While browsing Banggood for LED lighting components a link to a 12V DC ceiling fan appeared. I wondered if the fan could be used as a small wind turbine so added one to the basket, whereupon a 220V version was suggested. I wondered if the motor was similar to a full size ceiling fan, so I ordered one of those too.
Here's a look inside the 220V version. It's quite a neat little unit and has a synchronous motor where the outer fan-blade hub has permanent magnets making it form the moving part of a motor (rotor) around the stationary section (stator) with the windings.
It generates quite a modest voltage when turned manually (or potentially by wind) at low current.
Notable features of this fan are that it is very quiet, surprisingly powerful, yet low mass with soft blades so fairly low hazard. The synchronous motor is bidirectional with a very clever directional start system based on a spring loaded rotating support stem that locks if the fan is trying to start in the wrong direction, but gives to allow the fan to build inertia in the right direction.
Here's a link to the Banggood page for the 220V fan.
http://www.banggood.com/220V-7W-Ultra-Quiet-6-Leaves-Mini-Electric-Hanging-Ceiling-Fan-Anti-Mosquitoes-Breeze-Cooler-Try-Me-p-1000381.html
And one for the 12V version.
http://www.banggood.com/DC12V-5W-Plastic-3-Leaves-Brushless-Converter-Motor-Ceiling-Fan-p-959015.html
If you enjoy this channel you can help support it with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random motorised objects at:-
http://www.bigclive.com/coffee.htm

16 thoughts on “Mini ceiling fan with intriguing motor and wind turbine potential.”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars geofrancis2001 says:

    some testing with these shows they really dont like to put out any current, even with a slight load the voltage drops to nothing, i can barely get 10ma out of it so I have a AC transformer coming that should step it down to the point I might be able to get some useful current out of it.

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Allen Russell says:

    I recently bought a 3 blade version from wish for my son. He's autistic, 7 years old and OBSESSED with ceiling fans. It took a couple weeks to come and of course was dead on arrival. Being dad (whos a fan of your channel — pun intended — ) I found the on/off switches (cost an extra 2 bucks for the switch version) internals had somehow been crushed and jammed inside whicj caused the high quality wiring to break. After repairing the switch it turned on and ripped its wires out of the PCB near the motor. Digging in deeper this time i think one of the wires was not ran properly (inside tje center shaft) so it wound itself til breaking. After replacing the wiring and resoldering everything it works ! ! Ill admit it makes a faint ticking sound on each revolution but hes happy. I took a tip from uour previous video about using disposable ecig batteries and it works great. Living in a college town i just have to take a 5 minute walk and i can collect 1-3 "hyde" brand vapes from the ground. I used another on a 4 foot long VTech alphabet train from goodwill where the batteries leaked and made a mess of the internals. Its been working off the same battery (charged once) for about 5 months. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars geofrancis2001 says:

    I have tried to replay with large posts about what im doing but youtube keeps deleteing it and im not writing it for a third time

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars geofrancis2001 says:

    I have just bought one of these to convert into a wind turbine, the plan is to use it to keep the electronics alive during the night due to the long scottish winter nights.

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Fred Blonder says:

    I have an electric clock that uses one of these motors, except that the rotor is a disk that is surrounded by the intermeshed fingers. It also has a spring-ratchet thingy to reverse it if the clock starts in the wrong direction.

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars farhan_190 says:

    do they still sell them

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Huge Bartlett says:

    Interesting to see you are still using that dinky little screwdriver six years on from this video.

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars grandtheftauto1233 says:

    Too bad this fan isn’t available in 120v

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars serkan karaaslan says:

    Alternators made for generating electrity; if you get it by motors it must be admitted that there is a 30% loss reason of structures.. But this one is which i examined and better than brushed motors my country in Turkiye..

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars pepe6666 says:

    thats neat. i have now learned how the number of poles in le motor will set the fan rotation speed

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars FlurryDoesStuff says:

    With a dead short, that thing was putting out about 10 watts of power, without that dead short, and faster spinning due to less resistance, I wouldn't be surprised it could go up to maybe 15 watts, which is standard for most modern phone fast charging – that's actually a pretty respectable amount of power

  12. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars mike ladd says:

    Just wundering, how much kick dose it give.. If you put a bc plug on the end would it twist itself out a lamp holder?

  13. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Nucleo says:

    I would like to use this fan to charge my 18650 cels to power my smal garden shed? do you know of any smal charge controler I can use with this fan?

  14. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars channelsixtysix066 says:

    Interesting electric motor and very quiet. I don't know if it's available any more, since this was over 5 years ago.

  15. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Janice Kobain says:

    Nice mechanical solution to help the motor decide. ;D

  16. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Janice Kobain says:

    I can remember my surprise when I first watched a microwave oven in action: it had lighting inside and its turntable often started rotating in the other direction once you interrupt the cooking process and resume it afterwards.
    You and [I believe] DiodeGoneWild have more or less explained synchronous motors to me [and many other viewers], and I thank you for sharing this knowledge.

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