Briefly: I’d start looking for the power supply lines, the hot and neutral wire, and any branches that may connect to them, using continuity tests; then I’d make resistance measurements to identify the run coil wires, and then the aux coil wires. We know they’re there somewhere! Undoubtedly, I’d be scribbling undecipherable notes with cryptic diagrams madly on paper using a pencil (because it’s erasable)!

More involved: In your fan it appears the reverse switch yellow wire may go down into to the motor case without any additional circuit legs branching off elsewhere, but some of its path is obscured in the photos.

It’s not as clear to me from the photos what the reverse-switch orange wire connects to, maybe another orange wire, that then goes down into the motor(?): it looks like those wires and crimp connector are moved from each other in the two photos. There’s also a black wire joining a second(?) orange wire (w/crimp connector), and I can’t make out where the black wire goes in either photo, and since it exits the photos’ edges and doesn’t reenter, I presume it’s also a loose end. For the resistance test suggested below that particular black wire would need to be isolated if it is on the same circuit leg as the orange wire going down into the motor casing and the orange wire that connects to the reverse switch. The orange wires and the black that joins one of them are simply hard for me to see and fully track in the photos with high confidence.

Anyway, I’m thinking that the orange and yellow wires which connect to the reverse switch’s middle terminals could be the reverse switch “output wires” going to the motor run coil (“output” is probably not quite a correct terminology or energy-flow conception, but it’s how I think of the reverse switch as “a module” or two in and two out; for alternate conceptions, see Ray’s fan schematics and this AC vs DC page). If so, then the blue and the brown wires that also connect to the reverse switch’s terminals that you’ve labeled “loose ends” would be the “run-coil input-wires,” each one going to opposite ends of the run coil, and would have a resistance reading on a VOM (volt-ohm meter) when measured across their stripped ends, presuming that either two of Ray’s schematics are at least somewhat representative of your fan (it’s the “best guess” we have to go on). To make such a reading you might need to slide the reverse switch a time or two to make sure it’s fully at one end position or the other and not in the middle, unless you measure the value from the underside of the crimp connectors on the orange and yellow wires, or where they connect on the reverse switch (and the blue and brown are not touching each other or anything else, including your fingers). It’s also useful to know if the switch has good continuity in each switch position.

The resistance reading of the run coil, if the wires going to it can be found, offers a possible clue to whether your fan was a two-capacitor or a three-capacitor model, unless you already know that information. The other clue would be the continuity logic of the speed switch (which is needed anyway). Once the wires to the “run coil” have been found, the next coil wires to find are the ones going to the “aux coil.” Similar procedures could be used, and there are fewer wires to consider once run-coil wires and its circuit legs have been identified.

If you don’t have such a VOM or equivalent, then maybe you need someone to help (in person) who has one, or possibly borrow or purchase one (and learn how to use it).

Another approach could be to find an identical fan, look at how it’s wired and copy the capacitor wiring in your fan.

If that was my fan, I’d record all the existing connections before going further or disconnecting anything else. Welcome to the puzzle!

If your ceiling fan is on a bench (no longer installed) I’d guess a volt-ohm meter, and possibly a low-voltage DC battery with a matching low-voltage flashlight bulb (like a test light) could come in handy. Ray Franco has resistance readings (ohms) for both sets of motor coils in each ceiling fan schematic. Whether those two wires coming up from the motor case go only to the motor’s run coil is unknown by me, but could be determined by continuity testing and ohm measurement.

I’d also (probably mostly) want to trace continuity with the power supply wires (where the fan typically connects to household wiring in the ceiling) and rotating the speed switch through a full cycle while the chosen continuity tester is connected, preferably with alligator clips on the end of the tester’s test leads to free your hands. It’s a series of tests <grin> so you want to record all of the results, as well. You’d want to sort the results by switch position (thus suggesting a different testing process may be preferable). You’ll note the speed switch in the two schematics is quite a bit different with respect to each one’s continuity logic.

With household wiring, typically the hot wire is black and the neutral white, at least in my part of the U.S. It’s been my experience that manufacturers often color code their wiring at the point of junction-box connection to the household wiring, which eliminates installation confusion, but I don’t know whether they’re under any legal obligation to do so. Without some testing to prove it, I wouldn’t want to assume that a white wire on the junction box side was the same as the white wire on the switch side (your two photos) of the motor.

Another continuity test that is often performed is wire to chassis, this could reveal a shorted circuit when the schematic doesn’t indicate continuity.

Good luck!

Here are two pictures of my loose ends with some description:

http://radiantlifeproductions.com/images/wiringproblem1.jpg http://radiantlifeproductions.com/images/wiringproblem2.jpg

I scoured my town’s hardware stores and electrical supply stores for fan capacitors and turned up nothing comparable to what my fan had.

My fan was giving off an odor at one of the speeds. Using this site and a few others, I got it apart pretty easily. The old capacitor showed no bulges or damage, but I still think it was failing. The new capacitor works great.

Thank you for doing this site, Ken.

FYI: The least expensive source for single and double value capacitors I can find is @ http://www.moyerelectronics.com/Departments/Products/NTE/NTE-Capacitors/NTE-Ceiling-Fan-Single-and-Dual-Version-Capacitor.aspx

My 1.5 / 3.5 Cap is $6.92…far less than any other supplier.

Hope this helps.

If it became a huge issue for you, you could perhaps get a wall mounted control, or replace the fans with ones that come with such a control. However, installing that is a messier and bigger job involving opening up some walls to place the wiring and any electrical boxes, then also the needed wall repairs, painting, etc. Apparently there are also remote-control operated ceiling fans, according to an internet search, that appear to be wireless.