On Sun, 08 Aug 2010 16:07:10 -0500, Steve Barker
wrote:

On 8/8/2010 3:28 PM, RicodJour wrote:
On Aug 8, 4:14 pm, Steve wrote:
On 8/8/2010 12:52 PM, jimmy wrote:

I recently had a conversation with an insurance adjuster who told me one of
the causes of fires in a home are these box fans...do you have any info
regarding this??

I'd say he's full of crap. I buy box fans at auctions to use in the
chicken coop. They get the full gamut of dust and feathers and who
knows what else. I just run 'em till they quit and throw them in the
burn pile. Not one has even so much as smoked.

Even if they did catch on fire, big deal. You'd just have an
impromptu neighborhood BBQ. If it were your family you might feel a
little different, no?

R

I'm just saying in all my years and all my fans, i've never seen one
smoke or flame. And yes, i'd say my life experience is just as good as
some lying insurance adjusters.

Sadly past experience is no predictor of future performance since most
of what is being sold here NOW is made in China - and of poorer
quality than what was sold even last year. They make it cheaper and
cheaper every year because Wallmart (and others) demand a reduction in
cost from year to year in order to continue doing business.
US retailers and inspectors (as well as Canadian) are not keeping up
with inspections - so much of the product sold has no UL cerification
- and what does have a sticker on it, a large percentage are bogus.

That said, generally it is not the fan itself that is the problem - it
is the neglect of the fan. So the fan is a bit noisy, or it takes 5
minutes to come up to speed???? As long as it continues to move air,
it is kept running, whe a cleaning and a bit of lubricant most often
would make it run safely for another year or so.