, I thought I had 240V but it metered 120V and when I turned off the circuit they both de-energized. In a way it was good as I didn't have to pigtail for the 2nd receptacle. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioCbdGCQdpiMhas Thank you for answering back so quickly.

[@barotraumabruce4245]

@@cfldriven That is definitely…screwy! In my career I’d seen some funny things though. The time my sister-in-law complained she was being shocked between the kitchen sink and her range. Static electricity, right? Nope. 120-volts between the range body to the sink. The “neutral” tied to the chassis was coming off the breaker! Another time I was cleaning up the panel in an old apartment complex. I reached up and cut a green wire and my diagonal cutters immediately welded themselves to the metal panel. I tried to knock them loose with no luck. I round outside to the bank of meters and mains to disconnect everything. Nope. All the while you could hear this thing humming in the conduit and the insulation had started on fire. Now, I’ve pulled all the mains and meters and am just removing the cover as the wire burned off the line side of the meter socket! Really? During WW2, I was told, that one leg would run unfused from the line side of the meter to the water heater which would allow the power company to control power usage by being able to turn that leg off. I found out the hard way.

[@Wusserjer]

Thank you! This was really helpful! I searched the Panasonic website and could not find anything this detailed on how to remove and clean the grille on my exhaust fan. I appreciate your efforts! And I also watched the tips for eliminating condensation in the shower. Good ideas!

[@cfldriven]

Like you, I was surprise that Panasonic does not provide cleaning instructions beyond just vacuuming the grill. Delighted to hear this video was useful. I thank you for watching and taking the time to share.

[@Tobez]

Amazed I found a video of the exact exhaust fan I have. I didn't want to screw around with the springs so I just used a tool and manually pulled out of the clumps while holding a vacuum up to it with the other hand to suck up the falling dust. Super helpful, thanks for the upload

[@cfldriven]

Good to hear the video was useful with the project. Thanks for watching.

[@bridgetnan]

Very helpful. My contractor installed everything but then didn't turn the fan off once he started sanding the sheetrock. It was a complete mess of construction dust. Things are much quieter now that it's all cleaned up.

[@cfldriven]

How unfortunate the contractor saw that as a good idea. Glad you were able to clean it up and make it quieter. Thank you for sharing your story.

[@LovetheIPAs]

Appreciate this tutorial. My first attempt was to clean away the visible dust on the outside with a vacuum; that didn't do a whole lot so I removed the grill as you showed and got that cleaned up. I used q-tips instead of a toothbrush - another option for folks. Thanks very much for the guidance!

[@cfldriven]

The q-tips are a good idea, although I like being able to rinse the toothbrush and not having it shed. Still, q-tips are a good alternative to ruining a new toothbrush. Thank you for sharing.

[@carolyn7939]

Thank you so much for the Panasonic fan/light video. I have one at an apt and your video was one of the BEST videos on fan cleaning. It was very clear in both video and instructions. Very good job!

[@cfldriven]

Thank you for watching and taking the time to provide the wonderful feedback.

[@soxie1]

When I first saw how long the video was, I didn’t want to watch it. But you did such a fantastic job of explaining step-by-step, that I was able to do it after just watching the video once. Very nice job.

[@cfldriven]

Barry thank you for hanging in there and getting all the info. We strive not to waste viewers time with unwanted stories and details, but sometime it still gets long.

[@desiraehermann3454]

Great video sir, VERY HELPFUL! Many Blessings to you for taking the time to make it, and for being so concise and thorough with all the steps.

[@cfldriven]

Good to hear the video was helpful. We try to make these video detailed enough so people can decide if it something they can tackle. Thanks for watching.

[@fbtool]

Thank you! I have a 110 sfm Nutone that I clean and even have a backup motor and squirrel cage for swap-outs. between cleanings. After 25 years, I'm buying the same Pana unit you showed and wanted to know what I'm in for cleaning it. I much appreciate your video and it looks like the unit was well designed (like the Nutone) to make the task easy.

[@cfldriven]

The Panasonic has a lot less metal than my old Nutone, which means less rust and corrosion. I think you will be pleased with the Panasonic. Thanks for watching and writing.

[@BobboMax1]

Very similar to a Broan bathroom fan. I remove the occupancy sensor from the grille, remove the squirrel cage from the motor ( the nut is LH thread in a Broan) and then I put both in the dishwasher. Broan fan housing is a lot easier to get out of the main housing. There are 2 plastic ramps on either side of the motor housing and opposing ramps on the main housing, on the sides opposite the spring catches for the grille. To remove the fan, reach up with a slender pry bar beside the ramps, gently lever them apart and pull down. To install, gently push the motor back in- be sure the ramps have engaged. There are several connectors, just like in the Panasonic, depending on what options you have installed. They're generally carefully keyed for orientation and function- very hard to install wrong. One good reason to clean the squirrel cage is noise- they're very carefully designed for low noise and the mud (dust & moisture) changes the blade profile. Good video.

[@cfldriven]

Thank you for sharing the procedure for the Broan. Had two in prior home and procedure was similar, although these older units involved removing some screws. Nice to hear the newer units are easier to work on.

[@KissItPlz]

This video is a lifesaver.

[@cfldriven]

Good to hear, thank you for watching.

[@dazaudi]

Really really appreciate you and this video. Phenomenal detail and thorough breakdown. Thank you

[@cfldriven]

It is a dirty job but someone got to do it. 😀 Nice to hear the video was helpful. Thank you for the feedback and for watching.

[@tvxqshokora0611]

Thank you for a very informative video. Is it ok to turn the breaker back on after disconnecting the power code?

[@tvxqshokora0611]

Just to add some more context... My breaker is connected to all lights in the bathroom including the vent. After disconnecting the power code is it safe to turn the breakers back on to use the lights while cleaning? Thanks!

[@cfldriven]

@@tvxqshokora0611 Technically you could, but it is best to leave the circuit off until you are finished. Perhaps a flashlight or a work light plugged into a different circuit would be a better solution. Stay safe.

[@Moondoggy1941]

I got the cover off, thank you again, it was really dirty, the fan spins freely but the unit does not come on anymore. I am looking for a replacement, my old unit is discontinued. Base unit 80 cfs.

[@cfldriven]

The Panasonic fans are pricey, but I do like there design and low sound level. Good luck with the replacement.

[@betsyunterborn448]

We had the whisper warm professionally installed. We accidentally turned on the heater while the fan was running and the motor blew! The light still works. Any suggestion! The electrician isn’t sure.

[@edithhardcastle9686]

Thank you SO MUCH for walking me through this.

[@cfldriven]

Edith, congrats on taking the time to learn how to do it yourself. thanks for watching.

[@John-zq1xy]

Absolutely fantastic!! My fan just started making a noise and this was the video I was looking for. Thank you!!!

[@cfldriven]

John, thanks for the feedback and best of luck with the project.

[@Moondoggy1941]

Thanks for being the one to actually show how the clips work against you.

[@cfldriven]

Jim, depending on the manufactures the clips can be a pain to deal with. Happy to hear you found the video useful, thanks for watching.

[@amberhernandez7093]

I have cleaned prior vent/light unit yearly. Had my bathroom redone last year and panasonic whisper installed. I figured there was someting goofy when I tried to pull the cover off. Great video, but beyond my ability. Up in years old. Besides hiring you, who would I contact?

[@cfldriven]

Amber, you would be amazed at what you can achieve by trying. You'll need step ladder, flashlight, screw driver. Take pictures with phone as you disconnect wires so you have an easy reference when putting it back together. If you need someone to do it for you I would ask around for a local handy person.

[@dianehiggins2681]

Thanks very much for a great video. I wish I had seen it before I cleaned my 1st fan. I didn't disassemble the blade but I clearly should have. I have to clean the fan in the 2nd bath and will be doing a better job thanks to you. Next year for the 1st one....

[@cfldriven]

Diane, good news is you are at least cleaning your fans and going forward they will be even cleaner. Thanks for watching and writing.

[@turboquartz]

needed this! great video just cleaned it, running like a dream now - thanks!

[@cfldriven]

Rob R. congrats on a job well done. You may want to set a reminder to clean it again in a year or two. Thanks for the feedback and for watching.

[@luptonpittman6520]

Great video. Thanks. Why not clean the duct?

[@cfldriven]

Good question, for me, didn't want to poke a brush in there and have the connection apart (I did not install it) and then have to crawl on my belly in the attic to fix. I guess the short answer is fear. Thanks for watching.

[@xorbitman]

Do Panasonic Whisper series fans beep?

[@cfldriven]

Allan, no beeps from the two that I have.

[@scottdunn4506]

Nice job also was there a fan in there before this one just curious

[@cfldriven]

Thanks for the feedback. There was one in the original bathroom, but in the remodeling the fan location changed.

[@jennifersoroka1979]

Don’t use your current toothbrush. Great instruction :)

[@cfldriven]

Sometimes you have to state the obvious. Thanks for watching.

[@joedee5884]

Thanks for the video. I cleaned my unit and the rattling noise went away.

[@cfldriven]

Congrats on a successful project. Thank you for watching.

[@MarkHamilton-f9w]

Thank you very much! I thought I would need to remove the entire fan housing from the ceiling in Oder remove and clean the squirrel cage…now thanks to your video…I learned I do not! Appreciate you making the video!

[@cfldriven]

Mark thank you for taking the time to watch and comment.

[@melissademarchi5489]

Thanks for the reminder, gotta go do mine now!

[@cfldriven]

It is one of those many household chores that are easy to overlook. Thanks for watching.

[@BEATZABANGIN]

You are awesome!! Very well explained!

[@cfldriven]

Thank you for watching and taking the time to provide feedback.

[@BEATZABANGIN]

@cfldriven I was able to clean my fan, now it sounds brand new again.

[@cfldriven]

@@BEATZABANGIN I'm always amazed at how quiet the fan can be when clean. Congrats on getting the job done.

[@chrisc4184]

Thank you for this excellent video!

[@cfldriven]

Thank you for taking the time to comment.

[@SageCoulee]

Thanks for the great tutorial.

[@cfldriven]

You're welcome, thanks for watching.

[@mirageycq]

Very informative, thank you very much I will give it a try.

[@cfldriven]

Thanks for commenting and watching.

[@kevinstanhope5409]

Very helpful!

[@cfldriven]

Kevin, glad to hear the video was useful.

[@mnicole92]

Thank ya!

[@cfldriven]

Thank you for watching.

[@alex.mcintosh]

Thank you 🙏🏻

[@cfldriven]

Alex, thanks for taking the time to watch and write.

[@gmb21974]

It would have been nice if you showed how to change the bulb when you had it apart to clean the whole fan, otherwise this was an informative video.

[@cfldriven]

In this unit the led lamp is not changed, should it fail one would have to get a replacement LED from Panasonic. With an expected life of 20yrs you'll probably replace the entire exhaust fan.

[@darelldd]

It drives me nuts that the whole body needs to be disassembled to clean the cage. If that shroud bump would just snap off, then unscrew the bolt with a socket, and you'd have it in your hand to clean. Don't they expect this to need regular cleaning?? There is NO way to clean that cage in position (as you quickly found). I just performed this cleaning today, and came here to see if you found some magic way around having to pull the whole thing out and take it apart. But.... no. :-) Pro tip: Be SURE to reconnect the motor in the back when you put things back together. I totally forgot that and was out checking breakers and all kinds of stuff... then remembered. Oops.

[@cfldriven]

My old Broan only required dropping two screws to remove the exhaust fan, the problem was the alignment was so poor that re-installing without the fan striking the unit was difficult. At least with the Panasonic everything comes together in perfect alignment. You're right in that the manufacture's cleaning instructions and what it takes to really clean it are very different. Also the electrical connections are much easier to make on the Panasonic. Thanks for sharing your experience and tip.

[@darelldd]

@@cfldriven Yes, I agree with all of the other great benefits of these fans. Not only are the screws lined up properly, but they're easy to access (on the modern fans. On an older Panasonic that I have, a couple of the screws are super-deep in there and tough too find with the long bit). I'm also quite pleased with how energy efficient and quiet they are. I love the way they install in two steps. But wow. This cleaning process could have been drop-dead easy. So I'm not sure who dropped the ball there. The little shroud bump should be removable!

[@mirageycq]

You are right, why make it so difficult to clean? GRRR.....

[@jonathanfourten9556]

i have an older variant of this fan, and my god is it disgusting. there isnt even open space between the blades any longer. getting them out seems super complicated too.

[@cfldriven]

Yes that can get super dirty if not cleaned on a regular basis. While it may seem complicated, if you break it down to it basic steps it won't be overwhelming. Take pictures before starting and during the process, this way if you are unsure of how something is connected or run, you can refer to your images. I also do it with screw sizes as they can be easy to mix up.

[@lisastephens9703]

👍Thx... informative 💜

[@mayormeriah]

I accidentally used my current tooth brush 😬

[@daye1997]

You could use a good vacuum cleaner to do the job.

[@cfldriven]

Most house vacs don't have the reach, but more importantly this is caked on dirt, dust, skin, etc that really needs to be brushed, and washed off. While the manufacturer only recommends vacuuming, except for removing cobwebs it won't do much to actually clean the grill and the squirrel cage fan.

[@RobertBCarl]

Helpful but way too long...

[@cfldriven]

Robert, thank you for watching despite the length. It is always a challenge of not providing enough detail and running to long.

[@girlsboy8460]

they get a complete fail . from me why should I take the entire unit out . the bolt holding the spinning fan should be the access and than it should have been designed to slide it down and out ... but no they didn't think like a woman. this is pain my my ass. not user friendly at all, for the money This should have been designed, better, again Dah stupid, designers, this is a waste of my time and not at all easy. I'm so pissed that this is not made simple it's disappointing, so very angry. it's probably made in China. ..

[@cfldriven]

Place of origin has nothing to do with the design, that is decided by the folks at brand hq. As to the design this is far better than most of the other brands out there. To your point, the instructions only say to vacuum the exterior which does nothing for the build up on the fan, so yes they didn't make it easy to do that. If you find a brand that does a better job let us know.

[@SusanS-u3i]

Super helpful!

[@cfldriven]

Susan, wonderful to hear this video was helpful. Thanks for watching and writing in.