Read the guide: How to balance a ceiling fan
How to balance a fan with this tool
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Step 1: Get a balancing kit (a plastic clip and a few stick-on weights). Tighten every blade and mounting screw first, and run the ceiling fan wobble test to see where you're starting.
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Step 2: Turn the fan off. From a stable ladder, tape your phone to a part that doesn't turn: along the downrod just above the motor, or flat under the light kit or switch housing with the screen facing down. Keep it clear of the blades, with a pillow below if it's under the light kit. It stays there for every run.
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Step 3: Mark the blades 1, 2, 3… with small pieces of tape, pick the number of blades in the tool, and tap Next: baseline run.
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Step 4: Measure the baseline with no clip: with the fan off, tap Start (on iPhone, tap Allow), climb down and switch the fan to its lowest speed during the 30-second countdown. Each run then measures for 15 seconds.
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Step 5: Switch the fan off and wait for the blades to stop. Clip the balancing clip to the back (trailing) edge of blade 1, halfway between the blade holder and the tip. Tap Start and switch the fan on low again.
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Step 6: Only the clip moves. With the fan off each time, move it to the same spot on the next blade and measure again. Repeat for every blade. The tool shows which blade gave the lowest reading.
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Step 7: On that blade, try the clip closer to the hub and then closer to the tip, measuring each time. Keep the position with the lowest reading.
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Step 8: Stick a weight on top of the blade, on its center line, in line with the clip. Remove the clip, measure once more, then switch the fan off and remove your phone.
What your result means
Your result lands on one of four levels. This page uses the ceiling fan wobble scale, which is based on RMS velocity in millimeters per second (mm/s).
| Level | Range (RMS velocity) | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Steady | Under 2.5 mm/s under 0.098 in/s | Balanced well. Stop here; more weight is unlikely to help. |
| Slight wobble | 2.5 to 8 mm/s 0.098 to 0.315 in/s | Normal for a ceiling fan. One weight in the right spot can often make it steady. Stop if the runs barely differ. |
| Wobbly, balance it | 8 to 16 mm/s 0.315 to 0.630 in/s | Keep going. Finish the blade-by-blade runs and fine-tune the clip. If no clip position helps, look for loose screws or a bent blade holder. |
| Heavy wobble, stop and check | 16 mm/s or more 0.630 in/s or more | Stop balancing. A clip can't fix this much wobble. Switch the fan off and check the mounting bracket, downrod and ceiling box first. |
How fan blade balancing works
A fan wobbles when one side of the blade set is heavier than the other. As the fan turns, the heavy side pulls outward and drags the fan around in a small circle. Fan blade balancing adds a small weight on the light side so the pull evens out.
You can’t see which side is light, so you test. You put a clip on each blade in turn and see which one makes the wobble smaller. By eye, those differences are hard to judge. This tool measures each run the same way, so a small improvement shows up as a smaller number.
Reading the comparison
- One blade clearly lowest. That is your blade. Fine-tune the clip position along it.
- Two blades close to each other. Small differences between runs can be noise. Repeat both runs. If they still tie, the light spot may sit between them, and you may need a weight on each.
- Every clip makes it worse. The fan may already be balanced for weight. Look at blade angle and blade height instead (see below).
- Nothing changes much. The problem is probably not weight at all. Check the mounting.
Common causes and fixes
Balancing only fixes uneven weight. These problems look like imbalance but need a different fix, so rule them out first.
- Loose screws. Tighten the screws that hold each blade to its holder, and each holder to the motor. Loose blades can look exactly like an imbalance.
- Bent blade holder. Turn the fan by hand and measure from the ceiling to the tip of each blade. If one sits clearly higher or lower, replace its holder. Bending it back rarely holds.
- Warped blade. Sight along each blade from the side. Replace a twisted or drooping blade, ideally as a matched set.
- Loose downrod or bracket. With the power off at the breaker, check the set screw and pin on the downrod and the bracket screws. The ball at the top of the downrod must sit fully in the bracket, with its tab in the slot.
- Weak box. A ceiling fan needs an electrical box marked as suitable for fan support. If the box moves when you push on the stopped fan, stop and call an electrician.
What this tool can’t measure
- Runs from different spots. The reading depends on where the phone sits. Leave it taped in one spot until you finish, or the runs won’t compare. Check the result by eye after you remove the phone.
- How much weight to add. You find the right weight and spot by trial, as with any clip kit.
- Bent parts or a weak mounting. Those need a look by hand.
- A certified number. The result levels are the same rule of thumb for ceiling fans on low speed as the ceiling fan wobble test, not a published standard. It is a good guide, not a certified measurement, and it works best for comparing one run with the next.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the phone go on the downrod and not on a blade?
A phone on a blade turns with the fan, so it barely sees the once-per-turn wobble, and its tilt adds a false signal from gravity. On a part that doesn't turn, it feels the whole fan sway and stays put while you move the clip.
Can I balance a fan without a kit?
Yes. A small coin taped to the top of a blade works as a test weight, and you move it from blade to blade like the clip. For the final fix, tape or glue the coin firmly on the blade's center line, or buy a kit for neater weights.
How many runs does balancing take?
One baseline, one run per blade, then two or three runs to fine-tune the position. For a five-blade fan that's about nine runs. By default each run is a 30-second countdown and 15 seconds of measuring (you can change both on the first screen), plus the time to stop the fan and move the clip.
Should I balance on low or high speed?
Measure on low, and use the same speed for every run so the runs are fair to compare. When you finish and the phone is off, check the fan by eye on every speed. If a slight wobble remains on high, slide the clip along the same blade by eye to fine-tune.
Can I use this on a box fan or pedestal fan?
No. Those blades spin much faster and sit behind a guard, so keep your phone well away from them. You can set your phone on the housing and use the machine vibration test instead.
Last updated .