Westinghouse Pedestal Fan Help Needed

August 8, 2023

I received an email from a claimed new member Robert Blankenship from Georgia for help with his Westinghouse pedestal. I have no spare multi-circuit Levoliers, nor have I ever owned one of these fans. He claims he does not know how to post here yet. If anyone can help him out, please feel free to post here or contact me. I will direct him to this post.

Hi Russ,

I just joined ACFA and I could use a little help with my Westinghouse pedestal fan. This fan has worked dependably for decades and still would but for the faulty switch. It moves a massive amount of air through my shop, and the little mister fan standing next to it just doesn't cut it in 90 degree weather!

It has a large motor with capacitor, and the three position (OFF/Hi/LOW) two speed switch has failed. I read all the posts I could find here at ACFA Forum and see that you are the man to see about these switches. I've removed and cleaned the switch, (after labeling the wires!) then lifted the tabs and removed one side to find, as I feared, the advance cam (?) ie., the little gear in the center has come apart beyond repair! I despair of finding a modern switch that will connect to the motor and capacitor the same way this one does, and I cannot fabricate the tiny part needed to make this one work again, sigh!

or tell me how to find a replacement, please? I'd be most grateful if you can help. I'm also hoping to post this inquiry on the AFCA Forum, but I don't know how to do that yet...

Thanks,

Robert Blankenship

Edited August 8, 2023 by Russ Huber

August 9, 2023

If he didn't mind running the fan as a single speed, I have an ON/OFF Levolier Switch that is still functional, other than that I think his best bet would be to get an ON/OFF/ON toggle switch at the hardware store and wire it up like the original Levolier Switch was wired, because the Toggle Switch would do the same thing as the Levolier switch would of done.

At least this is the suggestion I've always seen given by some of the members on here for rewiring the old Emerson pedestal Fans from the 1950s that had the old Levolier Switches when they went bad, and I imagine the Westinghouse fans would be very similar.

August 9, 2023

On 8/8/2023 at 8:34 AM, Russ Huber said:

I received an email from a claimed new member Robert Blankenship from Georgia for help with his Westinghouse pedestal. I have no spare multi-circuit Levoliers, nor have I ever owned one of these fans. He claims he does not know how to post here yet. If anyone can help him out, please feel free to post here or contact me. I will direct him to this post.

Hi Russ,

I just joined ACFA and I could use a little help with my Westinghouse pedestal fan. This fan has worked dependably for decades and still would but for the faulty switch. It moves a massive amount of air through my shop, and the little mister fan standing next to it just doesn't cut it in 90 degree weather!

It has a large motor with capacitor, and the three position (OFF/Hi/LOW) two speed switch has failed. I read all the posts I could find here at ACFA Forum and see that you are the man to see about these switches. I've removed and cleaned the switch, (after labeling the wires!) then lifted the tabs and removed one side to find, as I feared, the advance cam (?) ie., the little gear in the center has come apart beyond repair! I despair of finding a modern switch that will connect to the motor and capacitor the same way this one does, and I cannot fabricate the tiny part needed to make this one work again, sigh!

or tell me how to find a replacement, please? I'd be most grateful if you can help. I'm also hoping to post this inquiry on the AFCA Forum, but I don't know how to do that yet...

Thanks,

Robert Blankenship

Russ, I may have a multi speed levolier switch. New old stock. Will check back if I can locate it.

August 11, 2023

Is it a Whirlaire? I have a few of those. They made them with 5 wires or 3. I've successfully wired up a 3 wire with a 2PDT switch. The 5 wire mystifies me and thankfully has it's original switch.

August 11, 2023

Hello, it's me guys, Robert Blankenship, the newbie with the 3PDT switch questions. I was finally able to verify my login and am now truly an AFCA member! ...I think.

Thanks for your helpful replies so far, but mine is a SIX WIRE Levolier #266. I have purchased a 3PDT switch as Russ suggests in another post, but it came with no diagram and I cannot tell which two posts to attach the AC leads to to begin with, never mind the other four wires! I did label wires before removing the original switch, and I've seen Russ's diagrams of the Levolier switch. But I won't know where to begin wiring until I have a better understanding of how the new switch works!!! I've seen several posts of people inquiring about how to do this, but I've seen no pictures or diagrams showing how one has actually been successfully completed. SO: Pardon my ignorance (Newbee here) but if anyone has said diagrams or photos, PLEASE reply. Also, if this info is already posted could you please send me a link or something to get me there. I'll attach a few more photos of my WESTINGHOUSE so you'll know what I'm dealing with. It doesn't have any labels with a catchy name like Whirlygigatron, but I'll attach the info stamped on back of the (massive) motor, maybe you'll know what it's name is? This fan was passed down from my Dad many years ago when he closed his shop in Atlanta and it is the only way I have of cooling my shop here at home... THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ANY AND ALL ASSISTANCE!