Firefly AC/DC electric fan FEL 631

[bigT]

I have a Firefly AC/DC electric Fan, Model FEL 631, I have disconnected the wires from the batteries without noting their polarities.

I understand that connecting the batteries wrongly will burn the circuit.

Would someone who has this electric fan please advise me which terminals of the batteries the wires shall be connected to.

it has 2 battery compartments, one has a blue wire and a red wire, the other has a blue wire and a black wire.

[oj88]

Here's an educated guess:


-------(red wire)-------------(+)[Battery 1](-)----- (blue wire)-----(+)[Battery 2](-)-------------(black wire)---------

[bigT]

Here's an educated guess:


-------(red wire)-------------(+)[Battery 1](-)----- (blue wire)-----(+)[Battery 2](-)-------------(black wire)---------

Your guess is reasonable.

[Lew_Alcindor]

Aren't DC motors capable of turning in either direction? The polarity is there only to turn it in the right direction (e.g. for electric fan to blow air towards us, for toya cras to move forward).

It won't be toasted in reverse polarity, AFAIK. It will just turn in the wrong direction.

[box_type]

I have a Firefly AC/DC electric Fan, Model FEL 631, I have disconnected the wires from the batteries without noting their polarities.

I understand that connecting the batteries wrongly will burn the circuit.

Would someone who has this electric fan please advise me which terminals of the batteries the wires shall be connected to.

it has 2 battery compartments, one has a blue wire and a red wire, the other has a blue wire and a black wire.

if you say there are 2 battery compartments, that means there are also two batteries... and this also means that these batteries are in series (based on your description), now connect the red wire to the positive terminal of the first battery, then connect the black wire to the negative terminal of the second batery, that leaves you the negative terminal of the first battery and the positive terminal of the second battery without wires right? you now connect the blue wire to the negative terminal of the first battery and connect the other end of this wire to the positive of the second battery, there you go...

[oj88]

Aren't DC motors capable of turning in either direction? The polarity is there only to turn it in the right direction (e.g. for electric fan to blow air towards us, for toya cras to move forward).

It won't be toasted in reverse polarity, AFAIK. It will just turn in the wrong direction.

That may be true if we're just talking about a simple circuit involving a battery and a DC motor. But you must not forget that the portable fan in question also has a built-in charger. Connecting the batteries the wrong way, lead-acid batteries no less, could damage the charging circuit or may in fact, hurt someone. If it does not blow up the charging circuit immediately, applying power through the AC plug with the batteries reversed will certainly fry something.

[dr. d]

I have a Firefly AC/DC electric Fan, Model FEL 631, I have disconnected the wires from the batteries without noting their polarities.

I understand that connecting the batteries wrongly will burn the circuit.

Would someone who has this electric fan please advise me which terminals of the batteries the wires shall be connected to.

it has 2 battery compartments, one has a blue wire and a red wire, the other has a blue wire and a black wire.

errr... might i inquire,
why did you distruncate it, sir?
i mean, it's not easy to even open that appliance in the first place. i've done it myself in the past.

but if all you did, was to open the battery compartments and disconnected the wires from there, i think oj's diagram is correct.

[12vdc]

I have a Firefly AC/DC electric Fan, Model FEL 631, I have disconnected the wires from the batteries without noting their polarities.

I understand that connecting the batteries wrongly will burn the circuit.

Would someone who has this electric fan please advise me which terminals of the batteries the wires shall be connected to.

it has 2 battery compartments, one has a blue wire and a red wire, the other has a blue wire and a black wire.

A picture would greatly help esp the printed circuit board where the wires connect and the electronic components are soldered.

I have similar fan but brand is Akari, single 6V 4Ah VRLA bat, could be similar in design.

[bigT]

Aren't DC motors capable of turning in either direction? The polarity is there only to turn it in the right direction (e.g. for electric fan to blow air towards us, for toya cras to move forward).

It won't be toasted in reverse polarity, AFAIK. It will just turn in the wrong direction.

What oj88 wrote in #6 is true, I had, once, connected the wires of an emergency light to the wrong polarities of the the battery, the wires immediately became very hot and melted the plastic cover, some part also became hot emitting a strong odour.

[bigT]

That may be true if we're just talking about a simple circuit involving a battery and a DC motor. But you must not forget that the portable fan in question also has a built-in charger. Connecting the batteries the wrong way, lead-acid batteries no less, could damage the charging circuit or may in fact, hurt someone. If it does not blow up the charging circuit immediately, applying power through the AC plug with the batteries reversed will certainly fry something.

I agree with you, the colour of the 2 blue wires denotes they are the ends of the same wire connecting the 2 batteries in series.

Note:
I made a mistake, I should quote box-type's answer,#5.

[StockEngine]

I agree with you, the 2 blue wires denote they are the same wire connecting the 2 batteries in series.

arent the batteries connected to the charger? or yan blue cables connected sa load side?

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tsikot Forums mobile app

[bigT]

arent the batteries connected to the charger? or yan blue cables connected sa load side?

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tsikot Forums mobile app

The charger is build in, the wires come through an opening in the each compartment,
I can't see where the other ends of the wires are connected to.

[oj88]

The charger is build in, the wires come through an opening in the each compartment,
I can't see where the other ends of the wires are connected to.

There's an easy way to find out which is which with a digital voltmeter/tester.

CAUTION: DO NOT attempt this if you're uncomfortable doing it. I won't be liable for any damage or injury that may come out as a result. Do this at your own risk.

1. Remove all batteries and make sure none of the disconnected wires are touching each other or any conducting surface
2. Are the two batteries identical? What is the nominal voltage of each battery (check the markings)
3. Set the tester for voltage measurement in the 0-100V DC range (if it's not an auto-ranging model)
4. Again, make sure that none of the battery wires are touching each other and plug the fan's power cord into a 220V AC source
5. Put the RED probe on the RED wire and the BLACK probe on the BLACK wire
6. Note the DC voltage readout and check if there's a negative (-) sign in front of the readout
7. Disconnect the AC power
8. Set the tester for continuity mode testing
9. Put the RED probe in one end of the BLUE wire and the BLACK probe on the other end of the BLUE wire and note the tester's beahvior

In summary:
1. Is the voltage detected in Step 6 a positive number that is approximately TWICE the nominal voltage of one (1) battery (taken from Step 2)?
2. Did the tester indicated a short circuit or started beeping on Step 9?

If the answers to both questions are YES, then the diagram I provided in Post 2 shows the correct battery orientation.

-------(red wire)-------------(+)[Battery 1](-)----- (blue wire)-----(+)[Battery 2](-)-------------(black wire)---------

[12vdc]

Or if you are not techie enough to tinker the wires, you may just drop-by any Ace Hardware and check the same model of fan, ask the salesman to open the battery compartment for inspection pretending to be comparing units, then take a pic.

Last resort would be the service center, i think there is one near SM Manila besides Andoks.

[dr. d]

"how much is a new one?"

[bigT]

There's an easy way to find out which is which with a digital voltmeter/tester.

CAUTION: DO NOT attempt this if you're uncomfortable doing it. I won't be liable for any damage or injury that may come out as a result. Do this at your own risk.

1. Remove all batteries and make sure none of the disconnected wires are touching each other or any conducting surface
2. Are the two batteries identical? What is the nominal voltage of each battery (check the markings)
3. Set the tester for voltage measurement in the 0-100V DC range (if it's not an auto-ranging model)
4. Again, make sure that none of the battery wires are touching each other and plug the fan's power cord into a 220V AC source
5. Put the RED probe on the RED wire and the BLACK probe on the BLACK wire
6. Note the DC voltage readout and check if there's a negative (-) sign in front of the readout
7. Disconnect the AC power
8. Set the tester for continuity mode testing
9. Put the RED probe in one end of the BLUE wire and the BLACK probe on the other end of the BLUE wire and note the tester's beahvior

In summary:
1. Is the voltage detected in Step 6 a positive number that is approximately TWICE the nominal voltage of one (1) battery (taken from Step 2)?
2. Did the tester indicated a short circuit or started beeping on Step 9?

If the answers to both questions are YES, then the diagram I provided in Post 2 shows the correct battery orientation.

-------(red wire)-------------(+)[Battery 1](-)----- (blue wire)-----(+)[Battery 2](-)-------------(black wire)---------

You are correct.

Step 6: readout = 14.5v
Battery Spec.:
Constant voltage charge. Cycle use:7.25-7.45v. Standby use :6.5-6.9v.
The charger charges 2 batteries in series.

Step 9:
The tester was bleeping showing the 2 blue wires are the ends of a same wire.

[bigT]

"how much is a new one?"

I bought it during sales in Ace Hardware in March 2016, it costed me P2785.

I used the fan several times only, and I have noticed the batteries did not keep charge as long as other same type battery, until 3-4 days ago, I charged the fan again, and I found the batteries were dead.

[bigT]

Or if you are not techie enough to tinker the wires, you may just drop-by any Ace Hardware and check the same model of fan, ask the salesman to open the battery compartment for inspection pretending to be comparing units, then take a pic.

Last resort would be the service center, i think there is one near SM Manila besides Andoks.

Ace Hardware is not selling the fan any more. it seems Firefly has stop production.

[dr. d]

I bought it during sales in Ace Hardware in March 2016, it costed me P2785.

I used the fan several times only, and I have noticed the batteries did not keep charge as long as other same type battery, until 3-4 days ago, I charged the fan again, and I found the batteries were dead.

aha!
in that case, follow oj's reply in #2. it's probably what you want.
btw, sealed lead-acid battery yan, 'no?
i have a similar unit but different brand, in the house somewhere. i distruncated it because i wanted to replace the already-dead batteries. but i can't seem to find the correct size. "imported kasi".
ah well...

[bigT]

aha!
in that case, follow oj's reply in #2. it's probably what you want.
btw, sealed lead-acid battery yan, 'no?
i have a similar unit but different brand, in the house somewhere. i distruncated it because i wanted to replace the already-dead batteries. but i can't seem to find the correct size. "imported kasi".
ah well...

My fan uses two 6V 4.5AH lead acid batteries, but the battery is always out of stock in Ace Hardware and Handyman.

I noted recently, the manufacturers are fond of using uncommon size batteries in their products, you can never find a replacement in the shops, it seems the manufacturers are using this method to push people to buy a new device when the battery is dead.