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GE Six Blade Runs Too Quiet


Glenn Griffin

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I acquired this six blade GE a few years ago in very rough condition and recently decided to do an amateur restoration. As usual, I resecured the transformer plates as loose transformer plates will make an old fan somewhat noisy and not as smooth sounding. I got what I expected and more. Can anyone explain why this GE model is exceptionally quiet? I get more "quiet" when I basically rebuild any original transformer on a restoration but this GE model is different. I have a couple of other six blade models and neither are even close to being this quiet running. Can anyone give some kind of explanation why?   

 

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Edited by Glenn Griffin
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GE made some two star six wing oscillators for hospital use. They run slower, and quieter. I would assume they made them in three star fans too.

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It’s hard to read on the tag. What cycles is your fan? I once saw an all brass 8” fan. It was wound for 50 cycles. Ran just a tiny bit slower.

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That is unusual for a GE, sounds like a happy accident. I did tune one of my AOUs to be a bedroom fan, it has a soothing whisper on low.

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I appreciate the information. Hospital use sounds about right for this fan. This GE whispers even on high. It does seem the transformer may be lower voltage. I wish I could find the same spec. transformer to go on an E. 27666. Does anyone have a 78777 they would possibly part with? (parts fan-original guts etc.) I need to get me another one of these quiet fans as a daily bedroom runner.   

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Steve, The tag reads as 60 Cycle. I almost want to experiment using this transformer on another GE fan to see if the result is the same. I wish the transformer had spec markings. If I knew how to get the output on a meter without getting electrocuted that would be the answer.    

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Psst, the "transformer" is called a speed coil or choke. It takes a while to learn all of the terminology. 

The "slower running speed" and quieter operation of the hospital fans is due to the 6 pole stator and slower overall operating speeds. Not due to the speed coil. 

Also, to some degree, the speed coil and stator are generally matched, and it's best practice not to mix and match stators and rotors, since normally this doesn't work to a good outcome.  Keep in mind that the speed coil only affects med and low speed. In high speed, the speed coil is out of the circuit.  

 

Hope that helps.  

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28 minutes ago, Lane Shirey said:

In high speed, the speed coil is out of the circuit. 

Yes, but the choke is still active through the start windings on split phase motors

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On the old forum this very model was discussed in . Length . Ge used a hi slip rotor & creative windings to make this fan spin slower. It was exclusive to this model. Made for a short run . Enjoy your fan

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Those motors are phase wound. Mine was burned. Sidney Lamb figured out how to make it run with a “chip”. 

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     "GE Six Blade Runs Too Quiet"    

 As declared on The Wire,  "Sounds like one of them good problems..."

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5 hours ago, Lawrence Smith said:

On the old forum this very model was discussed in . Length . Ge used a hi slip rotor & creative windings to make this fan spin slower. It was exclusive to this model. Made for a short run . Enjoy your fan

His is a basket weave winding 6 pole motor. The high slip motors had 4 pole stators, and an "X" stamped over the 8 on the category number. GE modified something in the rotor of the 4 pole high slip motors to simulate a 6-pole residence fan motor.

78x777.png

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Here is Glenn's 6 pole basket weave stator winding. No "X" stamp over the 8.

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Stator Windings78777.jpg

Edited by Russ Huber
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FWIW....All of my posts on this thread were made possible by use of the old website. If there is any way to salvage it for reference, despite cost, it represents priceless information and images for the future of this organization. There is no way Wiki form data can replace its absence. 

unnamed (7).png

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1 hour ago, Steve Rockwell said:

"GE Six Blade Runs Too Quiet"    

Check out the blade pitch. 🙂

fans 1 4716.jpg

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Guys, I truly appreciate your knowledge and time to explain the unique reason this GE fan is special. It seems I was looking at the speed coil as the primary reason the fan ran so quiet. I would have never guessed the motor/rotor/weaving configuration would have been the reason. I will have to agree with Russ about preserving the priceless information from the old website. Had Lawrence not known of the post from the old website as well as retained that knowledge of the hi slip rotor/creative windings and shared, I and others may have spent unnecessary time experimenting as was outlined in Jonathan Moore's post from 2013. "Hat's off to Russ and Lawrence". After looking again at the motor's inners this info is spot on.

I can only think because of the short production run of the 78777 six pole weave, the unique advantage of a pre 20s being so quiet would make it highly sought after if not now maybe in the future of the fan collecting world. These are also fine looking fans when restored. It's now an overall favorite in my fan collection. Let me know if any of you guys want to part with your unrestored 78777 that has the 6 pole basket weave. I need one more as a daily runner.         

       

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On 3/4/2024 at 2:35 PM, Russ Huber said:

FWIW....All of my posts on this thread were made possible by use of the old website. If there is any way to salvage it for reference, despite cost, it represents priceless information and images for the future of this organization. There is no way Wiki form data can replace its absence. 

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Psst, Russ. Look at the new “coming soon” category that’s in the Members Only section!  Christmas came early for you and the rest of the membership!  That’s a huge advantage to being a dues paying member !

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Posted (edited)
On 3/4/2024 at 6:10 AM, Lane Shirey said:

Psst, the "transformer" is called a speed coil or choke. It takes a while to learn all of the terminology. 

The "slower running speed" and quieter operation of the hospital fans is due to the 6 pole stator and slower overall operating speeds. Not due to the speed coil. 

Also, to some degree, the speed coil and stator are generally matched, and it's best practice not to mix and match stators and rotors, since normally this doesn't work to a good outcome.  Keep in mind that the speed coil only affects med and low speed. In high speed, the speed coil is out of the circuit.  

 

Hope that helps.  

Lane, I again reviewed your post on this thread. I appreciate your knowledge. That info gave me more clarity as why not to experiment using another fan since a match was most likely engineered to perform one way. That saves me time too and screwing up another fan. With that I am looking forward to the new "coming soon" in the members area you mentioned.    

Edited by Glenn Griffin
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