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RegisterDC Ceiling Fans
DC ceiling fans is one of the most recent innovations in fan technology. These cooling apparatuses have been studied since the early 2010s but were only popularised in the international market last 2016. Its iconic feature is a transformer that converts alternating current to a one-way current that powers up the DC motors in the fan. They’re known for their noiseless operation and high-efficient energy-saving system.
Here at Zest Lighting, we have gathered a well-curated collection of DC ceiling fans that suit most styles and spaces. We have homey ones adaptable to bedrooms and living spaces and elegant and formal ones for offices and lobbies. Each DC ceiling fan in our collection has a corresponding controller for its operation. Additional accessories such as extension rods and light kits are also available for purchase.
Browse our selection of DC ceiling fans and see if there is one that matches your style and demands.
What are DC Ceiling Fans
DC ceiling fans are coined for the motor these fans use for their operations. DC motors, or Direct Current electrical motors, are machines that employ direct current for their operation, as opposed to AC motors that use alternating current for their system. This current-converting-energy process uses a transformer, making it an essential component in DC motor systems.
Currently, DC ceiling fans need an AC power source to provide electricity into the circuit. Once they are connected to the electrical grid, the alternating current will pass through the transformer before being converted into the current that its system needs. However, with the advancements of technology, some manufacturers have started experimenting with expanding the allowable power sources for DC ceiling fans. Perhaps DC ceiling fans may become operational using solar power and some batteries in the future, too.
The Advantages of DC Ceiling Fans
In the past years, DC ceiling fans have become a mainstay in the ceiling fan market. It was in 2016 when consumers began to notice the benefits and features of these fans over other ceiling fan types. Here are a few of the reasons why buying a DC ceiling fan for your home or business establishment can become one of your greatest purchases in the current decade:
- Generally, DC ceiling fans use less energy than other ceiling fan types. According to experiments, DC motors consume up to 60% less power than AC motors. In other words, a 100W AC ceiling fan can operate in the same way as a 40W DC ceiling fan - that’s a big save on your electricity bill.
- DC ceiling fans tend to be on the slimmer and sleeker side. This is because DC motors are less bulky than AC motors, allowing fan designers to create leaner fan frames and design fan models with better styles.
- DC ceiling fans are known for their extremely quiet operation. Many won’t hear a humming sound from the motors and their system when their blades rotate unless they’re very sensitive to noise. Thus, they’re ideal cooling apparatuses for baby rooms and patient wards.
- The current DC ceiling fans sold in the market can have a maximum of 7-speed settings. They do not have the limitations introduced by the variability of the power source’s frequency and amplitude which limits the speed selection for AC ceiling fans to up to 3-speed settings only. Hence, if a broader selection for speed control is what you desire, getting a DC ceiling fan is a better choice among other fan types.
Common Types of DC Ceiling Fans
With the advent of technology, DC ceiling fans nowadays have many forms and styles. With varying motor systems, sizes, and functionalities, many fans are grouped into the following types:
- Standard DC Ceiling Fans: This is the type of DC ceiling fan seen in most homes all over the world. They’re available in various styles and sizes and typically have three, four, or five blades. They have a wide assortment of finishes, materials, and design options for consumers to choose from. Some standard DC ceiling fans even have optional light kits adaptable to the fan frame, unique only to a specific fan model.
- Low-profile DC Ceiling Fans: Also known as Hugger fans or flush mount ceiling fans, these DC fans are appropriate for areas with low ceilings, i.e. less than eight feet tall. Due to strict regulations, normal-sized DC ceiling fans aren’t suitable options for these places, so low-profile ceiling fans were invented to accept the demand. Nevertheless, their height does not affect their performance, as there are low-profile DC ceiling fans available in the market that function more efficiently and are more powerful than standard DC ceiling fans.
- Energy-Star DC Ceiling Fans: DC ceiling fans are known for their energy efficiency compared to other fan types. However, Energy-Star DC ceiling fans take it to a higher level. For a DC ceiling fan to acquire an Energy Star rating, it must use 20% to 30% less energy than the current standards. Only after passing the tests mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency can a ceiling fan receive an Energy Star Rating.
- Damp or Wet-Rated DC Ceiling Fans: Most fans are installed inside homes and buildings. However, cooling apparatuses are also necessary for alfresco and outdoor covered areas, especially during the hot summer. Damp or wet-rated DC ceiling fans are the perfect fan types to use for these places as they’re made to adapt to sudden changes in weather and the surrounding environment. They’re also the best choice for a ceiling fan in bathrooms and humid areas.
- Multi-motor DC Ceiling Fans: Exactly what the name suggests, multi-motor DC ceiling fans have more than one motor in their entire system. These fans usually have a central system that controls the motors on each fan head. Currently, the maximum number of engines implemented in these fans is three, and they’re often used as decorative pieces in commercial settings. The good thing about these fans is that they often have independent speed control settings per fan head, making them just like two or three ceiling fans combined into one.
Tips when Buying a DC Ceiling Fan
We know that there are a lot of benefits to buying a DC ceiling fan. Moreover, there are many types of DC ceiling fans out in the market for you to choose from. So now, with a wide range of options, how do you narrow down your choices? Below are some aspects to consider to filter in the perfect DC ceiling fans for your space:
- Conform Fan Size to Allowable Space: When installing a DC ceiling fan, or any ceiling fan in general, one would always need to consider the current regulations and standards. It is advisable to pick a fan size that leaves at least 50cm of space between the walls and the blade tip of the fan. For example, in a 3m x 3m room, the maximum allowable fan diameter is 78 inches or 200cm. However, since tall furniture and appliances in the room might take space, like cabinets and air conditioning units, getting a DC ceiling fan with less than 200cm fan size is best for such rooms.
- Choose Appropriate Ceiling Fan Rating to the Place: Most fans are suitable for indoor use. They're essential cooling and ventilation apparatuses for living rooms and bedrooms, whether there is an air conditioning unit in the place or not. However, there are also DC ceiling fans for outdoor use. Damp-rated ceiling fans are perfect for covered outdoor areas as they have a certain degree of protection from humidity and dryness. Wet-rated ones can withstand direct exposure to snow, ice, and rain. Tropic-rated DC ceiling fans are often corrosion-resistant and can tolerate harsh climate conditions. If you encounter these types of DC ceiling fans, then you'll have no worries installing them on your patio or portico to lessen the intense summer heat.
- Match the Correct Mounting Type to the Desired Location: DC ceiling fans can be installed on various ceiling types, and only a few ceiling fans are appropriate for all of them. Inflexible ceiling fans can be installed on flat surfaces, but you will need additional equipment to install them on a sloped ceiling. To help you rationalize if a fan is appropriate for your ceiling type, make sure to ask your ceiling fan provider for this information, or you can read on and see if there is a hangsure canopy angle attribute on the ceiling fan pamphlet. The hangsure canopy angle denotes the highest tolerable angle for the fan to operate correctly, so it's a good measure for knowing whether the fan is only suitable for flat ceilings or can be installed on sloped or vaulted surfaces.
- Consider a Fan with Season-Related Settings: If you live outside the tropical region, you'll often see DC ceiling fans with a particular additional attribute - reversible summer/winter settings. In particular, the most popular Australian DC ceiling fans bought locally and online have this feature as customers find them cost-effective in all seasons. To elaborate on the functionality of this attribute, a DC ceiling fan on a winter setting pushes the rising warm air back to the surface and walls, allowing the area to retain the heat during the season. The opposite is done when the DC ceiling fan is on summer mode - the fan maintains the cool air within the space for a more comfortable and breezy summertime. Buying a DC ceiling fan with such settings allow you to use it all year round.
- Ponder on the Number of Fan Blades: At first, the DC ceiling fans in the market all have three blades, mimicking wind turbines that are famed for their efficiency and performance. As time passed, DC ceiling fans with four or five blades appeared, giving buyers more options to choose from. There are even DC ceiling fans that have two blades or no blades at all. Many customers purchase fans with numerous blades for aesthetic purposes. Meanwhile, others choose fans with less than three blades for safety reasons, as lesser exposed blades imply a more child-friendly environment. Still, manufacturers recommend three-bladed DC ceiling fans for more efficient performance. Carefully brood over how many blades you want your DC ceiling fan to have.
- Decide on What's More Important - Airflow or Energy Savings: Airflow, also known as air movement, is the amount of moving air due to the ceiling fan's operation. In summer, it's the amount of cool breeze directed in a room; in winter, it's the amount of warm air flowing in the space. Generally, the airflow rating is proportional to the power consumption, which is inversely related to the amount of energy you save. In other words, the amount of money you'll save from your utility bills will depend on whether you'll choose a DC ceiling fan with a high air movement rating or not. For reference, a typical air movement rating for a standard-size fan is 6,000 ft^3/m to 7,000 ft^3/min.
Why 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.