Why do fans go from off to the highest setting then the lowest?

Question

I never understood why it goes from OFF 3 2 1 or OFF high med low... instead of from OFF low med high... Every1 i ask doesnt know so many some1 on here can enlighten me :D

Answer 1

I think the choice is just arbitrary.  

Answer 2

Fans do not change their speed because of resistors.. they (the resistors) would get too hot.  Speed control is done with motor 'taps' on the windings.  Each tap connects to a different number of windings in the motor.

The first contributor's answer, although sarcastic, is not far from the mark, as is the fourth.  It is actually related to getting the fan running and is in part historical.  To make a motor turn, you have to pass enough current through the rotor and stator windings and with the right amount of time difference ('phase') to generate enough torque to make it work.  Because the different taps generate less torque with the slower settings, the phase difference and consequently the capacitor you need is different. By use the maximum setting first, it generates enough torque to ensure the motor starts.  Once it has started, no-one worries about the sub-optimal operating conditions.

In more recent years, advances in motor design mean you don't really need to do this although in any case, fans use cheap motors!  

Answer 3

I was wondering that myself

Answer 4

It's for safety, same reason BBQ goes from off to hi.

Most fans were the other way in the 1950's, and there were some accidents where they thought they had turned off the fan. When you go from high to low to off, it slows but is still rotating, so you can't tell if it is actually off.

Now that protection for fingers is required, you can't touch the moving blades anymore. Thus, the switch order is probably less important. Also, the plastic blades are less dangerous than the sharp edges of the steel blades of my youth.

Answer 5

I think you have your self your first stand up bit because every one know that its like that and its silly (if I needed to give you a real answer I would say because where Americans and we need every thing full throttle so if my fan isn’t off it better be on high and I don’t want to click through the other setting to get there)

Answer 6

I believe its because you're altering the resistance and thus the amount of current going to the fan motor. The first setting is he highest because there's no resistance and thus the motor may operate at full speed. As you turn the dial you're increasing the resistance and thus reducing the current and speed the motor may run at.

Answer 7

Actually, I have a couple of fans that do go OFF-Lo-Hi; but that does not answer your question about those that go OFF-Hi-Med-Lo.

And the answer to this is most likely that of starting potential. The low speed setting may prove inadequate to get the fan started with minimal wear, and that may overtax the motor. By forcing the switch to go through Hi first, this ensure that a lot of electrical juice is available to get the fan in motion before it is then set to a slower setting.

A bit like when someone starts a car. Car do go va-ROOM, first, don't they?