How we supply it: Ceiling fans are arranged through a partner electrical dealer who quotes, supplies and bills them and pays us a referral commission. Fan hooks and boxes have to be cast into the slab, so mark the fan points before the pour; the fans themselves arrive after painting.
In one line: A ceiling fan is a slab-hung fan whose motor turns three or four blades; an induction fan uses a conventional AC induction motor with a capacitor, while a BLDC fan uses a brushless DC motor run by an electronic controller.
BLDC or induction?
| Point | BLDC | Induction |
|---|---|---|
| Power at top speed | About 28–35 W | About 70–80 W |
| Run time on an inverter | More than double | Baseline |
| Speed control | Usually a remote | Wall regulator |
| Hum | Very little | Can hum, especially on step regulators |
| Repairs | Electronic controller needs the maker's service | Simple; capacitor swaps |
| Upfront cost | Higher | Lower |
What is inside the fan
A ceiling fan is a slab-hung fan whose motor turns three or four blades; an induction fan uses a conventional AC induction motor with a capacitor, while a BLDC fan uses a brushless DC motor run by an electronic controller.
Ceiling fans sold in India carry a BEE star label showing power and air delivery. Compare air delivery in m³/min, not just the star count.
Fan types
| Type | Sweep | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Standard induction | 1200 mm | Most rooms |
| High-speed induction | 1200 mm | Hot rooms, kitchens |
| BLDC | 900–1400 mm | Long daily use, inverter backup |
| Small-sweep | 900–1050 mm | Small bedrooms, utility |
| Large-sweep | 1400 mm | Halls and large living rooms |
| Fan with light | Varies | Rooms with a single ceiling point |
Sizing and running cost
Typical estimate: ; very long rooms need two fans, and wattages vary by model.
Keep blades at roughly 2.4 m above the floor; under a false ceiling, choose a down-rod that brings the blades below it.
- Up to about 10 × 10 ft: 900–1050 mm
- Up to about 12 × 12 ft: 1200 mm
- Halls above about 14 × 14 ft: 1400 mm or two 1200 mm fans
- Running 8 hours a day: a 75 W induction fan uses about 219 kWh a year, a 30 W BLDC fan about 88 kWh
Checks before and after fixing
- Read the BEE label: rated power and air delivery in m³/min.
- Check the slab has a proper fan hook or fan box cast in at each point.
- Run at top speed: wobble means blades or down-rod need adjusting.
- For BLDC fans, check the remote and how it works with your wall switch and inverter.
- Check canopy and down-rod bolts carry their safety pins.
Storage until fixing
- Keep fans boxed until painting is done.
- Store blades flat; a bent blade causes wobble.
- Keep each fan's blades together as the set they were packed in.
Fan mistakes
- No fan hook cast in the slab, followed by anchors drilled into the ceiling later.
- A 1400 mm fan in a small bedroom.
- A remote-controlled BLDC fan wired through an old wall regulator.
- Blades fixed too close to the ceiling, which starves the airflow.
- Fan points off-centre or under a beam.