Motor/Head minimum wire gauge

[Stefan Sievert]

Hi there,

first time post after not finding a good answer. I am in the middle of restoring a pretty sad looking 1920s Westinghouse fan (not sure of exact model, since the tag with the model & serial # were missing. I found an Etsy listing for a fan that looks pretty much exactly like mine and the tag reads:

4855 (8-14-24) WESTINGHOUSE A.C. MOTOR, Style: 315734 A

Thanks to the valuable information shared here, I have found answers to all my questions so far. But I am running into one small issue: The period correct cloth wire I purchased for the fan is 18AWG wire and I am having a heck of a time trying to fit the three head conductors for the motor through the grommet/spring at the back of the motor. It's just not going to happen.

I am pretty confident that using smaller (22AWG) gauge wire for the motor should not be a problem (the stator windings are much thinner), but I would love to hear the experts' thoughts on this. If I am correct about that, would anyone have a source for period accurate wire at that gauge? All I seem to be able to find it is the stuff used for guitar wiring. My Google Fu is weak.

Also: The fan is missing the Westinghouse decal in the center of the grill. Does anyone know of replacements or reproductions available somewhere?

Appreciate your insights!

Thank you in advance,

Stefan

[Lane Shirey]

18 gauge is what most of us use. 

[Doug Wendel]

Most people use 18 gauge most of the time, but you can use down to 22 gauge no problem with a typical desk fan motor.  These things don't draw that much power.  I try to use whatever size I can find evidence of being most like original, and I've seen 20 and 22 gauge used as original head wire on some fans.   I have had good success with wire from https://sundialwire.com/

[Bill Dunlap]

The diameter of required wire is determined by the voltage, amperage, and length of wire for the most part. Very short wires can be very small diameter without problem. For the vast majority of desk fans of any voltage, 20 or 22 gauge wire of about a foot long poses no problems whatsoever.

[Stefan Sievert]

Thanks very much for the input. I will most certainly use the 18ga wire I bought for the main power cord and I think I located a thinner three conductor braided wire for the motor connection that will hopefully fit through the original spiral/spring kink preventer (it's a technical term 🙂).

I'll keep looking for a replacement grill decal. 

[John McComas]

Another thing to keep in mind (especially for oscillating fans is to get "flexible wire".  The best wire to get for oscillator head wire is a "fine stranded" wire. 

You can buy looking at a sample, or ask for a "strand count" the more strands the better to make a pliable cord.

Happy Fanning😀

Edited October 29, 2022 by John McComas

[Michael Rathberger]

On 10/25/2022 at 12:21 PM, Bill Dunlap said:

The diameter of required wire is determined by the voltage, amperage, and length of wire for the most part. Very short wires can be very small diameter without problem. For the vast majority of desk fans of any voltage, 20 or 22 gauge wire of about a foot long poses no problems whatsoever.

Thank you. I hate working with 18...

[Tony Clayton]

I have used both Stefan, 18 or 20 both will do just fine. Comes right down to it for me. I like to use whatever makes the overall fit, feel and appearance correct. Some you have a plenty of room, while others not so much

Best of luck in your venture.

[Stefan Sievert]

Thanks to all for your input! I just seem to have difficulty locating any three-conductor cloth covered stranded wire smaller than 18ga, so I have decided to make my own.

Tony, your fan looks exactly like the one I am working on, except yours doesn't seem to have the spring kink prevention thingamabob on the motor end, which is exactly the piece that causes me grief with the 18ga wire; it's just too thick to be able to pull through after soldering to stator wires.

I'll report back with the results of my work once I am done; getting appropriate silicone wire to fabricate my own head wire tomorrow.

Cheers!

[Tony Clayton]

Call me 757-350-9460 

[Mark Behrend]

1 hour ago, Stefan Sievert said:

Thanks to all for your input! I just seem to have difficulty locating any three-conductor cloth covered stranded wire smaller than 18ga, so I have decided to make my own.

Tony, your fan looks exactly like the one I am working on, except yours doesn't seem to have the spring kink prevention thingamabob on the motor end, which is exactly the piece that causes me grief with the 18ga wire; it's just too thick to be able to pull through after soldering to stator wires.

I'll report back with the results of my work once I am done; getting appropriate silicone wire to fabricate my own head wire tomorrow.

Cheers!

Tony actually makes the wire you are after.  Talk with him first before proceeding.  Good luck