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  • Why does the ceiling fan rotate in anticlockwise direction and table fan in clockwise direction?

    Answer:
    The direction a fan spins, whether it's a ceiling fan or table fan, is not inherent to the type of fan but is set by the manufacturer.

    There are certain conventions that some manufacturers follow, but it's not a hard and fast rule.

    In the case of ceiling fans, they're typically designed to rotate in a counter-clockwise (or anticlockwise) direction when you're looking up at them.

    This is because this direction creates a downward airflow, producing a chill effect by evaporating perspiration on your skin faster, which is what you want in the hotter seasons.

    However, many ceiling fans have a switch that allows you to change the rotation to clockwise.

    In this setting, the fan pulls air upwards, which pushes the warm air that naturally rises and gets trapped at the ceiling back down around the edges of the room. This is helpful in cooler weather for better distributing heat throughout the room.

    For table fans, the direction of rotation can be either clockwise or anticlockwise. Table fans are typically designed to provide direct cooling, and their small size allows them to be easily pointed in any direction.

    So, the direction of rotation is less critical as compared to ceiling fans.

    So, it's not accurate to say that ceiling fans always rotate anticlockwise, and table fans rotate clockwise.

    The direction can vary based on the specific model and manufacturer, and many fans offer the option to change the direction of rotation.

    Addendum

    A few more points for a better understanding.

    1. Fan Blade Design: The blades of a fan are tilted or angled, which allows them to push air in a specific direction when they spin. This angle is also known as the "pitch" of the blade. So, it's not just the direction of the rotation that matters, but also how the blades are designed.

    2. Efficiency and Energy Consumption: The efficiency of a fan (how much air it moves for the energy it consumes) can be affected by the direction it spins, because of the way the blades are angled. This is why reversing the direction of a fan can make it less efficient in some cases.

    3. Use in Different Parts of the World: In some parts of the world, the standard direction for ceiling fans might be different based on local preferences or climate conditions.

    4. Air Circulation: Besides providing a cooling effect, fans also help in circulating the air within a room which can help in reducing the 'stuffiness'. This circulation can help in distributing heat in a room more evenly, reducing humidity levels, and even potentially helping with indoor air quality.

    5. Noise and Safety: The rotation direction might have an impact on the noise generated by the fan. Some fans might also be safer to use in one direction than the other, particularly if they're within reach.

    6. Industrial and Commercial Uses: In industrial or commercial settings, the direction of fans can have different implications, like in ventilation systems, HVAC systems, or for specific processes that require controlled air flow.

    I hope this eliminates the confusion about the direction of rotation of a ceiling fan and a table fan. If you have any follow-up questions, ask them below. I’ll be happy to answer them for you.

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  • Kaustubh Katdare

    Administrator • Oct 4, 2013

    naman2511
    why do ceiling fan rotates in anticlockwise direction and table fan in clockwise direction?
    <a href="https://www.crazyengineers.com/threads/direction-of-rotating-of-blades-in-the-fan.52736">direction of rotating of blades in the fan</a>
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  • yogi.bharadwaj

    Member • Oct 5, 2013

    because the ceiling fan is on ceiling but table fan can be treated like a motor.the ceiling fan is on roof and it should blow air in downward direction and table fan is to blow bacword air to forward.we can also say that the air mainly in natures direction and its clockwise and if the ceiling fan is also clockwise then it can't be able to suck air on roof and blow it downward.but a table fan has a large area to suck the air and blow it outwards.i think thats the reason if i am wrong pls correct me.
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  • Sarathkumar Chandrasekaran

    Member • Oct 5, 2013

    A better observation,
    I have a doubt= If the blades were turned in alternate way, can we get good air with fan rotating clockwise?
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  • yogi.bharadwaj

    Member • Oct 5, 2013

    SarathKumar Chandrasekaran
    A better observation,
    I have a doubt= If the blades were turned in alternate way, can we get good air with fan rotating clockwise?
    for your an other reason occurs that is the ceiling fan is the rotor which has the winding and rotates it self of in other words it is the winding rotor which rotates.but in table fan the rotor is rotated by the external field so in other words if we said in case of winded casing the it is also in anticlockwise .i think it is sufficient to describe it my friend.if i am wrong pls correct me friends.
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  • Anoop Kumar

    Member • Oct 5, 2013

    pknaveen17
    Since in ceiling fan the rotating part is stator (Body, the part without armature winding), but in the table fan the rotating part is rotor (the part with armature winding), so both fan's rotating direction is opposite.​
    In my view this is the best answers.
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  • yogi.bharadwaj

    Member • Oct 5, 2013

    Both have same meaning but the way to explain is different.
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  • Sarathkumar Chandrasekaran

    Member • Oct 5, 2013

    How if the terminals are interchanged?So that It will rotate in clockwise direction.
    Anyone out there with exact answer? Please post it .
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  • Saandeep Sreerambatla

    Member • Oct 5, 2013

    SarathKumar Chandrasekaran
    How if the terminals are interchanged?So that It will rotate in clockwise direction.
    Anyone out there with exact answer? Please post it .
    If you change terminals not all motors reverse the direction of rotation.
    In case of a single phase ac motor which is not designed to reverse the direction it will not make any difference.

    In case of Permanent Magnet DC motor, you can change the direction either by changing the connections to field winding or armature winding.

    For changing the direction in a single phase ac motor you must find a way to reverse the connections to the field magnet or to the armature or rotor for reversible motors.

    and motor with brushes, this will be a big problem to change the terminals.
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  • Naman Agarwal

    Member • Oct 29, 2013

    We can change the direction of rotation of table fan since it incorporates shaded pole induction motor. If we change the shaded pole from left extreme to right extreme the we can reverse the direction of rotation. But we dont do it because it has became the convention for rotation.
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