AC vs DC Motor Fan Choice

The introduction of DC ceiling fans into the Australian ceiling fan market, whilst very new and exciting, has led to many questions from our customers. What is the difference between AC and DC motors? How does this new DC technology work? Are DC motors more energy efficient than the standard AC motors? Will it save me money in the long term?

The new DC technology is still quite new and therefore there isn’t such a large variety of models available, however it is looking very promising in terms of noise and energy efficiency and has a lot of potential for future development.

How does it work?

There are 2 different types of electric motors used in ceiling fans, AC (alternating current) and DC (direct current). AC motors are connected directly to the power source which provides the force required to rotate the motor of the fan. The DC motor uses the same AC power with a transformer that converts the power to DC. This decreases the amount of power required to operate the fan.

Why choose DC?

• The new technology in the motors means that DC fans are generally much quieter than AC motors.
• DC fans use up to 70% less energy than an AC fan.
• DC fans are generally faster to respond to the remote control, have more speed options and have the reverse function on the remote.
• DC motors are often more compact and lighter, allowing for a sleeker motor design. 

Why choose AC?

• AC Ceiling fans are generally cheaper because the DC technology is so new.
• AC fans can be used with either a wall control, pull cord or a remote whilst DC fans can only be controlled by a remote control, except in exceptional circumstances.
• AC fans are still extremely energy efficient and will use much less electricity than most household appliances.

So how do I choose?

Ultimately, there are a number of different factors to consider when choosing between a DC and AC fan and there is not one type of motor or one particular fan that will be suitable for everyone. There are some excellent quality ceiling fans available with both AC and DC motors that are energy efficient while still maintaining high airflow rates. There is no right or wrong choice when deciding between AC and DC motors, it really depends on your requirements of budget, aesthetic and functionality. Whichever your decision, you can be confident that you are purchasing a good quality, energy efficient fan. 

LED Lights - All you need to know

Looking for smart ways to save on your power bill? LED lights are a popular energy-saving choice.

Compared with household heating and cooling costs, the humble light bulb is often forgotten in the energy cost mix. According to the national Your Home sustainability program, the average Australian home runs 37 light bulbs: approximately 10% of your monthly bill. Lighting costs can really add up.

Here, we look at the benefits of LED lighting and how LED lights work to save you money.

So, what is LED Lighting?

An LED – or ‘Light Emitting Diode’ – is clever, energy-efficient technology using a tiny semiconductor to convert electricity into light.  Modern LED lightbulbs offer a high-quality alternative to old-school incandescent and halogen globes, which guzzle power, radiate heat and require regular replacement.

LED lighting is:

• Gentle on the hip pocket - Costs around 25% of the equivalent incandescent or halogen bulb to run. Clocking up substantial savings over time

• Long-lasting - Lasting an average of 15 000 – 50 000 hours means less home maintenance, and less waste going to landfill

• Cool - No more hot-to-touch bulbs radiating heat into the room

• Environmentally friendly - Using less power and creating less waste

Where can you use LED lighting in your home?

• Living areas
• Functional workspaces
• Decorative Lighting
• Outdoor Lighting
• Ceiling fans with LED lights

Choosing the best LED Lighting for your home

Installation of an LED Light

As we know, LEDs use a fraction of the power old-school incandescent or halogen lightbulbs require. Here’s an approximate example comparing a standard 60W bulb with a comparable LED light.

• Traditional 60W bulb (uses 60 watts of energy to create 800-lumen brightness)
• LED equivalent (uses 8 – 12 watts of energy to create 800-lumen brightness)

TIP:When selecting the best LED lighting for your home, it’s important to look at lumens not watts. Over time, LEDs are becoming more and more efficient – that is, using less watts – so it’s important to think about the brightness (or lumens) rather than the amount of electricity the bulb uses.

What are lumens?

A lumen is the measurement used for a light’s brightness. You need to choose an LED light bulb which is bright enough for the space you’re lighting in your home. Lumens range from low brightness at 250 to high brightness at 1500.

Choose a low lumen LED light for spaces where soft lighting is preferred, such as bedrooms and living rooms. And high lumen lighting for practical areas like your kitchen and laundry, where strong lighting is helpful.

How is LED Light temperature measured?

The temperature or ‘colour’ of any lightbulb is measured on the Kelvin scale. This scale ranges from the warmest light at 1000 to coolest light at 10 000. The most popular household lighting sits on the scale between 3000 and 5000.

Traditional versus Modern Styling

Traditional homes tend to use warmer lighting to create a cosy, relaxed atmosphere. 3000 is a popular choice to capture that old-world charm. Modern homes often use crisp neutral or cooler lighting, which provides sharper contrast and reflects true colour. 4000 (natural white) and 5000 (cool white) are both effective choices.

LED lighting options for different spaces

Warmer lighting can work well in living and bedroom spaces, where you want to maximise comfort and relaxation. Gentler on the eyes, warm lighting helps create a welcoming atmosphere with the feeling of candlelight.

The Fanco Eco Silent with CCT LED Light is a great option for bedrooms, especially when opting to use a warmer color temperature for the light!

Cooler lighting is bright, energising, and practical for functional spaces, such as kitchens, bathrooms, laundries, and garages. This clear, high contrast lighting is perfect for work areas with options including neutral, cool and daylight.

LED innovation

Innovative CCT LEDS allow you to choose the best light temperature for each room. CCT LEDs use flexible ‘Colour Changing Technology’, which allows you to select and set your preferred lighting option for each situation.

Why is this important?
For lighting flexibility, you can choose a consistent style of CCT LED light, or fan-light combination to use throughout your home. You can then change the settings from room to room to achieve the warm, cool or neutral light you prefer for each space.

Need total control?

Choose a dimmable LED light-fan combination with remote control. Dimmable LED options include:

• Stepped dimming – where you select from several pre-set levels of light

Eco Style DC With Light

A popular fan-light model is the Fanco Eco Style DC Ceiling Fan with CCT LED Light and Remote, featuring 8 levels of stepped dimming

View all Eco Style DC Models

• Stepless dimming – which offers a full range of adjustable light levels at your fingertips 

Infinity-ID DC With Light

The Fanco Infinity-ID DC Ceiling Fan SMART/Remote with Dimmable CCT LED Light is a stylish choice with the flexibility of stepless dimming.

View all Infinity-ID DC Models

Looking for the perfect LED-fan combination for your home? Fansonline has a large range of quality options suitable for every room.
If you need some additional help with choosing the best Ceiling Fan with Light for your place, please contact our friendly team for more information.

Other Related Articles:

Ceiling Fan Installation

Ceiling Fan Guide

Understanding Air Purifiers

Creating a safe and healthy living environment for you and your family has never been more important. The danger of living with air pollutants and airborne viruses has become prevalent in our lives, and so Air Purifiers have become a popular addition to many households in response to this. 

In this blog post, we will delve deeper into the importance of air purifiers and how they can help you and your family breathe easy.

Indoor Air Pollution: The Silent Offender

Studies show that people spend about 87% of their day surrounded by indoor pollutants. While our homes are often thought of as one of the safest places to be, away from outdoor pollutants like vehicle emissions, fossil fuels, and viruses, in reality, our homes may not be that safe! According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air pollution can often be found 2–5 times higher than outdoor environments and can quickly spiral to become up to 100 times worse than outdoor pollution levels!

More time spent indoors means more time exposed to harmful pollutants and particles including:

• Mould spores from surfaces with sufficient moisture (roof leaks, bathroom, kitchen, laundry)
• Allergens (dust mites, pollen, cigarette smoke, dead skin)
• Ultra-fine dust (debris, AC units, fabric fibres. hair, carpet)
• Pet dander

These contaminants are invisible to the naked eye, making it easy to go about our days and weeks unaware that we are spending most of our time in an environment that may not be the healthiest setting to be working and living in. Breathing these pollutants in can be damaging to our lungs, aggravate pre-existing conditions such as asthma, and affect our overall health.

Why Air Purifiers?

Improving the air quality indoors can be achieved by simply circulating out the stale polluted indoor air with fresh clean outdoor air. Creating this cycle is not often practical due to outdoor air pollutants such as pollen and dust - and when the weather is colder it’s not very comfortable to keep a window open and let the cold air into your house.

This is where Air Purifiers come in. Most air purifiers work by drawing in the air from a room or indoor space, funneling it through a series of filters that catch and trap pollutants before the clean and filtered air is exhausted back out into the room. This process is common across different models available in the market, so the types of filters an air purifier uses, its area coverage capacity, and smart Wi-Fi control features are things to look out for when looking for a model that best suits your needs.

If you're in the market for an air purifier, it's important to consider the types of filters that are available. Most models use a combination of filters to purify the air, and here are the most commonly used filters and their characteristics.

Common Filters

When looking at the different Filters used in Air Purifiers, you will find that most models will use a combination of filters to purify the air – here’s a simple breakdown of the most commonly used Filters and their characteristics.

• Pre-Filter
  • Often seen as the front lines of Air Purifiers, the pre-filter is the first layer of defence that intercepts the larger particles in the air such as hair, debris, and pet dander. The pre-filter prevents these larger particles from entering other filters such as HEPA filters; extending their lifespan and increasing the other filters' effectiveness
• HEPA Filter
  • HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) is one of the most popular and commonly used filters across Air Purifier models as HEPA filters are required to meet a strict set of requirements of filtering out at least 99.97% of particles bigger than 0.3 microns. Our eyes can only see specks larger than 10 microns – so HEPA filters are great at catching tiny pollutants such as bacteria, dust, mould & pollen. HEPA filters are disposable and replaceable and are great for allergy and asthma sufferers. Whilst some odours and chemicals can be caught by HEPA filters, most are best captured by specialised Carbon filters.
• Activated Carbon Filter
  • Carbon filters are excellent at reducing the contamination of air such as smoke, gases, and chemicals. Activated Carbon filters in contrast to HEPA filters have a lower effectiveness at removing airborne particles so it is ideal to have both filters used together to capture what the other one cannot.
• Ultraviolet Light
  • Typically used in the final section of filtration due to particles shading germs from the UV rays, UV purifiers work by pushing air through a UV ray which destroys or neutralises many bacteria, germs, and viruses by turning them into water and carbon dioxide.

Here are some more points to consider

• Improved Air Quality: Air purifiers have been proven to enhance air quality in indoor environments. With pollutants and particles circulating in the air, air purifiers work to filter out these harmful contaminants, leaving the air cleaner and fresher.
• Better Health: Breathing in polluted air can have negative effects on your health, especially if you suffer from allergies or asthma. Air purifiers can help alleviate symptoms associated with these conditions and provide a healthier environment for you and your family.
• Versatile: Air purifiers come in various shapes and sizes, making them versatile and suitable for a range of spaces. Whether you need an air purifier for a large living room or a small bedroom, there is a model that can cater to your specific needs.
• Affordable: While some air purifiers may be expensive, there are plenty of affordable options available on the market. Investing in an air purifier can be a cost-effective way to improve the air quality in your home and safeguard the health of your loved ones.
• Energy-Efficient: Many air purifiers are designed to be energy-efficient, which means they won't add to your energy bills. Some models also have eco-friendly features, making them a great choice for environmentally conscious consumers.

Our Recommendation

Fanco Bright Smart Air Purifier

For households looking to improve their indoor air quality with larger rooms and open living spaces, we recommend taking a look at the Fanco Bright Smart Air Purifier.
Suited for areas up 50m2 and with a clear air delivery rating of 400m3/hr, the Bright Purifier would complement any living and entertainment space perfectly. It utilises a combination of a Pre Filter, HEPA 13 filter and Activated Carbon filter to deliver clean and healthy purified air and is simply controlled via the digital display on the model or through your compatible smart device such as a tablet or smartphone!

View Fanco Bright Smart Air Purifier

Fanco Fusion Air Purifier

For smaller spaces like a study, the Fanco Fusion Purifier is a brilliant choice. Rated for spaces up to 16m2 and with an air delivery rate of 90m3/hr, the Fusion is the perfect portable solution to breathing easier and healthier. Especially the silent operation makes the Fusion a great addition to bedrooms – quietly purifying the air in the background through its HEPA 13 rated filter. The Fusion is controlled through an interface on from the controls on the top of the unit and notably can also double as a standard desk fan – just open the top half of the unit and enjoy a nice gentle breeze on those hot summer nights!

View Fanco Fusion Air Purifier

Air Purifiers are very easy and practical addition to households that are looking to improve their indoor air quality. Being easy to use and effective, with very little maintenance requirements and simple to setup, Air Purifiers are super helpful devices in today’s climate; providing users with a healthier and cleaner living environment.

Check out the full range of Air Purifiers.