Can I reverse rotation on this fan?

[Phil Thien]

I have this "high velocity" fan which I'd like to (if possible) reverse rotation on.

I opened the electrical box and found the following.

(1) The incoming WHITE (neutral) is connected to the fan's RED wire.

(2) The incoming BLACK (hot) is connected to "L" on the speed switch.

(3) The fan has two WHITES, with one connected to "1" and the other to "2" on the speed switch.

(4) The fan has a BLUE, connected to "3" on the speed switch.

(5) The fan has a YELLOW, connected to one leg of a 10uF cap. The other side of the cap is connected to the BLUE wires in #4 above.

[Anthony Whitesell]

Probably not. If the motor is not labelled as reversible, chances are not good. If all wires are accounted for then there's no way to produce an alternate phase shift to spin the motor backwards. There is usually a second connection and/or a second capacitor for the reverse direction. Take a look at the motor's wiring diagram in the switch reverse thread from earlier this month.

[Phil Thien]

Probably not. If the motor is not labelled as reversible, chances are not good. If all wires are accounted for then there's no way to produce an alternate phase shift to spin the motor backwards. There is usually a second connection and/or a second capacitor for the reverse direction. Take a look at the motor's wiring diagram in the switch reverse thread from earlier this month.

I had found this at Fixya:

http://www.fixya.com/support/t7726228-need_reverse_rotation

And was hoping that, since my fan's motor has five wires (plus a ground strap), and three speeds, that there was a chance I could reverse it.

Unfortunately, I don't have a wiring diagram.

[Anthony Whitesell]

Phil, I was referring to looking at the wires available for the motor and wiring diagram in the other thread to note the difference between your motor and a reversible one. I read through your link, but in my experience unless the motor is marked as reverisble then it is not. It has to do with the phase shift created by the capacitor for the attached windings. I had been told that reversible motors require the equivalent of a third set of windings in order to be reversed. Cap run motors are really not much different than three phase motors. They just use two phases, one created by the phase shift induced by the run capacitor.

[Rick Potter]

Hey Phil,

Can you just reverse the blade?

Rick Potter

[Phil Thien]

Hey Phil,

Can you just reverse the blade?

Rick Potter

I could take the blades off the arbor and flip/reinstall. But that wouldn't reverse their direction. I'd need to bend them, I guess.

I think I have another solution it just involves a little more work.

[Chris Walls]

Phil

Perhaps you could just order a new fan blade from Grainger or McMaster - Carr that is the reverse of what you have. I have done that at work and it went fine.

Chris

[Mike Henderson]

I had found this at Fixya:

http://www.fixya.com/support/t7726228-need_reverse_rotation

And was hoping that, since my fan's motor has five wires (plus a ground strap), and three speeds, that there was a chance I could reverse it.

Unfortunately, I don't have a wiring diagram.
I read through that thread on fixya. If your motor is the same as described there, you should be able to figure out the wiring diagram with an ohm meter. Disconnect the switch and check the resistance between where your white wire comes in and the other wires. Looking at the diagram on fixya, and the resistances you measured, you should be able to figure out what's what.

Mike

[Phil Thien]

I read through that thread on fixya. If your motor is the same as described there, you should be able to figure out the wiring diagram with an ohm meter. Disconnect the switch and check the resistance between where your white wire comes in and the other wires. Looking at the diagram on fixya, and the resistances you measured, you should be able to figure out what's what.

Mike

My fan isn't the same model.

The one thing that kept screaming out at me when looking at those directions is that, when finished, they have moved the incoming BLACK from L on the switch and replaced it with incoming WHITE.

Obviously, other things changed, too. But I can't fathom why one would change black for white on L of the switch.

So I don't know if the directions are legit or complete carp. Where electricity is concerned, I don't believe about 90% of what I read on the Internet. That is why I figured I'd post here. If you guys said "oh yeah that works no problem," then I'd be on it like white on rice. Otherwise, I'll move on.

I have another way of doing this without reversing the fan. I've started down that path.

Thanks for the help everyone!