AC Ceiling Fans

The General Principle of AC Ceiling Fans

It’s easy to understand how AC ceiling fans work. For starters, it should be connected to an electrical grid or any power source that can provide alternating current. Once the power from the current inside the system reaches the starting power baseline, the fan can now start its operation, allowing the current to flow into the machine. This electricity will power up the electric motor inside the fan - gears will start turning, and blades will begin rotating. This blade rotation will create the direction of airflow throughout the room.

The ability to control the direction of airflow is one of the main functions of ceiling fans. In fact, many AC ceiling fan manufacturers have included bidirectional airflow settings in their products to accommodate changes in the season. In particular, many recommend the setting for an updraft airflow (air moving towards the ceiling fan) during winter to suck cold air from the surface and downdraft airflow (air flowing away from the ceiling fan) during summer to expel heat.

Common Materials for AC Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fan companies use many kinds of materials for the blades and housing of ceiling fans. Many use common construction materials like steel and aluminium for a durable and more compact final product. Some showcase the allure of mother nature using wood and other natural materials and integrate them into the overall design of their products.

It is interesting to know that the materials used by manufacturers for their fans can also affect how they market these fans to the public. For example, not all types of steel-made AC ceiling fans are suitable for high-humidity environments, so they’re commonly sold for indoor use only. Similarly, wooden AC ceiling fans that have undergone correct treatment and finish can be advertised for use in island areas and outdoor locations. In addition, AC ceiling fans made of corrosion- and weather-resistant materials are often sold to areas near the coasts and disaster-prone regions. Moreover, some ceiling fans that have textured or outstanding appearances may become popular indoor cooling apparatuses in commercial places like hotels and rental lofts, even if they’re for industrial use.

With all these circumstances, it’s best to know at least a bit of knowledge about AC ceiling fans before buying one. After all, simple marketing propaganda may influence you to buy a unit even if it’s inappropriate for your situation.

Why Choose AC Ceiling Fans Over DC

Since its inception and the popularity of electrical consumption, AC ceiling fans have been the standard cooling devices for many establishments. Gone is the era of manually powered devices for cooling and chilling and the dependency of people to the wind and weather changes for relieving heat during summertime and hot days.

• AC ceiling fans are very easy to use. Since they only need a connection to the power grid to function correctly, many homeowners and business holders don't need to worry about cooling down their places as long as they have a constant supply of power from the electrical grid. Simply plug it into the socket, and the AC ceiling fan is ready to work.

• AC ceiling fans tend to have more options for controllers. Many companies have invested in expanding the variety of the controlling system for AC ceiling fans. Nowadays, one can purchase an AC ceiling fan and add an optional remote controller, wall panel, or a simple extra chain switch compatible with the fan model.

• Generally, AC ceiling fans are cheaper than other types. It's because companies have already determined the near-apex of efficiently producing AC ceiling fans with minimal costs while maximising profits. Hence, the prices of these fans usually don't stray far away from your designated budget plan.

• AC ceiling fans are usually at the forefront of invention and new attributes. Plans on integrating the latest gadgets' functionalities into AC ceiling fans are common experimental topics in the R&D laboratories of many fan manufacturers. Thus, one may often realise that many AC ceiling fans in the market already have phone application connectivity and automatic motion-sensing features, while many DC ceiling fans are still manually operated by remote controllers.

Ceiling Fan Attributes You Need to Know

When you shop for AC ceiling fans in your local department or hardware store, you may encounter confusing labels on their tags and product descriptions. Some just bypass the meaning of these attributes, only to know later that they're essential ceiling fan characteristics that may alleviate or worsen their current cooling and ventilation needs.

To help our customers, we've compiled a list of the standard terms mostly seen in AC ceiling fan promotions. If there are terms you're unfamiliar with while shopping, read on to see if it's on our list:

• Blade Span / Blade Sweep / Rotational Diameter: The total size of the fan's reach, from one tip to another tip on the opposite side. It can also be referred to as the complete width of the fan. For example, a 56" ceiling fan would have a 56-inch or 1420mm rotational diameter.

• CFM / Airflow / Air Movement: The amount of moving air due to the ceiling fan's movement. It is usually measured in CFM or cubic feet per minute, or m^3/hr or cubic meter per hour. Other measurement units include cubic meters per second, cubic feet per hour, and so on.

• Reversible / Reversible Summer/Winter Mode: The ceiling fan functionality in summer is different from when it's in use during winter. Generally, warm air rises while cool air remains below. In summer, to retain a cool breeze to its surrounding areas, the ceiling fan must push the cool air down. On the other hand, the warm air that rises must be pushed back to the walls for a warmer surface environment during winter. The ceiling fans systems that can accomplish these requirements are known for their reversible settings.

• Extension Rod / Downrod / Shank: A downrod is part of the ceiling fan body that connects the base canopy to the motor and fan main body. The usual downrods attached to the ceiling fans are about 30cm in length, making them too short for areas with high ceilings. To meet the demands of the public, extension downrods, with sizes varying from 90cm to 180cm, were created. These downrods are often bought as additional accessories to the main ceiling fan unit.

• Canopy: The housing or the cover encloses the ceiling fan's mounting bracket and wirings.

• Hangsure Canopy: A ceiling fan canopy often used in sloped or vaulted ceilings. It has a ball and joint type construction, allowing the fan to find its centre of gravity, reducing the noises and wobbling when in use. The maximum hangsure canopy measurement used in labels is in degrees, denoting the highest tolerable angle for the fan to operate correctly. For example, a hangsure canopy of 15° means that the ceiling fan can be installed slanted up to 15° relative angle from the horizontal plane.

• Blade Pitch: Denoted as the measurement of the relative angle between a horizontal (180 degrees) plane and the tilt of the blades. This measurement can affect the airflow, speed, and functionality of the ceiling fan. Usually, a higher blade pitch will require a more powerful motor for the same rate as a standard ceiling fan. Typical blade pitches for ceiling fans are between the 10 to 25-degree range.

• Vaulted Ceiling / Pitched Ceiling / Ceiling Rake: You may not encounter these terms when browsing ceiling fan attributes, but you definitely need to know about them if your desired installation location is not a flat ceiling. Some fans allow installation on a slanted surface to a certain degree, while others don't. Make sure that your chosen ceiling fan is appropriate for your needs before buying them.

• Huggers / Flush Mounted: This is a type of ceiling fan that doesn't have downrods. They're most suitable for low ceilings (less than eight feet tall from the surface) and are known as low-profile ceiling fans.

• Drop: This is a measurement related to height. Total drop is the measurement of the fan from its top part to the bottom, including the light kit if it's attached to the fan. Ceiling to blade drop is the same as the total drop if the bottom part of the ceiling fan is its fan blades.

• RPM: The measurement of how many times the fan blade makes a complete circle within a single minute. RPM means rounds per minute.

• Module: A term used for accessories that are not part of the ceiling fan main body. These include remote and wall controllers, as well as additional light kits.

• Ripple Control: If your electricity distributor uses a remote control and switching system, particular signals with power exceeding the tolerable signal supply range may occur when these companies switch them on and off. Some appliances, like AC ceiling fans, are susceptible to these sudden power spikes and may damage their system in the long run. A ceiling fan with a ripple control feature can regulate these signals received by the ceiling fan circuit to minimize the damages.

• Floor to Blade Measurement: It is the distance between the ground level surface and the tip of the fan, which are usually the fan blades. There should be at least 2.1m or 7ft. space in between the fan and the floor by Australian standards.

About Zest Lighting

Zest Lighting is an online lighting boutique that focuses on offering the best in designer lighting at reasonable prices. But more than this, we are committed to looking for options that may improve the standard of living of our valuable customers. Hence, aside from lighting, we have expanded our well-curated repertoire to fans.

Read our FAQ and profile pages to know more about our company. If you have enquiries, kindly send us your concerns here, or you can reach us on our social media pages (Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram). We have a free shipping policy for selected metro areas, but you can also choose to pick up your order straight from our warehouse; book your appointment here.

We are honoured to share our love for fans with you.