Fans in my shop

[Deleted]

Some of you know, I have a medium size workshop where I repair and restore vintage musical instruments such as Hammond organs and Leslie speakers. I share it with an older guy who restores vintage and antique cars.

When I moved in about a year ago, I installed four ceiling fans. Two 56" ConTechs and a Dayton Lasko in the main area, and a 36" ConTech upstairs. They served me fine until this week. I needed 5 matching industrials for my friend's church in Cedar Rapids, IA, and I had three more ConTechs, so I removed all of the ConTechs and replaced them with Envirofan Gold Lines. I also installed a longer downrod on the Dayton Lasko, as the Gold Lines hang lower than the ConTechs and I want all the fans to match.

These are very very early Gold Lines. They are labeled "AC Ceiling Fan" in large print and "Union Ngok Kee" in small print. No mention of Envirofan anywhere, the lower canopy labels may have come off. The serial numbers date them late 70s. They spin slower than any other Gold Lines I've had, including those with identical motors from a later date, the mid-80s version with the stepped motor and plunger canopy, and the current version. I replaced the capacitors and confirmed the bearings were good, they simply run slower. I believe it is because the blades are pitched steeper. They move a MASSIVE amount of air, far more than the ConTechs.

I am debating (as time allows) modifying the Dayton Lasko downrod to an in-between length, and maybe shortening that of the Envirofans as well. I believe the ceiling is around 12' high. It might be 15'. That's a 10' ladder you see in the back. I also plan to eventually change out all of the controls. Right now, the Envirofans are (and ConTechs were) are on Westinghouse/Encon 5 speed controls. They give a good range of speeds, but not super slow, and one of them buzzes. The 36" Gold Line upstairs (formerly ConTech) is currently on an infinite Nutone control.

I welcome your input.

Here are pictures, from last spring and current:

[park0608]

Thats really cool!

[Cole S.]

Looks really good with the Gold Lines. You're getting quite a pile up in there, LOL.

[Farah]

Nice fans!

[Tais]

are the sliver-ribbon curvy bladed fans union ngok kee?

[Jean Lemieux]

Whoa those are Con-Tech!? I never saw Con-Tech like this. They look like cheaper NuTones. Are those made in Hong Kong? How old are they?
The Con-Tech I'm used to have this more streamlined rounded motor with the circles at the bottom. They have regular cylinder canopies and usually have straight blades. They are usually 56'' but sometimes they can be 48''. They used to be common around here in the late 1990s. They can be seen overseas as older TMT's.

I've seen those Banvils before. The motor shape is kind of weird but I like it. I especially like the blades on those! For the sticker on the lower canopy, not ever fans that have a lower canopy have a sticker on them. If they had one, usually it would have left a sticky yellow trace on it.

So basically the first Gold Lines are made in Hong Kong, second in Taiwan and third in China? Or the current ones are still made in Taiwan?

I think I have what could be a Gold Line II 36''. It's made in Taiwan, looks mid 1980s but it's not dated. It's not like the early ones that look like Unions/Evergos but it's not like the current ones either.
(Be sure to scroll down to see it's restoration)
ada19851985.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=fans&action=display&thread=3897&page=1
I got it exactly a year ago(yesterday)

[Cole S.]

Nov 11, 2010 5:48:54 GMT -5 Tais said:

are the sliver-ribbon curvy bladed fans union ngok kee?

He said the stickers say so above. Here they were Envirofan though.

[Deleted]

Nov 10, 2010 17:18:47 GMT -5 Cole S. said:

Looks really good with the Gold Lines. You're getting quite a pile up in there, LOL.

I was wondering when you would comment, since you actually BEEN THERE. What do you think about the longer downrod on the DL?

Yeah, I just took a huge pile of scrap wood and metal to the curb yesterday. I try to salvage everything but there's simply not enough room!

[Deleted]

Nov 11, 2010 5:48:54 GMT -5 Tais said:

are the sliver-ribbon curvy bladed fans union ngok kee?

They are, although as far as I know this particular design was exclusively made for Banvil and Envirofan. Some of the very early ones do have a Union label but they were still distributed by Envirofan.

Do you know anything about Union Ngok Kee?

[Deleted]

Nov 11, 2010 12:11:52 GMT -5 Jean Lemieux said:

Whoa those are Con-Tech!? I never saw Con-Tech like this. They look like cheaper NuTones. Are those made in Hong Kong? How old are they?

They are exactly like cheaper Nutones, also very similar to Banvil/Envirofan Silver Lines. These are labeled 1995, I dont know recall where they are made.

Nov 11, 2010 12:11:52 GMT -5 Jean Lemieux said:

The Con-Tech I'm used to have this more streamlined rounded motor with the circles at the bottom. They have regular cylinder canopies and usually have straight blades. They are usually 56'' but sometimes they can be 48''. They used to be common around here in the late 1990s. They can be seen overseas as older TMT's.

Around here, they normally have curved blade, and came in 56" and 36". I have a 36" straight bladed version in brown that I referenced in my original post. It seems both of these fans were made at the same time, at least at one point (they still make the version with the circles) so maybe it was a Gold Line, Silver Line thing?

Nov 11, 2010 12:11:52 GMT -5 Jean Lemieux said:

I've seen those Banvils before. The motor shape is kind of weird but I like it. I especially like the blades on those! For the sticker on the lower canopy, not ever fans that have a lower canopy have a sticker on them. If they had one, usually it would have left a sticky yellow trace on it.

These arent Banvils. Let's be clear, Banvil is the name when they are sold in Canada, Envirofan in US. In the mid 80s some fans were labeled with both. Also, now that they are two totally separate companies, there is some competition. Especially in areas near the Canada border (MN, northern WI, NY, etc) you see plenty of Banvils in the US.

Also, given the environment these fans were installed in, it is not uncommon for the sticker to fall off and leave no trace.

Nov 11, 2010 12:11:52 GMT -5 Jean Lemieux said:

So basically the first Gold Lines are made in Hong Kong, second in Taiwan and third in China? Or the current ones are still made in Taiwan?

I'm still confused about this point. The 1979-1980 ones I have are labeled Hong Kong, the mid 1980s ones are labeled Taiwan. I'd have to check a current one but I'm pretty sure they say China.

The reason question is, are these the earliest (dating back to 1976) Envirofans (and Banvils), or is there an earlier design I've never seen? These here were BLOODY COMMON to only have been made for a year or two.

Nov 11, 2010 12:11:52 GMT -5 Jean Lemieux said:

I think I have what could be a Gold Line II 36''. It's made in Taiwan, looks mid 1980s but it's not dated. It's not like the early ones that look like Unions/Evergos but it's not like the current ones either.

No, pretty sure what you have is a 36" verison of this fan:

dtvintagefans.org/galleries/ceiling/banvil/SBEnvirofanGoldline.jpg

Which could be an early Silver Line. The motor housing is stamped, not cast, as noted by the 3 nuts.

[Deleted]

Hey Jean, is there a model # on that 36" fan? ALL 56" Gold Lines are 160F-7 regardless of year. The current 36"ers are 136F-7 but I'll have to check on the older ones.

[Deleted]

Adapted from a different post:

When I was a child, these were the very most common industrials in my area, probably because Northwest was Envirofan (formerly Banvil)'s US distributor since 1976, and they have always been based in WI. The branch in Buffalo was the satellite office for the Canada headquarters. They are even more common than the other two versions of the Gold Line. Of course, most of them are gone these days. I know of a few churches and tire shops that still have them. It used to be every grocery and hardware store.

According to Envirofan, they started selling Gold Lines in the US in 1976, changed the factory and design in 1979, and the fan has remained the same ever since.

According to my observations, 1979-1982 Envirofans look like these. 1979-1980 seem to have a steeper blade pitch and spin slower. 1982-1986 have the stepped motor and plunger canopy, but the same blades. In 1986 they switched to the four rivet blade design and slightly changed the canopies. Some time between 1986 and present they made the motor slightly smaller.

This raises the question, what do 1976-1979 Gold Lines look like? Unless these (in the pics) were actually made in that period, and the dates in the serial numbers do not match up. I find it unlikely that there would be a two year gap between manufacture, labeling, and sale.

I compiled a folder of pictures of various Gold Lines, for reference.

Here is how I categorized them:

Gold Line I = the earliest version I've seen. 1979-1981 as far as I can tell. Ribbed housing, bell canopies, 3 rivet blades.

Gold Line II = best quality version IMO. 1981-1986 AFAIK. Stepped housing, plunger canopy, 3 rivet blades

Gold Line III = includes the current version. 1986-present with very minor changes. Stepped housing, plunger canopy, 4 rivet blades.

You will note I do not have any version II 36" models. I do not know what the version II 36" fan looks like. I've only seen the version I, and then very recently, the current version (III). I am hoping we can eventually shed some light on this, as well as the pre-1979 fans.

s103.photobucket.com/albums/m121/mt_spiffy/Envirofan/

Your discussion helps learn more.

Also,

Here is the 36" brown Gold Line upstairs at the shop:



Have NOT been able to find a capacitor based control that runs it slow enough on low. I am going capacitor only on controls. More efficient, quieter, and better on the motor.

[Andrew G.]

Your link isn't working right, it redirects to Photobucket's main page.

[Deleted]

Try:

s103.photobucket.com/albums/m121/mt_spiffy/Envirofan/

[Cole S.]

Nov 11, 2010 14:53:43 GMT -5 @spiffy said:

I was wondering when you would comment, since you actually BEEN THERE. What do you think about the longer downrod on the DL?

The DL looks good, I'm used to seeing them on longer downrods so it's just more normal.