Hunter traditional fans.

[Cole D]

I've always liked the classic style imported spinner motor Hunters. Especially since they were popular when I was growing up. In the mid/late 2000s I know they were making what I call transitional models, which were more updated versions of the 80s and 90s models. Like the Summer Breeze III, Passport  III, Low Profile III and IV, etc. And some models that were new but still had the classic look like Leighton, Bayport, Paramount XP, etc. I know the Passport III was popular around here, probably because people wanted something traditional looking, but quality. You see them a lot in older homes. I think maybe Home Depot sold them? By 2007, they did not, and I remember they sold the Eastern Shore that looked like a Summer Breeze motor but with beadboard blades.

Anyway, I think these were still pretty good quality, and I miss them. Hunter still has a few models that I see that styling in, like the Stonington, Summer Breeze, Studio, Newsome and probably a few others. And they still make the outdoor Mariner. But I heard the quality especially of the home center fans was not as good.

I know a friend built a house in about 2009 and it had the Hunters with triangular GE vents, which I liked the look of, but I heard these weren't good quality.

To me it seems like Hunter went the more modern look to compete with other brands, and their traditional style models don't resemble the older ones these days.

And I always thought 172mm motors usually meant quality, and this is what the older Hunters had, and I thought they were pretty good. Unfortunately I hear the newer ones with this motor aren't any good.

[Noah C]

Apr 5, 2019 22:11:39 GMT -5 Cole D said:

I've always liked the classic style imported spinner motor Hunters. Especially since they were popular when I was growing up. In the mid/late 2000s I know they were making what I call transitional models, which were more updated versions of the 80s and 90s models. Like the Summer Breeze III, Passport  III, Low Profile III and IV, etc. And some models that were new but still had the classic look like Leighton, Bayport, Paramount XP, etc. I know the Passport III was popular around here, probably because people wanted something traditional looking, but quality. You see them a lot in older homes. I think maybe Home Depot sold them? By 2007, they did not, and I remember they sold the Eastern Shore that looked like a Summer Breeze motor but with beadboard blades.

Anyway, I think these were still pretty good quality, and I miss them. Hunter still has a few models that I see that styling in, like the Stonington, Summer Breeze, Studio, Newsome and probably a few others. And they still make the outdoor Mariner. But I heard the quality especially of the home center fans was not as good.

I know a friend built a house in about 2009 and it had the Hunters with triangular GE vents, which I liked the look of, but I heard these weren't good quality.

To me it seems like Hunter went the more modern look to compete with other brands, and their traditional style models don't resemble the older ones these days.

And I always thought 172mm motors usually meant quality, and this is what the older Hunters had, and I thought they were pretty good. Unfortunately I hear the newer ones with this motor aren't any good.

Agreed on everything said here. Hunter's quality fans are the original, and their mid-high end stuff coming out in the last three years or so. The models you once knew as being inexpensive yet reliable fans, i.e Mariner, Summer Breeze, Sea Air, Studio Series, Allendale, etc. have turned to home store garbage with problems on a regular basis and more ads for refurbs than brand new fans. So Hunter has quality fans that are definitely enticing buys, but their low end really is trash nowadays. Oh, and the "triangular GE vent" fan you're talking about is the Hunter Waldon (with bowl light)/newer Hunter Westminster (with 4-light kit)/Architect Series (with no light or 3-light kit). These started production right when Hunter's low end became hot garbage; all of these have Hunter's 172×12mm motor, more on that below.

As far as their motors go, there are two types of 172mm motors Hunter uses in their current lineup: their 172×12mm and their 172×20mm. Their 172×12mm and their 153×12mm motors (for smaller fans) are seen in their dumpster filler stuff nowadays. The fans with this motor regularly have issues, like excessive noise and failing caps right out the box, bad bearings, things just going internally wrong, etc. Their 172×20mm is a "Direct Drive" motor shared with the Casablanca line of fans, and is a quality motor that draws more current than usual for its size and performs as well as many 188×20mm or similar motors from other manufacturers' fans; it's been finding its way gradually more in Hunter's growing collection of upper mid-range contemporary and transitional designs, and has been used in larger Hunter fans like the newer 5xxxx Royal Oak (the 2xxxx version had a 210×15mm AirMax motor), 60" Donegan, and Valerian, among others.

[Cole D]

I see. My next door neighbors house was built about two years ago, and it has Hunter Channing fans, which I think are cheap too.

So I would guess home center fans like the Stonington use the thinner 172mm motor. While the Passport I-III probably used the 172x20mm I'm guessing.

The fans my friends house had must have been the Waldon, because they had those bowl light kits, in a nickel finish.

[Noah C]

Apr 5, 2019 23:50:32 GMT -5 Cole D said:

I see. My next door neighbors house was built about two years ago, and it has Hunter Channing fans, which I think are cheap too.

So I would guess home center fans like the Stonington use the thinner 172mm motor. While the Passport I-III probably used the 172x20mm I'm guessing.

The fans my friends house had must have been the Waldon, because they had those bowl light kits, in a nickel finish.

The Hunter Channing is basically a 5xxxx Augusta with uglier blades; it probably uses Hunter's ubiquitous 172×12mm motor. It's one of their dumpster-filler home store things; reviews show nothing but problems for these.

I was referring to the motors used in Hunter's current lineup; motors in Hunter's past years, when Hunter used the 2xxxx model scheme, were different from current motors used in the 5xxxx model scheme. The current Stonington (5xxxx) probably uses one of Hunter's 153mm motors, likely a 153×12mm, but I don't know about the older 2xxxx version. I also don't know what motor the Passport I and II use (I'd guess the Hunter/CEI 172×15mm motor common across 90s/2000s Hunters that were actually good), but the Passport III uses Hunter's 172×15mm AirMax skeletal motor, one of the best mid-size motors around.

[Parkman]

To even go back further the triangular vent Hunters started with models like the Sonora and Sintera excellent Hunter non showroom models the first example that want so good was in summer 2007 they came out with a Home Depot exclusive "special buy" model the Fremont. Instead of plywood/HWPW-VC blades it had MDF took the blade span down to a 46" and gave it a tiny 153 sized motor. these weren't horrendous but we're more of a Hunter builder fan.. The following spring the Stonington came out more as a permanent model of this.

Then as Noah mentioned the waldon and Westminster transitioned to this style although ok looking they were garbage.

[Parkman]

I can confirm that the Stonington was a 153x12 motor. Post 2009 all Home Depot fans went small motor minus the Stratford II 52" five minute fan and the Greenwich. The highbury, Channing etc all puny 153's.

Like Cole I'm obsessed with these Hunters as they were childhood fans for me. I've spent more money than I'd like to think and owned tons of different Hunters of the 1999-2011 era. With that said 2011 was a big transitioning year for their quality and its hit or miss after the redesign/relaunch in 2013 they are crap. Bi won't buy any new Hunter today besides the Original. It's not a "vintage fans are better thing". It's a hunter is junk I've bought and dealt with a lot with bad bearings right out the box or they fail with in a few months. Noah hit the nail on the head with his description. For the first time ever my grand mom needed a lower prices fan and I bought two different Hunters for her and both noisy bearings out of the box after replacing a loud bearing Hunter. We ended up getting her a Harbor Breeze and honestly the build quality is better, it's silent, even the metal was thicker.

[derek anthony]

I have a few of hunters fans installed around the house and i like them, one is the ridgefield ii in the living room, it is nice and quiet, a matter of fact, on medium and low it is so quiet that the first time i tried it i thought i turned it off.
The second one is a 42 inch hunter newsome in the upstairs office, it is okay, i dont really like the hugger mount hunter uses because even with the screws in, the motor feels really loose
, finally the third one is , a 90s hunter coastal breeze in the parents bedroom

[Noah C]

Apr 6, 2019 23:12:15 GMT -5 Parkman said:

To even go back further the triangular vent Hunters started with models like the Sonora and Sintera excellent Hunter non showroom models the first example that want so good was in summer 2007 they came out with a Home Depot exclusive "special buy" model the Fremont. Instead of plywood/HWPW-VC blades it had MDF took the blade span down to a 46" and gave it a tiny 153 sized motor. these weren't horrendous but we're more of a Hunter builder fan.. The following spring the Stonington came out more as a permanent model of this.

Then as Noah mentioned the waldon and Westminster transitioned to this style although ok looking they were garbage.

Didn't know the history on the Stonington or the Sintera, thanks for sharing this. I think 2009 was around the time Hunter started producing more 2xxxx (at the time) models with those cheapy 153×12mm motors and poor components (super thin metal components, MDF), like the Kensington, Quiet Breeze 44", Silent Breeze 42", and the list goes on.

Apr 6, 2019 23:21:26 GMT -5 Parkman said:

I can confirm that the Stonington was a 153x12 motor. Post 2009 all Home Depot fans went small motor minus the Stratford II 52" five minute fan and the Greenwich. The highbury, Channing etc all puny 153's.

Like Cole I'm obsessed with these Hunters as they were childhood fans for me. I've spent more money than I'd like to think and owned tons of different Hunters of the 1999-2011 era. With that said 2011 was a big transitioning year for their quality and its hit or miss after the redesign/relaunch in 2013 they are crap. Bi won't buy any new Hunter today besides the Original. It's not a "vintage fans are better thing". It's a hunter is junk I've bought and dealt with a lot with bad bearings right out the box or they fail with in a few months. Noah hit the nail on the head with his description. For the first time ever my grand mom needed a lower prices fan and I bought two different Hunters for her and both noisy bearings out of the box after replacing a loud bearing Hunter. We ended up getting her a Harbor Breeze and honestly the build quality is better, it's silent, even the metal was thicker.

Question: did the Greenwich have a normal 172×15mm motor like what was in the 2xxxx Beacon Hill/Bayport/Summer Breeze/Studio Series (I believe, not sure)? I remember those Stratford Five Minute Fans plastered all over my local HD when they came out lol; nobody could get over the whole Five Minute deal. 

I totally agree with this sentiment. As I've said before, I'm not gonna judge the recent (2017 and onward) releases of high-end Hunter fans with the Direct Drive motors Casablanca uses the same way since I haven't heard much to any flak about those from customers who just wasted change on a dud (literally every new Hunter below $150 now), but for the rest of their stuff, to hell with it. No doubt. I'd totally say it's better to buy a Harbor Breeze Classic for, what, $50 than get one of these new Hunters. You could probably get a good 10-15 years out of that before you gotta throw it away, and at least they do something airflow wise...throwback to those cheapy 153mm Hunters like the Highbury and the Channing, basically what you mentioned, that only did like 130 RPMs on high speed and the caps and bearings failed 90% of the time 

[Parkman]

Apr 7, 2019 3:04:26 GMT -5 Noah C said:

Apr 6, 2019 23:12:15 GMT -5 Parkman said:

To even go back further the triangular vent Hunters started with models like the Sonora and Sintera excellent Hunter non showroom models the first example that want so good was in summer 2007 they came out with a Home Depot exclusive "special buy" model the Fremont. Instead of plywood/HWPW-VC blades it had MDF took the blade span down to a 46" and gave it a tiny 153 sized motor. these weren't horrendous but we're more of a Hunter builder fan.. The following spring the Stonington came out more as a permanent model of this.

Then as Noah mentioned the waldon and Westminster transitioned to this style although ok looking they were garbage.

Didn't know the history on the Stonington or the Sintera, thanks for sharing this. I think 2009 was around the time Hunter started producing more 2xxxx (at the time) models with those cheapy 153×12mm motors and poor components (super thin metal components, MDF), like the Kensington, Quiet Breeze 44", Silent Breeze 42", and the list goes on.

Apr 6, 2019 23:21:26 GMT -5 Parkman said:

I can confirm that the Stonington was a 153x12 motor. Post 2009 all Home Depot fans went small motor minus the Stratford II 52" five minute fan and the Greenwich. The highbury, Channing etc all puny 153's.

Like Cole I'm obsessed with these Hunters as they were childhood fans for me. I've spent more money than I'd like to think and owned tons of different Hunters of the 1999-2011 era. With that said 2011 was a big transitioning year for their quality and its hit or miss after the redesign/relaunch in 2013 they are crap. Bi won't buy any new Hunter today besides the Original. It's not a "vintage fans are better thing". It's a hunter is junk I've bought and dealt with a lot with bad bearings right out the box or they fail with in a few months. Noah hit the nail on the head with his description. For the first time ever my grand mom needed a lower prices fan and I bought two different Hunters for her and both noisy bearings out of the box after replacing a loud bearing Hunter. We ended up getting her a Harbor Breeze and honestly the build quality is better, it's silent, even the metal was thicker.

Question: did the Greenwich have a normal 172×15mm motor like what was in the 2xxxx Beacon Hill/Bayport/Summer Breeze/Studio Series (I believe, not sure)? I remember those Stratford Five Minute Fans plastered all over my local HD when they came out lol; nobody could get over the whole Five Minute deal. 

I totally agree with this sentiment. As I've said before, I'm not gonna judge the recent (2017 and onward) releases of high-end Hunter fans with the Direct Drive motors Casablanca uses the same way since I haven't heard much to any flak about those from customers who just wasted change on a dud (literally every new Hunter below $150 now), but for the rest of their stuff, to hell with it. No doubt. I'd totally say it's better to buy a Harbor Breeze Classic for, what, $50 than get one of these new Hunters. You could probably get a good 10-15 years out of that before you gotta throw it away, and at least they do something airflow wise...throwback to those cheapy 153mm Hunters like the Highbury and the Channing, basically what you mentioned, that only did like 130 RPMs on high speed and the caps and bearings failed 90% of the time 

I'm pretty sure it did.  My parents had a fan my mom wanted replaced and I bought one with the intent to replace it but they decided to keep that said fan for quite a few more years despite my Mom wanting it gone.  Apparently they weren't the best but I did love that Cocoa finish they came with.  Surprisingly they weren't popular in my area.  I've seen them on a few houses on Zillow but not in any public places.  Everything else of that era of Home Depot Hunters was very popular.


Thats true.  I started to "buy/collect" fans in the summer of 2007.  Before then I only was able to get new fans if one wore out in our house or someone gave me one or I trash picked one.  Oh the joys of being a kid lol.  The second fan that I purchased was a Polished Brass Harbor Breeze Classic.  I loved the look of that thing, it moved GREAT air and was silent and had a beefy motor.  I think Christian C. said 172x20 was the official size years ago in a thread.  I then like many collectors got caught up in the anything thats not a stack motor is junk scenario many of us get into.. Especially after I got my first Panama as a gift from my Dad.  I've come to appreciate all fans I like again.  Anyway back to my point, the "traditional" looking HB Builders Best/Classic was made by Litex which is pretty much hit or miss, sure the blade arms were cheap but not as cheap as many King of Fans of that era.  Now Air Cool produces this generation and they still have a BIG 172x?  motor and to be honest I've seen Air Cool fans last 25+ years with no bearing noise.  For $55 or whatever those fans are currently are at I WILL suggest them over a Hunter.  I have just had too many problems with the motors post 2011.  To me a motor is like the engine in a car, for example I have an older Chevy truck with 174,000 miles on it.  All the little things are breaking on it and wearing out/don't look the best cosmetically from age however the engine/transmission is bulletproof.  The transmission still shifts like its brand new and the engine powerful as can be without major work..  To me thats what really counts is the motor or in this case engine (the heart of the product).  

Anyway getting off my soap box.  Noah, you've posted about the 172x12 and 172x20 motor that is being shared and you know what it finally clicked I will agree with you on this after pulling up the catalog PDF and looking at the motor size per model.  Something I've wondered is I know Max is really good at knowing the difference in what actual OEM makes different fans for each country in todays market.. What I've wondered is since Hunters are supposedly made at different factories are there motors? I mean they do use a universal design with there motors and thats something I really wonder because they universally suck.  After 2011, the 172x12's started to be scratched out of the box I mean COME ON...


Cole D., one thing to be careful is many of the models you mentioned like the Leighton, Passport III, etc. you need to worry about since they were discontinued before say 2007.. However with the models that came 2008 and beyond when you get into the Green Box with the new Hunter logo some are still great however most started elements of downgrading. If it says on the box on the top left side that the fan includes "Dust Armor" thats a good indicator its a crap unit.

[Noah C]

Apr 7, 2019 7:39:37 GMT -5 Parkman said:

Apr 7, 2019 3:04:26 GMT -5 Noah C said:

Didn't know the history on the Stonington or the Sintera, thanks for sharing this. I think 2009 was around the time Hunter started producing more 2xxxx (at the time) models with those cheapy 153×12mm motors and poor components (super thin metal components, MDF), like the Kensington, Quiet Breeze 44", Silent Breeze 42", and the list goes on.

Question: did the Greenwich have a normal 172×15mm motor like what was in the 2xxxx Beacon Hill/Bayport/Summer Breeze/Studio Series (I believe, not sure)? I remember those Stratford Five Minute Fans plastered all over my local HD when they came out lol; nobody could get over the whole Five Minute deal. 

I totally agree with this sentiment. As I've said before, I'm not gonna judge the recent (2017 and onward) releases of high-end Hunter fans with the Direct Drive motors Casablanca uses the same way since I haven't heard much to any flak about those from customers who just wasted change on a dud (literally every new Hunter below $150 now), but for the rest of their stuff, to hell with it. No doubt. I'd totally say it's better to buy a Harbor Breeze Classic for, what, $50 than get one of these new Hunters. You could probably get a good 10-15 years out of that before you gotta throw it away, and at least they do something airflow wise...throwback to those cheapy 153mm Hunters like the Highbury and the Channing, basically what you mentioned, that only did like 130 RPMs on high speed and the caps and bearings failed 90% of the time 

I'm pretty sure it did.  My parents had a fan my mom wanted replaced and I bought one with the intent to replace it but they decided to keep that said fan for quite a few more years despite my Mom wanting it gone.  Apparently they weren't the best but I did love that Cocoa finish they came with.  Surprisingly they weren't popular in my area.  I've seen them on a few houses on Zillow but not in any public places.  Everything else of that era of Home Depot Hunters was very popular.


Thats true.  I started to "buy/collect" fans in the summer of 2007.  Before then I only was able to get new fans if one wore out in our house or someone gave me one or I trash picked one.  Oh the joys of being a kid lol.  The second fan that I purchased was a Polished Brass Harbor Breeze Classic.  I loved the look of that thing, it moved GREAT air and was silent and had a beefy motor.  I think Christian C. said 172x20 was the official size years ago in a thread.  I then like many collectors got caught up in the anything thats not a stack motor is junk scenario many of us get into.. Especially after I got my first Panama as a gift from my Dad.  I've come to appreciate all fans I like again.  Anyway back to my point, the "traditional" looking HB Builders Best/Classic was made by Litex which is pretty much hit or miss, sure the blade arms were cheap but not as cheap as many King of Fans of that era.  Now Air Cool produces this generation and they still have a BIG 172x?  motor and to be honest I've seen Air Cool fans last 25+ years with no bearing noise.  For $55 or whatever those fans are currently are at I WILL suggest them over a Hunter.  I have just had too many problems with the motors post 2011.  To me a motor is like the engine in a car, for example I have an older Chevy truck with 174,000 miles on it.  All the little things are breaking on it and wearing out/don't look the best cosmetically from age however the engine/transmission is bulletproof.  The transmission still shifts like its brand new and the engine powerful as can be without major work..  To me thats what really counts is the motor or in this case engine (the heart of the product).  

Anyway getting off my soap box.  Noah, you've posted about the 172x12 and 172x20 motor that is being shared and you know what it finally clicked I will agree with you on this after pulling up the catalog PDF and looking at the motor size per model.  Something I've wondered is I know Max is really good at knowing the difference in what actual OEM makes different fans for each country in todays market.. What I've wondered is since Hunters are supposedly made at different factories are there motors? I mean they do use a universal design with there motors and thats something I really wonder because they universally suck.  After 2011, the 172x12's started to be scratched out of the box I mean COME ON...


Cole D., one thing to be careful is many of the models you mentioned like the Leighton, Passport III, etc. you need to worry about since they were discontinued before say 2007.. However with the models that came 2008 and beyond when you get into the Green Box with the new Hunter logo some are still great however most started elements of downgrading. If it says on the box on the top left side that the fan includes "Dust Armor" thats a good indicator its a crap unit.

I like that you included the story of how and why you started collecting, thanks a lot for that! As far as older Harbor Breeze Builder's Bests (that was before the Classic Style name) had a 172×15mm motor I believe. They actually were decent performers and the ones I see today (even the Classic Styles made after the mid-2000s with either the thinner motor housing or the current redesigned one, after HB switched to a 153×12mm motor) are still going. Not the best fans around, partly because of Litex's inconsistencies in quality, but definitely good for only $50. I'd also say Litex made a better quality product overall during the 2000s than a competitor like King of Fans did, just randomly thinking about it. Not as good as Air Cool made stuff though; Minka still uses Air Cool as an OEM for most of their current lineup and indeed, the quality is on point. Same goes for those Hampton Bay/Home Decorators Collection models also in Minka's lineup in some form (i.e the Rhodes/Delano and the Vercelli/5 blade version of the Acero w/bigger motor ).

I can totally understand how one would view the motor of a ceiling fan almost like their vehicles. Even though GM exterior/interior components for their vehicles have traditionally been cheap (they've improved a little though), their engines keep running. Toyota stuff simply doesn't break lol....I appreciate products such as these and this is what I like seeing in fans as well...which is why I always think it's nice to see good quality fan motors manufactured that you know aren't gonna have issues, cast skeletal motors that will most likely run even longer than their normal spinner counterparts due to their effective ventilation, and the one fan that has seen little change in around 65 years, the Hunter Original.

As far as the Hunter fans sold today, I'm still appalled at their items below $150 which are usually just parts bin nonsense; same thin "scrap metal" used, same MDF blades, same 153×12mm/172×12mm underpowered motors, same problems with 'em constantly breaking. However, I won't lie and say I'm not impressed with Hunter's releases in the past two years of what seem to be QUALITY fans with good components and the shared Direct Drive motors, which I'm seeing for around $200 up. I'm definitely pleased with that, looking at things from a value perspective...if I could get off spending $100-$150 less for a Hunter that is built well and performs the same as that Direct Drive Casablanca I was gonna spend $300 or more for, I'd be a happy customer. For example, Hunter's new Brunswick fan (Came out in 2018; is no longer the hugger it used to be) seems to have a good build to it (I have to read more customer reviews on this), comes with a light kit and a (hopefully decent) full function remote, has the 172×20mm direct drive in it, and costs $199; much better value proposition to me than Casablanca's Concentra, Capistrano and Utopian, all $250 or more. Also of note is the Hunter x Pendleton lineup Cole just reviewed; that is one of Hunter's high end fans with a 188×20mm Direct Drive and 4-speed control that seems to be similar to Casablanca's 99020 remote. So yeah, watching Hunter's burgeoning mid/high-end develop is definitely exciting.

Yeah, I'll have to ask Max where some of these are made. I believe Hunter/Casablanca DC motors in some of their new fans are actually made by Hunter according to Cole (who has worked with some of these before); I also believe the Direct Drive 172×20mm and 188×20mm motors are made by Hunter themselves. I have heard that some of the 172×15mm motors used by 90s and some 2000s Hunters were made by CEI, though.

[Cole D]

Apr 7, 2019 7:39:37 GMT -5 Parkman said:

Apr 7, 2019 3:04:26 GMT -5 Noah C said:

I'm pretty sure it did.  My parents had a fan my mom wanted replaced and I bought one with the intent to replace it but they decided to keep that said fan for quite a few more years despite my Mom wanting it gone.  Apparently they weren't the best but I did love that Cocoa finish they came with.  Surprisingly they weren't popular in my area.  I've seen them on a few houses on Zillow but not in any public places.  Everything else of that era of Home Depot Hunters was very popular.


Thats true.  I started to "buy/collect" fans in the summer of 2007.  Before then I only was able to get new fans if one wore out in our house or someone gave me one or I trash picked one.  Oh the joys of being a kid lol.  The second fan that I purchased was a Polished Brass Harbor Breeze Classic.  I loved the look of that thing, it moved GREAT air and was silent and had a beefy motor.  I think Christian C. said 172x20 was the official size years ago in a thread.  I then like many collectors got caught up in the anything thats not a stack motor is junk scenario many of us get into.. Especially after I got my first Panama as a gift from my Dad.  I've come to appreciate all fans I like again.  Anyway back to my point, the "traditional" looking HB Builders Best/Classic was made by Litex which is pretty much hit or miss, sure the blade arms were cheap but not as cheap as many King of Fans of that era.  Now Air Cool produces this generation and they still have a BIG 172x?  motor and to be honest I've seen Air Cool fans last 25+ years with no bearing noise.  For $55 or whatever those fans are currently are at I WILL suggest them over a Hunter.  I have just had too many problems with the motors post 2011.  To me a motor is like the engine in a car, for example I have an older Chevy truck with 174,000 miles on it.  All the little things are breaking on it and wearing out/don't look the best cosmetically from age however the engine/transmission is bulletproof.  The transmission still shifts like its brand new and the engine powerful as can be without major work..  To me thats what really counts is the motor or in this case engine (the heart of the product).  

Anyway getting off my soap box.  Noah, you've posted about the 172x12 and 172x20 motor that is being shared and you know what it finally clicked I will agree with you on this after pulling up the catalog PDF and looking at the motor size per model.  Something I've wondered is I know Max is really good at knowing the difference in what actual OEM makes different fans for each country in todays market.. What I've wondered is since Hunters are supposedly made at different factories are there motors? I mean they do use a universal design with there motors and thats something I really wonder because they universally suck.  After 2011, the 172x12's started to be scratched out of the box I mean COME ON...


Cole D., one thing to be careful is many of the models you mentioned like the Leighton, Passport III, etc. you need to worry about since they were discontinued before say 2007.. However with the models that came 2008 and beyond when you get into the Green Box with the new Hunter logo some are still great however most started elements of downgrading. If it says on the box on the top left side that the fan includes "Dust Armor" thats a good indicator its a crap unit.

I started "collecting" in 2007 too, when I started driving and could go to places like Habitat on my own. Habitat back then didn't really have a ceiling fan display and mostly just had parts strewn around at a table. Most of it was good stuff like heavy GE vent motors, Moss Caribbean and WF motors, a few 90s Originals, and blades scattered around. I bought a Hunter Passport II motor, and that's all I haver. I still have it but it's basically useless since all I have is the motor and canopy.

Right around that time Home Depot did a clearance on the Hunter Archive Originals. All they had was white ones. My parents were wanting to replace the living room SMC gold spinner, so I convinced them to get one. We boguht it and got it home and my dad decided it was too heavy, plus we had to get the sloped ceiling adapter. So we took it back, which I'm still kicking myself over. I should have paid them and just kept it, since now they're impossible to find and if you could find one it would be really expensive used. So we went to look for another fan, and they had the Hunter Eastern Shore which was like a Summer Breeze but with beadboard blades. I liked that one and the bronze Hampton Bay Quick Connect. But ultimately they didn't end up replacing it.

The talk on here lately has been making me want to get a Hunter Paramount XP, Casablanca Panama and Minka Aire Supra for when I buy a house. But, I have no room to hold them. But it's a catch 22 too because when I buy a house I probably won't be able to afford any fans then. lol

I've never really considered myself a ceiling fan collector because all I have is that Passport II and my ventless hugger my parents got for when I was a toddler. At one time I had a HB Grayton but I sold it to Will H. And of course I have my Fasco Great Room in the bedroom, which I also got around the time I started driving. That fan is my pride and joy and I don't plan to ever get rid of it for sure. Oh and one time I had gotten a Fasco Home Builder motor (Halsey GE vent with removable switch housing, decent 153mm fan) but I donated it back, because like the Hunter all it had was the motor.

I went through the stack motor thing too (err, I mean K55 type motor, spinners are stacks too lol) and I still like them, but they almost never come into Habitat. I don't think I've seen one. Mostly Habitat gets GE vent and builder vent of maybe decent quality, some spinners, and newer Hunters (recently there were two Passport IIIs that came in). I've never seen real Fascos or Casablancas or Originals (other than those motors) come in.

Also do collectors still sell or trafe fans now? Because I remember they used to offer them for sale here, but now I get the impression most collectors are sitting on what they have. So I doubt if I wanted used fans I could get any unless I found them myself. Unless they're dealing over Facebook now.

[Parkman]

Apr 7, 2019 13:41:01 GMT -5 Noah C said:

Apr 7, 2019 7:39:37 GMT -5 Parkman said:

I'm pretty sure it did.  My parents had a fan my mom wanted replaced and I bought one with the intent to replace it but they decided to keep that said fan for quite a few more years despite my Mom wanting it gone.  Apparently they weren't the best but I did love that Cocoa finish they came with.  Surprisingly they weren't popular in my area.  I've seen them on a few houses on Zillow but not in any public places.  Everything else of that era of Home Depot Hunters was very popular.


Thats true.  I started to "buy/collect" fans in the summer of 2007.  Before then I only was able to get new fans if one wore out in our house or someone gave me one or I trash picked one.  Oh the joys of being a kid lol.  The second fan that I purchased was a Polished Brass Harbor Breeze Classic.  I loved the look of that thing, it moved GREAT air and was silent and had a beefy motor.  I think Christian C. said 172x20 was the official size years ago in a thread.  I then like many collectors got caught up in the anything thats not a stack motor is junk scenario many of us get into.. Especially after I got my first Panama as a gift from my Dad.  I've come to appreciate all fans I like again.  Anyway back to my point, the "traditional" looking HB Builders Best/Classic was made by Litex which is pretty much hit or miss, sure the blade arms were cheap but not as cheap as many King of Fans of that era.  Now Air Cool produces this generation and they still have a BIG 172x?  motor and to be honest I've seen Air Cool fans last 25+ years with no bearing noise.  For $55 or whatever those fans are currently are at I WILL suggest them over a Hunter.  I have just had too many problems with the motors post 2011.  To me a motor is like the engine in a car, for example I have an older Chevy truck with 174,000 miles on it.  All the little things are breaking on it and wearing out/don't look the best cosmetically from age however the engine/transmission is bulletproof.  The transmission still shifts like its brand new and the engine powerful as can be without major work..  To me thats what really counts is the motor or in this case engine (the heart of the product).  

Anyway getting off my soap box.  Noah, you've posted about the 172x12 and 172x20 motor that is being shared and you know what it finally clicked I will agree with you on this after pulling up the catalog PDF and looking at the motor size per model.  Something I've wondered is I know Max is really good at knowing the difference in what actual OEM makes different fans for each country in todays market.. What I've wondered is since Hunters are supposedly made at different factories are there motors? I mean they do use a universal design with there motors and thats something I really wonder because they universally suck.  After 2011, the 172x12's started to be scratched out of the box I mean COME ON...


Cole D., one thing to be careful is many of the models you mentioned like the Leighton, Passport III, etc. you need to worry about since they were discontinued before say 2007.. However with the models that came 2008 and beyond when you get into the Green Box with the new Hunter logo some are still great however most started elements of downgrading. If it says on the box on the top left side that the fan includes "Dust Armor" thats a good indicator its a crap unit.

I like that you included the story of how and why you started collecting, thanks a lot for that! As far as older Harbor Breeze Builder's Bests (that was before the Classic Style name) had a 172×15mm motor I believe. They actually were decent performers and the ones I see today (even the Classic Styles made after the mid-2000s with either the thinner motor housing or the current redesigned one, after HB switched to a 153×12mm motor) are still going. Not the best fans around, partly because of Litex's inconsistencies in quality, but definitely good for only $50. I'd also say Litex made a better quality product overall during the 2000s than a competitor like King of Fans did, just randomly thinking about it. Not as good as Air Cool made stuff though; Minka still uses Air Cool as an OEM for most of their current lineup and indeed, the quality is on point. Same goes for those Hampton Bay/Home Decorators Collection models also in Minka's lineup in some form (i.e the Rhodes/Delano and the Vercelli/5 blade version of the Acero w/bigger motor ).

I can totally understand how one would view the motor of a ceiling fan almost like their vehicles. Even though GM exterior/interior components for their vehicles have traditionally been cheap (they've improved a little though), their engines keep running. Toyota stuff simply doesn't break lol....I appreciate products such as these and this is what I like seeing in fans as well...which is why I always think it's nice to see good quality fan motors manufactured that you know aren't gonna have issues, cast skeletal motors that will most likely run even longer than their normal spinner counterparts due to their effective ventilation, and the one fan that has seen little change in around 65 years, the Hunter Original.

As far as the Hunter fans sold today, I'm still appalled at their items below $150 which are usually just parts bin nonsense; same thin "scrap metal" used, same MDF blades, same 153×12mm/172×12mm underpowered motors, same problems with 'em constantly breaking. However, I won't lie and say I'm not impressed with Hunter's releases in the past two years of what seem to be QUALITY fans with good components and the shared Direct Drive motors, which I'm seeing for around $200 up. I'm definitely pleased with that, looking at things from a value perspective...if I could get off spending $100-$150 less for a Hunter that is built well and performs the same as that Direct Drive Casablanca I was gonna spend $300 or more for, I'd be a happy customer. For example, Hunter's new Brunswick fan (Came out in 2018; is no longer the hugger it used to be) seems to have a good build to it (I have to read more customer reviews on this), comes with a light kit and a (hopefully decent) full function remote, has the 172×20mm direct drive in it, and costs $199; much better value proposition to me than Casablanca's Concentra, Capistrano and Utopian, all $250 or more. Also of note is the Hunter x Pendleton lineup Cole just reviewed; that is one of Hunter's high end fans with a 188×20mm Direct Drive and 4-speed control that seems to be similar to Casablanca's 99020 remote. So yeah, watching Hunter's burgeoning mid/high-end develop is definitely exciting.

Yeah, I'll have to ask Max where some of these are made. I believe Hunter/Casablanca DC motors in some of their new fans are actually made by Hunter according to Cole (who has worked with some of these before); I also believe the Direct Drive 172×20mm and 188×20mm motors are made by Hunter themselves. I have heard that some of the 172×15mm motors used by 90s and some 2000s Hunters were made by CEI, though.

Thats my thing for $50 can you go wrong in that regard in certain circumstances. Some collectors drive me nuts with that everything has to be vintage everywhere. I love Vintage fans but to those who aren’t interested its worth to most people to get something new and in their budget than something used, potentially “out of style”, and they have to hunt for when they want to go to Lowes or wherever buy a fan, put it up, then go back to worth at the end of the weekend. $50 is truly a good value if it lasts 5 years that’s $10 a year for cool air, works for me. I’ve read on the Facebook group a lot of people stating KOF is better than Air Cool. I just have to disagree I’ve had much better luck with Air Cool fans overall. However KOF seems to have decent motors but the components are crappily made. I’m pleased with Minka overall, I did once have trouble with screws stripping out when flushmounting one but they sent me a new motor and all went well.



I have a Toyota Tacoma now and the thing is bulletproof. It just hit 40,000 miles. The only problems I had was it needed a new battery and a valve stem broke off on one of the tires when filling it. Other than that its been perfect and nothing has been a problem. GM has had there share of failures but there truck engines are always on point. I’m very leary about this new generation of Silverado’s with the Dynamic Fuel Management… That is something I think they need to have a few years of people buying before I’d consider one. Of course according to my wife I’m not getting a new truck for like 15 years .



I think where Hunter is at this point is where they’re going to stay. They’ll offer the higher end stuff like the Pendleton Series and some others but you’re going to pay for it. Just like you have to pay for the Original. I’m truly surprised Casablanca didn’t scrap all the XLP models and keep the Panama in a few neutral finishes similar to the Original but then again its there flagship model so I guess incorporating energy efficiency is the “trendy” thing to do.



My personal belief is Hunter should have kept the Prestige line for fans like the Pendleton and the Brunswick you mentioned for example. Cole S. and I have discussed this in detail via email before how it was great to have that bridge “brand” or label to go between Casablanca and Hunter. The thing is Hunter has jumped in bed with anyone willing to sell them while Casablanca has now become a lot more mainstream online it seems (granted we are in the true digital age now). I feel these higher end Hunters made sense but I suppose now with Casablanca being at the Hunter Prestige quality and equivalent of motors it makes sense because those high performance Casablanca’s of yesteryear are gone and will be now with this DC phase coming in. To me DC is like the Electric Car push were in I don’t know if it’ll last, I can see DC having a better chance than the Electric Car.



If you search I read a few months ago a post that Perrey Z. posted back in the day about Hunter’s relationship with CEI back in the day. I know the 1999 Stratford I have has CEI stamped on the back of the blade irons.

[Parkman]

I wish I was a few years older because literally everything fell apart fan wise in the next couple years after I got my license in 2009. We didn’t have any Habitat restores probably in our half of the state, I never got to one until probably 2014 or so and they banned fans shortly after opening because they apparently were mostly broken when people donated them I was told. Our showrooms and different retailers all started to vanish and the recession really hit in our area and then we had casino closures that took a lot of stuff away as well.

I loved those Archive Originals. I always wanted one but never have gotten to it. To be honest I’ve owned I think three Originals in my day. I ended up getting them, they sat for a few months, and then I’d end up selling them making a few bucks. I would like to finally put one in my house I buy one day. If an Archive Original could be the one I’d be very happy!
Isn’t that the truth. We’re renting my Grandmothers guest house. Its like right now hey I could go out and buy whatever fan but then when I think hmm all the bills you get with a house, the mortgage, property taxes which are sky high here in NJ, etc… It makes my rent look ok lol. They are all three fans I’d love for my house. In November, Frugal Fair had a giant sale as I mentioned in another thread. I got 2 Ainsworths and a Concentra all in Brushed Cocoa for $215 for when I get my house. If I went to a showroom they’d be about $800 for those three so I asked my wife and she was fine with it. She doesn’t really like the Concentra but they’re set aside specifically for when we do move. Its tough if you don’t have good thrift stores or Habitats and have to pay retail or get a good deal on ebay but then you have to pay shipping too which can mess up a lot of good deals!

I consider myself a collector somewhat. I have the fans installed in my apartment and I technically own the ones in my parents house and have probably 10 or so fans in my collection and some NIB ones I’ve set aside for my future house but I don’t have a collection-collection like some of the other people here. That’s not to say I don’t have a fan here or there come in that I’ll hang up in my workshop and eventually sell. I like to have some come in and go out however it stinks to not have the room to really have a display. I’d LOVE to have what Cole has in his basement!!

True haha! I can honestly say I haven’t yet found a stack motor fan at a Habitat. About a year ago I went to a Habitat and my wife knows I LOVE antique brass fans… She pointed two out that were hidden and behold, two AB Hunter Leighton’s (minus the blades) for $8 a piece. They were pretty rusty internally. I should have bought them at that price alone for the “Vista” globe on them but I didn’t, that I sometimes wish I did. My goal is to find a Leighton one of these days. I’ve come to the reality since they were a Lowes Exclusive model ones bound to pop up on ebay… one of these days!

I think the whole Fanimation thing has really halted the brakes on the fan sales/trades. That way you can save the shipping and there is more availability. The problem with that is you have to go to Fanimation which isn’t happening for me anytime soon. Some collectors are always selling like Dan N. I’ll sell stuff but its a lot harder that’s for sure. Then theres people who have a big collection like Brian Hicks who deal in something that’s wanted like for him (Originals) that people know to contact when they need something. I’ve been thinning out my collection and plan to continue.
Reading on the Facebook groups, I think its easier for some to have there “Fire Sales” and so forth by going to Fanimation and offering good deals/trades to thin out there collections then wait for payment and then the hassle of shipping when they can open there tailgate or hatchback and just start selling them.

[Cole D]

True. I'd like to go to Fanimation someday. But it's hard because it'd have to be when I'm off for a while, and then it's probably best to go when there's groups going.

I don't really consider myself a CF collector, mostly a PF collector. But that's mainly because I have nowhere to install the CFs so they'd be sitting around in the way with possible damage. I've been trying to buy things for my future place when I see them in thrift stores, or yard sales, etc. But it takes up space and I don't want to become a hoarder. LOL I've thought about getting a storage unit to keep it but that would get too expensive.

If you want a Leighton, I think I saw some online, maybe it was on eBay not too long ago, they were nickel finish though. I have never seen a Leighton around here, which I probably won't since you say they were a Lowes exclusive. Lowes didn't open here until very early 2006 so they probably never had any by then. The Passport III was very common around here, and I imagine Home Depot sold them. My neighbor with the Fascos got one right before all the hurricanes in 2004. Home Depot opened in 2001 here so they probably had some older models as well. But Scotty's Hardware also sold the spinner motor Hunters so they were fairly common in the 90s and 80s.

Like you if I had been older I could have gotten a lot more. I think of all the fans I used to see thrown away in my neighborhood - an 1895, Fasco Rain Safes, Blenderfan, etc. If I had been older I could have kept them. Although the Great Room I missed out on my street was my own fault. If I had just grabbed the box and carried it home in the daylight, it wouldn't have gotten grabbed by someone else. And I could have had another Great Room that probably just needed a flywheel.

Fortunately I do get to go to the AFCA Florida meet. I've met one collector from here on there. But those meets are mostly all the antique cast iron CFs if they have any. Which I don't really collect. Although the raffle prize last year I think was a 1990 Hunter Summer Breeze NIB. I've thought someday of trying to visit the Habitats outside of my area like in Lakeland or Orlando to see if they have nicer stuff. But I hate driving in those areas. lol

[Noah C]

Apr 7, 2019 14:55:28 GMT -5 Parkman said:

Apr 7, 2019 13:41:01 GMT -5 Noah C said:

I like that you included the story of how and why you started collecting, thanks a lot for that! As far as older Harbor Breeze Builder's Bests (that was before the Classic Style name) had a 172×15mm motor I believe. They actually were decent performers and the ones I see today (even the Classic Styles made after the mid-2000s with either the thinner motor housing or the current redesigned one, after HB switched to a 153×12mm motor) are still going. Not the best fans around, partly because of Litex's inconsistencies in quality, but definitely good for only $50. I'd also say Litex made a better quality product overall during the 2000s than a competitor like King of Fans did, just randomly thinking about it. Not as good as Air Cool made stuff though; Minka still uses Air Cool as an OEM for most of their current lineup and indeed, the quality is on point. Same goes for those Hampton Bay/Home Decorators Collection models also in Minka's lineup in some form (i.e the Rhodes/Delano and the Vercelli/5 blade version of the Acero w/bigger motor ).

I can totally understand how one would view the motor of a ceiling fan almost like their vehicles. Even though GM exterior/interior components for their vehicles have traditionally been cheap (they've improved a little though), their engines keep running. Toyota stuff simply doesn't break lol....I appreciate products such as these and this is what I like seeing in fans as well...which is why I always think it's nice to see good quality fan motors manufactured that you know aren't gonna have issues, cast skeletal motors that will most likely run even longer than their normal spinner counterparts due to their effective ventilation, and the one fan that has seen little change in around 65 years, the Hunter Original.

As far as the Hunter fans sold today, I'm still appalled at their items below $150 which are usually just parts bin nonsense; same thin "scrap metal" used, same MDF blades, same 153×12mm/172×12mm underpowered motors, same problems with 'em constantly breaking. However, I won't lie and say I'm not impressed with Hunter's releases in the past two years of what seem to be QUALITY fans with good components and the shared Direct Drive motors, which I'm seeing for around $200 up. I'm definitely pleased with that, looking at things from a value perspective...if I could get off spending $100-$150 less for a Hunter that is built well and performs the same as that Direct Drive Casablanca I was gonna spend $300 or more for, I'd be a happy customer. For example, Hunter's new Brunswick fan (Came out in 2018; is no longer the hugger it used to be) seems to have a good build to it (I have to read more customer reviews on this), comes with a light kit and a (hopefully decent) full function remote, has the 172×20mm direct drive in it, and costs $199; much better value proposition to me than Casablanca's Concentra, Capistrano and Utopian, all $250 or more. Also of note is the Hunter x Pendleton lineup Cole just reviewed; that is one of Hunter's high end fans with a 188×20mm Direct Drive and 4-speed control that seems to be similar to Casablanca's 99020 remote. So yeah, watching Hunter's burgeoning mid/high-end develop is definitely exciting.

Yeah, I'll have to ask Max where some of these are made. I believe Hunter/Casablanca DC motors in some of their new fans are actually made by Hunter according to Cole (who has worked with some of these before); I also believe the Direct Drive 172×20mm and 188×20mm motors are made by Hunter themselves. I have heard that some of the 172×15mm motors used by 90s and some 2000s Hunters were made by CEI, though.

Thats my thing for $50 can you go wrong in that regard in certain circumstances. Some collectors drive me nuts with that everything has to be vintage everywhere. I love Vintage fans but to those who aren’t interested its worth to most people to get something new and in their budget than something used, potentially “out of style”, and they have to hunt for when they want to go to Lowes or wherever buy a fan, put it up, then go back to worth at the end of the weekend. $50 is truly a good value if it lasts 5 years that’s $10 a year for cool air, works for me. I’ve read on the Facebook group a lot of people stating KOF is better than Air Cool. I just have to disagree I’ve had much better luck with Air Cool fans overall. However KOF seems to have decent motors but the components are crappily made. I’m pleased with Minka overall, I did once have trouble with screws stripping out when flushmounting one but they sent me a new motor and all went well.



I have a Toyota Tacoma now and the thing is bulletproof. It just hit 40,000 miles. The only problems I had was it needed a new battery and a valve stem broke off on one of the tires when filling it. Other than that its been perfect and nothing has been a problem. GM has had there share of failures but there truck engines are always on point. I’m very leary about this new generation of Silverado’s with the Dynamic Fuel Management… That is something I think they need to have a few years of people buying before I’d consider one. Of course according to my wife I’m not getting a new truck for like 15 years .



I think where Hunter is at this point is where they’re going to stay. They’ll offer the higher end stuff like the Pendleton Series and some others but you’re going to pay for it. Just like you have to pay for the Original. I’m truly surprised Casablanca didn’t scrap all the XLP models and keep the Panama in a few neutral finishes similar to the Original but then again its there flagship model so I guess incorporating energy efficiency is the “trendy” thing to do.



My personal belief is Hunter should have kept the Prestige line for fans like the Pendleton and the Brunswick you mentioned for example. Cole S. and I have discussed this in detail via email before how it was great to have that bridge “brand” or label to go between Casablanca and Hunter. The thing is Hunter has jumped in bed with anyone willing to sell them while Casablanca has now become a lot more mainstream online it seems (granted we are in the true digital age now). I feel these higher end Hunters made sense but I suppose now with Casablanca being at the Hunter Prestige quality and equivalent of motors it makes sense because those high performance Casablanca’s of yesteryear are gone and will be now with this DC phase coming in. To me DC is like the Electric Car push were in I don’t know if it’ll last, I can see DC having a better chance than the Electric Car.



If you search I read a few months ago a post that Perrey Z. posted back in the day about Hunter’s relationship with CEI back in the day. I know the 1999 Stratford I have has CEI stamped on the back of the blade irons.

What generation Taco, if I may? My uncle just bought a gen 3 Taco with the cast iron 2.7L in it; he's got more trust for Toyota's I4s than he does their V6's and up since he knows those iron-block engines hold up. I like the idea of GM's Dynamic Fuel Management system on their Silverado/Sierra, but I think that for a large V8 engine such as that, if you're getting 18/19 MPGs from it (they used to use the flex fuel cylinder deactivation deal), you're doing well. The Dynamic fuel Management system complicates the cylinder deactivation process. I'll wait until GM works out whatever kinks they've got with that. 

Back to fans, yeah, Hunter is probably just gonna keep doing what they're doing. Which they should; it's far better than what they've been doing for the past 10 years. But it indeed would be nice to see all of these high-end, Direct Drive and some DC Hunters under the Prestige umbrella. I'd argue that Casa quality at this point is still above what Hunter used to offer at the Prestige level in years past, and even though they don't have that lineup of XLP fans anymore, their current spinner motor fans are definitely underrated. People remember the Direct Drive and XTR Casas of the past; they were easily as powerful and in the XTR's case, more powerful than the XLP and K55 Casas then but most of them were unbearably noisy. These newer Direct Drives from them are silent, from what I've seen of the newer Casas at different showrooms I've been to. While the K55-type Casas of years past will always be something special for all of us who went through that stack motor phase ("if it's not stack it sucks") and in general, from a pure performance standpoint, the top-tier 188×20mm Direct Drive outperforms the older XLP's and uses less energy. But as mad as we all were when 2013 came around looking at what Casablanca was doing, the people who still trash this stuff after six years are usually those collectors who are all "if it isn't vintage it's bad", lol. If only they had an XTR-like motor for fans aside from the Duluth....

In my experience, KOF is NOT better than Air Cool by any metric. Their motors are barely alright, but their components aren't just poorly made, they're poorly designed too. I have two Hampton Bay Sauternes made by KOF; these we're high end HBs in the two years they were made, 2005 and 2006. They have decently thick  metal stampings, large 188×18mm motors, and are ridiculously heavy for what they are (not Original heavy, but around 35lbs a piece. I don't know why...these are heavier than my Fanimation Edgewood 60" with a 212×25mm motor!). The screw holes for the blade brackets and the blade brackets attached to the motor hub literally do not line up, and the motor hub is designed in a way where you might get cut holding the fan without gloves. The light kit plate doesn't have the keyhole slot design so you can put it onto the motor's bottom plate. There are six holes that look the same size as one another, but three of them are just enough bigger than the other three where the screws included don't have enough diameter to support the LK plate. I've got more junky KOF stuff I've had to replace in my house that had all of these issues plus s*** performance. All of the good HB's I've seen recently have been made by Air Cool, and as I said, Minka stuff. The Supra fits just about what I'd expect from an Air Cool product; quality components, good motor for its size, no issues. That issue you had with screws stripping was most likely due to either cheap screws or a defect in the threading of the yoke; that can happen almost anywhere.

When it comes to these DC motors, I see what you mean viewing these as kind of like an "electric car" in the fan market. I agree that these DC motors are going to be successful in their market in a way electric cars won't in that market, at least for residential fans. Because residential fans, especially higher end ones tend to rely on the torque of their motors more than speed to move air, DC motors will thrive in those situations. They allow for a wider range of designs (and designs involving higher pitch). The same amount of torque as (or more than) a conventional AC motor can be achieved in a smaller and far more efficient package. This means designs with extreme amounts of pitch (i.e. Atlas Super Janet, Minka Aire Artemis XL5, Star 7, etc) or fans with heavy blades that still perform well for what they are (i.e. Casablanca Stealth DC, Fanimation Odyn, various new "Windmill-style" fans). DC motors will never be successful for HSSD (High Speed Small Diameter) industrial/commercial fans since conventional DC motors max out at around 300-350 RPM unloaded, but if large enough, can be successful for HVLS (High Velocity Low Speed) large industrial/commercial fans, which are becoming more popular and more manufacturers of those get rid of their gearbox designs.