Power problem (gremlin?)

You may have a loose neutral where the neutral isn=92t making good enough contact to light the bulbs but good enough contact to give you a 120 V. reading on your multimeter.

or a poor connection on lower bulb contact. power everything off try bending the connection up a little

Have you exceeded the wattage capacity of the ceiling fan?

Have you tried the original 60 watt lamps? Many of the new fans lights come with a "feature" that limits the total wattage of the lamps. In my case, I put in 3 CFLs in a fan. Apparently the limiting device does not play well with CFLs. The lamps were not wired to the dimmer control in the remote control radio receiver, but instead, directly to a wall switch. However, after anywhere from 2 minutes to more than an hour, the lamps would simply shut off. After this fiasco, I crawled up to the fan, some 25' up and changed the lamps to 3 - 60 watt incandescent and at the same time, re-wired the lamp circuit to the remote control radio receiver. Now the lamps don't shut off by themselves, are dimmable via the remote, and actually provide more light than the 60 watt equivalent CFLs (no surprise). I would have originally put in 100 watt equivalent CFLs, but they were not to be had at that time, with mini candelabra base anyway. Now they are available. But what I need to to is get rid of the over wattage "feature". The manufacturer seems to have buried it somewhere in the bowels of the unit. I have another, different model fan, that has the module in the canopy for easy by-passing, if necessary. It's hard to find the module while hanging on a ladder 25' up in the air. However, I do have a 2nd identical unit, with a lower ceiling, which I will use to re-engineer the design. Actually, that 2nd fan has to be moved anyway, do to a re-modelling of that room. In the original room, I'd like to use the 100 watt equivalent CFLs for their lower power and maybe eek out a few more lumens. At that distance, you don't get a lot of light down here were human reside. Sorry for babbling on about my problem, but, if you haven't, try the original lamps.

No. It is rated for 1-100w, that's what is in it. Originally it had 2-75w. They don't work now either. All bulbs are good (in other fixtures).

Dumb question, perhaps the pull chain switch was disturbed in the cleaning process? Especially if you never use it (that is the light is controlled by the wall switch.)

nate

Also inspect the lamp sockets, the center contact on one could have shifted and be shorting out to the shell.

That was my first thought so I put the in canopy switch out of the circuit.

It seems like it has to be something like that but the fact that the light unit works fine when the leads are stabbed into a wall outlet confuses the issue. Confuses me too :(

If shorted to the shell the fire would be flying or the fuse/breaker blowing/tripping

Are you sure you're not seeing a phantom 120 volts on the wires going to the canopy? If you're using an electronic multimeter it may indicate 120 volts (no load) through capacitive coupling, but won't support any significant current draw.

Try taking a leaded lamp socket and bulb and connecting it to those wires. Does that bulb light?

Jeff

I'll try it. Further confusion arises from the fact that the thing worked just fine before removing the glass globe for washing.

Yes/no/maybe... If the wall switch were an electronic control or damaged already it might not.

Yes, and if there is a power limiting device, it may be defective. As Jeff points out, you may be seeing a no load 120 volts (leakage) through that device. BTW, I don't recall seeing these limiters before about 4 years ago or so. I even have one in a floor lamp! But, in that lamp it is easy to see. It is a plastic box in the line cord. It even has an on off switch. And, on this one, it is apparently CFL friendly. On a ceiling fan, power limiters can be hidden in many places.

Since moving bulbs in and out seems to affect the circuit being dead or live, I would be looking for a loose connection where the two wires from each socket are spliced together with the two wires that attach in the fan canopy

Bought a new fan.

dadiOH - 0 Gremlin - 1

Sorry to hear that.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

Bought a new fan.

dadiOH - 0 Gremlin - 1

When the old fan came down so new one could go up, the problem was apparent...there was a remote sensor. Take out that and the old fan and light work fine. New fan goes back to Lowes.

Why the sensor cuts off power to the bulbs if they are removed and replaced I know not. Nor did we have a transmitter for the sensor. Might be one there somewhere but let the new owners/renters use the wall switches.

dadiOH - 1 Gremlin - 0

I love it when a plan comes together.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

When the old fan came down so new one could go up, the problem was apparent...there was a remote sensor. Take out that and the old fan and light work fine. New fan goes back to Lowes.

Why the sensor cuts off power to the bulbs if they are removed and replaced I know not. Nor did we have a transmitter for the sensor. Might be one there somewhere but let the new owners/renters use the wall switches.

dadiOH - 1 Gremlin - 0