Hopefully some of you more knowledgable will be able to help…
I recently installed a ceiling fan in my kitchen. It has the light fixture as well which will burn 2 60W light bulbs. The light was not bright enough for my wife, so we installed two ~17W flourescent bulbs that give the equivelant light of two 100 watt bulbs. The problem is that the bulbs will flicker like a strobe light at times. Sometimes it lasts for sevaral minutes before we turn it off due to annoyance. I’ve changed the bulbs (all from the same 4 pack) and problem continued. I replaced the lighting fixture (not the fan itself) and the problem still continues. Is this due to using a too high wattage bulb? Faulty bulbs? Faulty electrical current possible within the fan motor housing?
We love the fan and Lowe’s no longer carries it. We either need to return it and buy a different fan or fix the problem. The flickering is too annoying to live with.
Replies
Does it only flicker when the fan is running? Is so it might be due to vibration. Those bulbs are not really designed for that usage. Specially if they have magnetic ballast (heavy in the glob where it screws in).
But does it have a light dimmer on it. Or does it use any kind of remote control, either an addon or built into the fan?
How many wires where there on the unit when you installed it?
Also do the lights flicker together or separately?
If togehter look at the connections at the ceiling. But also there will be connections where the light fitter (the light fixture part) attaches to the fan).
If the bulbs flicker separately then look at the sockets. The center tab can be bent down too far that it does not make good contact. Turn the breaker off for that circuit and bend out the tab.
Edited 8/10/2006 4:20 pm by BillHartmann
Thanks for your reply.
There were 2 wires (Black and White) to wire the fan. There is a built in remote, therefore there wasn't an additional wire for wiring the light and fan seperately. I have tried bending out the connection at the base of the socket to no avail. I don't believe the flickering is due to vibration because it is mounted directly to the ceiling (no rod).
I don't know if it makes a difference, but I live in an older house (1950's) and do not have a ground wire. I am also on fuses, but I wouldn't think that could make a difference.
Also, why do you say "Those bulbs are not really designed for that usage"?
"There is a built in remote,"I think that is your problem. They have an electronic switch which chops the power on and off 120 times a seconds.The ballast in the bulb gets confused.There are some bulbs that will work on dimmers that would probably work in your case, but no guarantee.Here are some.http://www.energyfederation.org/consumer/default.php/cPath/25_44_169
Edited 8/10/2006 7:27 pm by BillHartmann
Some fluorescents have to burn base down only.
Try your flourescents in a simple ordinary table lamp. If they flicker, you just got bad ones. If they work, it's either the control electronics or the fan motor interacting with them to cause the problem. I know the ones I have won't work with dimmers or with light sensors. Anything with a triac gives them trouble.
Since you like the fan, you might do better to keep it as a fan and install other task-specific lighting in the kitchen.
-- J.S.