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First question and hopefully simplest, is any sort of wobble expected for a brand new ceiling fan install? I installed 3 Hunter ceiling fans in my house this week, one of which was mounted to an existing wooden support in the ceiling and two that I had to add a new fan brace/box for in my attic (for reference, I used one of those "new" brace kits as I had attic access to the joists). The fan that went into wood does not wobble, the two that went into the brace do wobble. I'm trying to figure out if they require balancing (which I'll be trying) or if I screwed something up with the install.

The second question is with one specific fan. It seems to have an odd ellipsoid motion around where the fan blade supports are mounted to the fan housing. I'm not sure if it is an optical illusion to my eyes after working on it for so long, or if there is something off here. And if off, can it be adjusted?

Here are two videos showing what I'm talking about. The first one you can see the motion, the second is a bit shorter but you can see a bit of wobble caused by it.

I should note with this particular fan (with the housing wobble), there is about a 1/4" variance in height from ceiling to fan blade tips.

Video 1

Video 2

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    A common mistake is to neglect to tighten the securing screws on any downrods or related hardware. That stuff should be fairly rigid when you're done to mitigate small scale imbalance wobble. Did you do that? The previous owner of my home left a floppy mess in my bedroom and tightening the screws all but eliminated wobble.
    – isherwood
    Jun 11, 2021 at 13:16
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    I'd add that while Hunter is a well-known brand, they aren't necessarily manufacturers of what I'd call precision equipment. They have a good marketing department, mostly. The point is, don't expect perfection.
    – isherwood
    Jun 11, 2021 at 13:18
  • I tightened the downrod itself into the housing (doesn't screw in any tighter), and there is a screw on the side that is supposed to be tightened with pliers (which I can't tighten any further). All screws from installation were tightened as well. Good to know on your most recent comment :).
    – erik
    Jun 11, 2021 at 13:25
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    I've never heard of a screw that's supposed to be tightened with pliers. Seems like a good way to wreck a screw.
    – isherwood
    Jun 11, 2021 at 13:38
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    Those square head bolts are made to use open end or crescent wrenches but many people do use pliers. Have you balanced the blades ? The fans I have purchased came with weights to balance them. I can see a wobble on the first video but can’t tell if it’s just a cover or the entire fan #2 won’t load for me.
    – Ed Beal
    Jun 11, 2021 at 15:34

3 Answers 3

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From your posts it seems you've been thorough, especially concerning wiring and mounting. Perhaps the answer is a simple one. Sometimes the fan blades themselves cause wobbling. Check each blade, if there is one or more that is crooked, at an unequal angle compared to the others or not tightened well enough that might be the cause. Hopefully that's it & an easy fix.

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  • Will check that! I did tighten them all down and there is a definite variance in measuring from the top of the ceiling for some of the blades .
    – erik
    Jun 11, 2021 at 18:50
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I have the same issue with the new outdoor Hunter fan and their balancing kit didn't help. I chatted with Hunter and they suggested to test if it wobbles with and without blades.

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  • To my eye it looks like the upper cover is misthreaded or installed at an angle. You can see varying amounts of light emerging between the two halves in the first video. I suspect something is off at the top...
    – DAS
    Jun 24, 2021 at 1:59
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I tested it without blades yesterday and noticed vibration in the motor and I'm not sure if another fan (the same model) would be better. It's not easy to make all the tests and replacements in the heat. My fan model is Hunter Aker Outdoor 52 - https://www.hunterfan.com/products/ceiling-fans-aker-outdoor-with-led-light-52-inch-famd50

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