Official Pit Home Improvement/DIY thread

[IamThunderbolt]

There is a difference between installing a fan, which usually means screwing in a bunch of screws and connecting three wires and trouble shooting intermittent faults in electronic components.

So it’s not just the batteries?

 

[Deaconblue]

So it’s not just the batteries?

It always could be the batteries in any device that requires them. So yes, always check the batteries. I was giving you the benefit of the doubt on the battery issue because of all the other stuff you checked.

One guy I used to work with thought I was a computer fixing genius because I simply made him go through all the steps, starting with "Is it plugged in? Is it turned on? etc."

One funny one was a dead desktop computer that was plugged into a surge protector, that was plugged into another surge protector, that was plugged into a third surge protector that was plugged into the second surge protector. Wonder why it didn't work.

 

[06deacon]

Some newer fans have a "third hand" installation hanger that holds the fan a few inches below the box while you make electrical connections.

Most important: make sure there is a STEEL box behind the plate. Plastic will not hold a fan for very long.

Goddamn. That would have been nice for the last ceiling fan I installed like 10 or 12 years ago. Wrestling that thing at the top of a ladder with one trembling arm and fumbling wire connections with the other. Basically swore me off replacing ceiling fans.

 

[Deaconblue]

Goddamn. That would have been nice for the last ceiling fan I installed like 10 or 12 years ago. Wrestling that thing at the top of a ladder with one trembling arm and fumbling wire connections with the other. Basically swore me off replacing ceiling fans.

That little addition is relatively recent, say within the last five years. And yes, it really helps. Probably decreased my use of NSFW language by 95% doing fans.