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susanwrites_gw

any ideas on hum on a Mika Aire fan?

susanwrites
13 years ago

Hi all,

I normally hang out on the decorating forum but our electrician is racking his brains to figure this one out and I thought I'd thought it out here to see if anyone might have come across it or have any ideas.

I bought a pair of Minka Aire Volterra fans and had them installed by a professional electrician. There was a slight hum/noise at first but we thought, let's let it burn in and see if that makes a difference. Well, burn it made no difference at all. It isn't a balance thing, you can hear the sound in the motor. Both fans make identical noises.

Electrician came back out after talking to Minka Aire and they said the box was installed too close to a box that had a remote in it and that had caused a problem. So they sent new controllers but we had the same issue. Then Minka suggested he direct wire it to see if that got rid of the problem. Nope. Still noisy.

Electrician said he would contact Minka to see if they had any further ideas but I'm getting really frustrated. I finally sprung for two of the more expensive (and beautiful) fans and I can't use them with the noise. I have an 8-year-old Hunter Douglas fan that only cost me 1/3 of the price of these fans and it's absolutely silent.

I hate the thought of taking them down and taking them back but that might be my next step.

Here's hoping someone has some ideas. Thank you in advance.

Here is a link that might be useful: noisy fan

Comments (28)

  • brickeyee
    13 years ago

    Hum on all speeds?

    Any change from starting up to running?

    Humming often comes from poorly bonded lamination in motors or poorly secured windings.

    It could also be caused by a start winding (if present) not going open circuit once the fan is up to speed.

    If is is on two units it very well could be a design defect.

  • wayne440
    13 years ago

    Maybe you are just hoping for too much, based on the exceptional performance of your previous fan. A "slight hum/noise" from an electrical device is often just part of its normal operation.

  • susanwrites
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Hi Brickeyee and thank you for your response.
    Just realized my typo on the post. I know it is MINKA AIRE. Sheesh. :)

    As soon as you click "on" no matter what speed, you hear the sound. And I don't know how to type the description of the sound but it doesn't stay the same, it cycles. Shoot, my electrician called the cycle something but I don't remember what. It's a quick cycle but you can hear it.

    And yes, both expensive Minka Aire fans, identical models bought from the ideal place, make the identical sound.

    It's beginning to look like i might need to pick a different model and go through all this crap again. Sigh.

  • susanwrites
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Wayne, maybe I do have high expectations but from a fan that is supposed to be quiet, I don't think this qualifies. And when I am sitting directly underneath it, in the case of both fans. When it's been running for a time and then I turn it off, I can feel myself relax because the noise is gone.

    I guess to test it I should buy another model and try that and see how it goes.

  • alan_s_thefirst
    13 years ago

    Dumb question maybe, but are you sure it's an electrical hum and not mechanical? I've had fan/light combos that buzzed badly but it turned out the light bulbs were touching the housing or the glass fitting. Smaller bulbs and some adjustment, and the issue went away.

    Are you using all the approved fittings and no dimmer? Unless the dimmer is specifically right for that fitting, they'll cause issues too.

  • susanwrites
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Alan,
    Not dumb questions at all. Thanks for checking with me. It could very well be mechanical. It sounds like the motor to me but then I'm no expert. You can hear the sound as soon as you click it on. It's not a buzz. I doubt it's the light bulbs since both identical units make the same sound but we'll check that out.

    We are using everything that came in the box with the fan. When the electrician first called Minka, they mentioned the dimmer too. They even sent new controllers. No difference. We direct wired the fan, bypassing everything, and it still makes the noise. All this is leading me to believe that this model Volterra, is not up to Minka standards. I really don't think I'm being unreasonable about the sound, either but even if I am, if this can't get fixed, they will have to go. The library and my office are supposed to be the two places to go for quiet in the house.

    I guess the next frustrating thing is going to be how to find another fan that will go with the looks of the room and give me the quiet that I need.

  • brickeyee
    13 years ago

    If the fan has lights unscrew the bulbs and see if the sound disappears.

    Many cheap bulbs will have filament vibration when used on a dimmer.
    It the capability to dim the bulbs is present it can cause the noise, even when the bulbs are full on.

    It usually appears as a 120 Hz hum as the voltage on the filaments cycles through 60 Hz.

  • susanwrites
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks Brickeye. We'll give that a try this afternoon. The electrician is coming back over with one last thing to try, per Minka, before we send these back. We're going to get a long extension cord and see if we can try a different circuit in case there's something weird with the wiring in this house. The two rooms that have these fans are an addition from the previous owner.

    Thank you again for trying to help me figure this out.

  • jaspermplants
    13 years ago

    I had the same problem with mine and had an electrician look at it. He couldn't figure it out and told me to return it but I didn't have the receipt anymore. It's very nervewracking and I hardly use the fan now.

    My other Minka Aire ceiling fan has a light fixture that no longer works. I've only had it a year. The electrician couldn't figure that one out either.

    So, I have 2 barely functioning Minka Aire ceiling fans. I will never buy this brand again.

  • susanwrites
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Well we solved the problem. Brickeye, we went to take the bulbs out, they're those itty bitty things, but once the housing of the light fixture was off, we turned the fan on (lights still in) and there was no noise. It seemed to be that tightening the finial to attach the housing worked like a volume control. We put some padding between the finial and the glass and then just kept adjusting it until it was silent.

  • missross_windstream_net
    13 years ago

    Hey...we have the exact same complaint. 2 Minka Volterra fans - the humming is horrible. I, too, am contemplating removing them and replacing with another brand. I won't buy another Minka Aire fan, either.

  • cheribear56_yahoo_com
    12 years ago

    Same problem..calais fan (hugger). I installed this for my sister this last weekend and the fan hums (not the lights). Fan hums at all times. I have two minkas in my house that have been there two or three years. LOVE THEM! No sound at all. We pay for that reputation! This fan is unbelievable. My sister is going to have to deal with them about this now which when I called yesterday before I left the company said it should wear it self out in 24 hrs (much be their speech)and I even asked about balancing or dimmer switch which my sister has and he said it would not be either one of those. Any suggestions from anyone? I feel bad now that I recommended Minka to her but mine are great. Again, the fan only hums (just like a cheap boxstore fan) but the lights don't.

  • btharmy
    12 years ago

    "I installed this for my sister this last weekend and the fan hums (not the lights)"

    Did you remove the light bulbs and fixture housing to be sure?

  • susanwrites
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Hi folks,
    This is popping up in my google alerts a lot again and I'm getting emails about it. I'd just like to say, as I did further up in the posting, that we were able to fix the problem.

    Here's that post:

    Posted by susanwrites (My Page) on
    Mon, Dec 13, 10 at 22:21

    Well we solved the problem. Brickeye, we went to take the bulbs out, they're those itty bitty things, but once the housing of the light fixture was off, we turned the fan on (lights still in) and there was no noise. It seemed to be that tightening the finial to attach the housing worked like a volume control. We put some padding between the finial and the glass and then just kept adjusting it until it was silent.


    We've been running both fans 24/7 since then and they are completely silent and a joy to have.

  • annainoakland
    9 years ago

    susanwrites, I am having the same problem with my Minka Aire. Can you tell me what kind of padding you used and where you put it? my fan came with an "o" shaped piece of padding that goes between the housing for the light and the fan itself, so i'm curious what I might add to that to experiment on whether your solution will work for me too.

  • susanwrites
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    It's been a few years but I think he just had a piece of rubber something that he cut to fit but I have no idea where he put it. We have since sold the house so I can't check for you. Sorry.

  • gr8daygw
    9 years ago

    I have the same problem and it drives me insane. I end up not using the fans at all. I recently brought up this topic on another forum and someone posted this link below.

    Here is a link that might be useful: How to reduce the hum in a ceiling fan

  • annainoakland
    9 years ago

    thanks anyway susanwrites. I tried using some of the non-slip lining that you use in your kitchen shelves to put glassware on and it seems to have really helped!

    gr8day - thanks for the reference. I'm going to see if my recent fix adequately solves the problem - if not, I'm going to move down the items on the list you referenced! Appreciate it!

  • Slif
    9 years ago

    Hi all,

    Recent Minka Aire Concept I owner here.

    Jumping in to say that the lining does not solve the issue for me.

    I describe the hum as similar sounding to the tone used when taking a hearing test. It's not a buzz like the sound you'd expect from a fan motor - it's a tone.

    It's very strange - the sound almost makes me nauseous and like others have described, I cannot relax when the fan is on - the tone is very affecting.

    It is caused by the fixtures with the worst being the glass. With the fixtures off, the tone is either not present or not audible.

    Thank goodness for Amazon's easy return policy. A couple of clicks and back it goes.

    Rob

  • AEGorenberg
    9 years ago

    Solved with WD-40
    Problem: Buzzing vibration from inside MinkaAire model 68MKA. Noise only present when powered on; as soon as turned off, noise stopped. Worse with higher speed.

    Solution: The turning blades, near their attachment point inside the fan, are pushed down by air as they spin to slightly touch a metal stationary flange that is beneath them. The blades vibrate against the flange. Using WD-40 with a straw, insert the straw below decorative edge of blades and above the trim of the light housing until it reaches the flange and spray a little bit. It will coat the flange and lubricate the blades where they touch the flange as they spin.

    Hope this solves it for you!

  • Jane Pipkin
    2 years ago

    I have four Minka Aire Wave fans all purchased in 2018 - two with lights and two without - both hummed right away; hasn't broken in to reduce hum; both Minka Aire and my dealer have been helpful and parts have been replaced; this I might try. Drives me crazy - I only have them on when I am not in the room. May bet new fans, but I really do like the design of these. Thanks for your input here.

  • J Schaffer
    2 years ago

    I have two minka aire fans, a Delano in the bedroom and a Groton in my office. The Delano is silent. although it had a slight balance problem that's been minimized by the contractor. The Groton is steady a a rock, BUT it hums on medium and high fan speeds. Operating the light makes no difference. The problem is much worse in the room above the fan, the hum is louder and if you stand in the right spots, you can feel it through the floor. What'e even worse is that there's supposed to be sound insulation in the space between the ceiling and the floor above.


    The contractor may have mounted it to one of the flooring joists, or the fan itself might be defectve. They've been trying to locate a fan mounting kit with sound/vibration isolation like a rubber gasket or grommets or something, but no one, not even minka aire, seems to have anything that would help.


    Does anyone know where we might locate a sound isolation mount for a ceiling fan? Or do you suggest we should replace the fan?


    Thanks in advance!

  • Matt Maynard
    2 years ago

    I just bought a new 52" Minka aire fan and the motor is noisy too. For the price of these things, it is ridiculous that they have small quiet motors. They need to spring for better parts. I agree that hunter fans are far superior and 1/3rd the cost.

  • HU-395161160
    last year

    Just bought 4 of the Minka Aire Lights to replace the perfectly quiet yet older and visually outdated (probably 17 years!) Hampton Bay fans that were in the home I purchased.

    The Minka Aires are horribly loud on all settings. All 4 of them. Beyond a hum even. The electrician thought on the first one that there was a defect, but they’re all loud. Reading these reviews is sad. Having to not only uninstall and reinstall and return and rebuy and reinstall I certainly would have hoped they’d have fixed this after 10 years.

  • cjsoutherland
    last year

    We’ve had Minka fans installed in two homes as I love the look. We have noticed the larger fans have no noise while all the smaller some do. Some things you can live with others you can’t. Pick your poison I guess. Mine are staying. Maybe as I get older and lose my hearing it won’t continue to be an issue!

  • Ag Nobody
    last year
    last modified: last year

    Minka Aire Wave F845 (smaller blades). Brand new. Distinct humming (electrical) noise. It isn't that loud but unbearable for a bedroom. Minka customer support said bad capacitor that doesnt provide right power to the motor. The capacitor should arrive next week. We shall see if replacing it would solve the problem. Doubt it..

  • HU-41816432
    11 months ago

    absolutely correct. Same problem. Just bought mine. Very attractive but same noise. Very disappointing this has not been corrected after so many customer complaints, and they are still selling this fan.

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