Can I flush mount this ceiling fan without needing any new hardware?

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MichaelD

MichaelD

Lifer
Jan 16, 2001
31,528
3
76
I've put up roughly 8 ceiling fans in my life, but have never taken one down. This is a pic of the ceiling fan in my living room. You can see that the idiot that mounted it (Not me! It was here when we moved in.) needlessly used the 6-inch extension tube instead of just flush mounting it. The fan hangs a lot lower than it needs to...and is in the way of my projector plans. :D The ceiling is not vaulted. Duh. Should've flush mounted it. And that's what I want to do.

ceilingfan_lg.jpg


So can I just remove that tube and flush mount it somehow or will I need additional hardware? Does HD or Lowe's sell "ceiling fan hardware" if I were to need something? Again, I've never taken down/altered a ceiling fan before, just put them up.
 
Rubycon

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
17,768
485
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That does not look like a close (or flush) mount motor so a nipple must be used. That's the 6" extension you mentioned. You may be able to find a shorter nipple but a closed cut nipple is going to be too short to fit that. Not to mention the "air over" motor should be away from the ceiling like pictured.

If you want a propeller closer to the ceiling purchase a surface mount fan instead that will have its back plate bolt right up to the ceiling box.
 
MichaelD

MichaelD

Lifer
Jan 16, 2001
31,528
3
76
Hi Ruby,

Thanks for the info. I had no idea this wasn't a surface mount fan. I thought ALL ceiling fans could be surface mounted or vaulted ceiling mounted simply by using or not using the "ball and socket" mount. So I gotta spend another $100 on a diff fan? Rats. The big prob is that all the fans in the house match...finding a matching flush mount will be tough.

ps
Now that I look at the pic again, I see what you're saying. The top of the motor/case isn't flat...it's sort of conical. Yeah, you need that stupid tube. Maaaaaaaan! That sucks. B/T the tube and the Humungo Grande light kit on this this thing it literally hangs down about 20 inches from the ceiling!
 
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Rubycon

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
17,768
485
126
MichaelD said:
Hi Ruby,

Thanks for the info. I had no idea this wasn't a surface mount fan. I thought ALL ceiling fans could be surface mounted or vaulted ceiling mounted simply by using or not using the "ball and socket" mount. So I gotta spend another $100 on a diff fan? Rats.
Click to expand...

I know a lot more about the innards than the mounting hardware. (that's definitely a story for another day!) That looks like the case with yours but again there may be a way to adapt.

I just know I will go out of my way to avoid sitting under the ones with long extensions that wobble excessively. ;)
 
MichaelD

MichaelD

Lifer
Jan 16, 2001
31,528
3
76
This one doesn't wobble, but it's in the way of the projector I want to mount right behind it.

I'm wondering...see the bottom, silver collar with the setscrews? Maybe those can "drop in" to the (unseen) mount where the ball is now sitting? I would have to take off the cover up to figure that out. Stand by for a new thread "Dropped the ceiling fan and wife is livid." LOL!
 
P

PsiStar

Golden Member
Dec 21, 2005
1,184
0
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The closer to the ceiling, the less air is moved ... a lot less.

Bu-u-ut, I do believe that HD would have the appropriate tube/fitting. Although I did this once & it seems that it wasn't that complicated! I am wondering if there isn't a fitting at one end of that tube that just clamps on. If so, then you would just have to cut the tube to length ... but memory could be inaccurate.
 
MichaelD

MichaelD

Lifer
Jan 16, 2001
31,528
3
76
All the fans I've mounted in the past had a flat top to the motor. As Ruby pointed out, this one doesn't. But knowing what I know about these fans, there's no good reason why the moving ball/socket/extension tube was used in this case as the ceiling is flat/level....unless this particular fan really was designed to mount like this and no other way. :(

There must be some way to move it closer to the ceiling. I'm really not too concerned about airflow...but can't take the fan down. Fung Shui and all that decorative crap. Translation: She Who Must Be Obeyed would disapprove.
 
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vailr

vailr

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
5,365
54
91
MichaelD said:
B/T the tube and the Humungo Grande light kit on this this thing it literally hangs down about 20 inches from the ceiling!
Click to expand...

Maybe: remove the "light kit" and replace with a plain metal cap. Use floor lamps for room lighting. Save $$'s by not buying a whole new flush-mounted fan.
 
Squisher

Squisher

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
21,204
66
91
I'm going to agree with vailr here, remove the light kit.


And, if you ever watch home decorating shows, it seems they all hate ceiling fans, ones with light kits even worse. Now, I'm not in this group, but to appease those who decorate I could be convinced to remove a light kit. Talking a female into removing a light kit should be an easy sell.
 
MichaelD

MichaelD

Lifer
Jan 16, 2001
31,528
3
76
Removing the light kit is a great idea! Didn't think of that. Will have to see what the SO says. We do have lamps. Hmm. Thanks for the great idea, vailr!
 
A

arkcom

Golden Member
Mar 25, 2003
1,816
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76
I'm pretty sure that tube can be removed. The motor has a flat spot about the size of the of the mount on the ceiling and they should be able to be bolted together. I have a similar fan in my bedroom.
 
MichaelD

MichaelD

Lifer
Jan 16, 2001
31,528
3
76
arkcom said:
I'm pretty sure that tube can be removed. The motor has a flat spot about the size of the of the mount on the ceiling and they should be able to be bolted together. I have a similar fan in my bedroom.
Click to expand...

Well, I'm probably going to take the whole thing down/apart and "see what I can see". If possible, I'll flush-mount it. If not, the light kit is coming off.
 
M

mouse53

Junior Member
Oct 24, 2010
1
0
0
I know this thread is old , but I see some misinformation here so I must set it straight. Most fans can be mounted flush. You take that cone shaped trim piece and you can mount it diectly to the top of the fan by removing 3 of the 6 screws on the top of the fan housing. When looking at the fan from above you will see 6 small screws holding the top mounting plate to the fan, remove every other screw then set the cone part down to the the top, should be 3 holes bigger than the rest, this is for the 3 screws you left in. Now reset the 3 screws you took out into the holes in the top of the motor housing and then you can mount the fan to the ceiling bracket by the 4 small screws on the very top edge of the ceiling bracket and thus the fan will be as flush as you are going to get.
You can also go the fan manufacturer's site and find instructions for mounting most fans just about any way you need. Hope this was of some help.
 
TastesLikeChicken

TastesLikeChicken

Lifer
Sep 12, 2004
16,852
59
86
Does the ceiling fan provide any real value in the first place?

When I bought my current house there was a ceiling fan in that took up more space than anything else. I removed the entire fan and put a circular cap in its place. I don't miss it at all.
 
Ruptga

Ruptga

Lifer
Aug 3, 2006
10,246
207
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I had made it three and a half years without knowing if this was resolved, BUT NOW I MUST KNOW.
 
lxskllr

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
59,061
9,446
126
TastesLikeChicken said:
Does the ceiling fan provide any real value in the first place?

When I bought my current house there was a ceiling fan in that took up more space than anything else. I removed the entire fan and put a circular cap in its place. I don't miss it at all.
Click to expand...

Ceiling fans are great. I have them in every room I spend time in. They keep the room cooler, and are easy on electric.
 
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