responding to
http://www.homeownershub.com/mainten...gh-706894-.htm
DA wrote:
DerbyDad03 wrote:

Why do the vast majority of variable speed fans start out on high?

Most 120VAC fans out there have shaded pole or PSC motors that are low
starting torque motors. At the same time, the motors cannot get stalled
lest they begin to draw high current and overheat. So, the designers might
want to increase the chances of the fan starting normally by throwing it
into HIGH first. In this motors high means "high torque", not "high speed"
per se. So, HIGH will give it more torque to overcome the staring
friction, the inertia and all that hair that found its way onto the
motor's shaft.

By the way, not all of them start with high first but you're right, many
do. My own fans turned out to be 50/50 in terms of speed out of OFF.

It is easier to build the electronics that way or do manufacturers just
assume that we all will use our fans on high most of the time, except in
our cars?

In terms of electronics. it's exactly the same as far as building it but
I, too, run my fans on high most of the time. If I didn't need it as
powerful, I would have probably bought a smaller model instead.


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