Why Won’t My Ceiling Fan Light Turn On?

Are you ready with your ladder and toolbox in hand?

As you are finding an answer to “why won’t my ceiling fan light turn on?” you’d need them.

In this roundup, we have stated the explanations and possibilities of why the ceiling fan light doesn’t work.

Along with that, solutions to those malfunctions are stated under.

So, let’s get started.

Why Won’t My Ceiling Fan Light Turn On?

Multiple reasons keep your ceiling fan light from working. From those, these are the 7 most common that people encounter. Before you deeply get into the analysis of the wiring of the ceiling fan, make sure to examine these possibilities.

Reason # 01: Broken Switch

While you might think that the ceiling fan and light are connected to the same wiring, that’s not always the case. Sometimes, the wiring of your ceiling fan is separate from that of its light. That’s how you see your ceiling fan working but not the lights.

Solution

This is a common cause of breaker tripping. However, you should confirm it first. To do so, climb your ladder, put the wall mount off, and check out the wiring if it’s one for the light and fan. Bring your voltmeter ahead and test if the wiring indicates flowing current.

If not, step towards your mainline. Move the tripped breaker to the off position and turn it on then. You’ll now find your ceiling fan light throwing light.

Reason # 02: Boiling Thermal Switch

Often, there is a unit in the bottom canopy of your ceiling fan. Usually, we call it “Thermal Switch.” This thermal switch is built to take up the extra heat and make your ceiling fan and light work for a long time to come.

Solution

When this thermal switch receives heat more than it can endure, it worns out. Wrong-sized bulbs or ones with higher wattages usually lead this switch to overheat or being dead. In that case, you’d need to buy a new thermal switch and plug it in.

Follow the guidelines coming along with this switch to connect it to your ceiling fan with light.

Reason # 03: Bulbs are Not Screwed Properly

Paying attention to details is pretty important before you get into the wiring job of your ceiling fan. So, why not you check if your bulbs are tightened in the socket properly?

Fluctuations in temperature or a high amount of heat are behind the bulb socket’s dimension change. Due to this, connections between the bulb and the socket get loosened, and ultimately the light doesn’t turn on.

Solution

To fix this glitch, you won’t need a toolbox. Just climb the ladder, and check out if a bulb is loose enough. Tighten them, and you are done.

Reason # 04: Burnt Out Bulb

Okay, so you are trying hard to get the bulbs properly sit into the socket but in vain. Then, this might be due to a burnt-out bulb in your ceiling fan. Every bulb has its lifespan and burns out for several reasons, including the high electricity voltage.

Solution

Before throwing these bulbs off, we’d suggest you plug them into another lamp in your home. Stay certain if one’s functioning or not. If there’s no response even after plugging a bulb into another lamp, you’d need to replace it.

Go to a hardware store nearby, bring a bulb of the right size, and install it.

Also Read: Best Bedroom Ceiling Fan with Light

Reason # 05: Dead Remote

In this century, we all want to ease our lifestyle, and having a ceiling fan with light and remote is our top priority. However, this remote is behind your non-working light in the ceiling fan in a few instances.

Solution

Sometimes, you are not operating the remote under its response radius. Stay in the stated radius and point your hand directly to the ceiling fan to turn on the light. Still, if there is no response, you surely need to replace your remote’s batteries.

Pro-tip: Plug the new batteries of the same voltage as your old batteries.

Reason # 06: Worn Out Socket

If you have tried all the above ways and have no success yet, a worn-out socket is probably the problem with your ceiling fan lights. Sockets are made to stand a voltage of 110 to 120 volts. When the voltage exceeds this, chances are your socket will burn out.

Solution

Notice, is there any corrosion on your socket? Or is it appearing black? If so, you should confirm the condition of your socket. Bring your tester and check if the socket is picking up current.

Good news if it’s allowing current flow. Just cleaning the socket will turn your ceiling fan lights on. Otherwise, you’d need to replace it by purchasing a new socket from a hardware store.

Also Read: Can I Replace Ceiling Light with Fan?

Reason # 07: Faulty Cord

Are you sure the pull chain of your ceiling fan is alright? Sometimes, what hinders your ceiling fan light from turning on is a faulty cord of your pull chain. Investigate if that’s the cause your ceiling fan light isn’t turning on and oxidation has occurred.

Solution

Before replacing your pull chain, one simple thing to get rid of the corrosion caused by the oxidation is cleaning. Pull your pull chain cord several times. This will shed the dirt and dust off between the wiring contacts.

After doing so, check out if your ceiling fan lights have restored their life. If not, try deep cleaning the pull chain and switch to get them to work. Visit the nearest hardware store and find a suitable contact cleaner.

Once you bring it, spray the cleaner on the switch. Repeatedly pull the chain of your ceiling fan. In most cases, this trick works, and the ceiling fan lights turn on. Otherwise, replacing the pull chain is a feasible option.

Conclusion

By now, you’d know, ‘why won’t my ceiling fan light turn on?’

There are several reasons ceiling fan lights don’t work. Most popular among them are broken switches, boiling thermal switches, faulty cords, loose or burnt-out bulbs, or dead remotes.

Before replacing any dead parts, make sure you have checked them properly.

 

Also Read: Can I Add Lights to My Ceiling Fan?