Post by Tais on Aug 3, 2014 12:53:40 GMT -5
i thought i made a thread here last month but apparently i realized that i didnt, i managed to get nearly all the generations of the SMC K56 models (curved blades) mounted on the ceiling in addition to the 2 models that were only manufactured in a period of a year or less
1960s? - Dec 1976:
most probably the first generation of the SMC K56 series, these fans had heavy cast iron motors, very high quality windings and very high quality bearings and blades.. i am not sure when these fans started production but the earliest one i found is estimated to be around 1973.. these fans are insane in air delivery and in so many ways uncomparable with many other fans in that generation!
the downrods and canopies differed between the models but there arent any specifications which ones were done when since i found many different shapes having the same date.. some had thick threaded downrods, some had normal threaded downrods, some had thick non threaded downrods and some had normal non threaded downrods.. 1976 models had all these types of downrods except the thick non threaded downrod, all the earlier ones had normal non threaded or thick non threaded downrods, one of the 1976 models had its canopy exactly the same design as the 60s models
this fan is dated August 1976 (non threaded normal downrod)
1977
this model has the same cast iron motor as the earlier models but smaller, as big as the 80s SMC, i initially installed blades with similar pitch to the earlier version but it was too weak to handle so i replaced it with a spare 80s blade set.. this model was only produced in 1977 i believe
dated december 1977
1978-1985(6)
starting from 1978, K56 models were no longer manufactured with cast motors but they managed to maintain the quality until the sudden quality drop in end of 1983..
between 1978 and 1983, the fans had a very strong motor with high quality windings and insulations, no matter how much it heated up, the windings never burned out, the had the same structure as the 60s and 70s SMCs but smaller, however the models from mid 1983 showed signs that its operation is slightly weaker than the other models, it also has different bolts than all the previous and later models of that generation.. starting from end of 1983 (most probably november) the winding structure and motor structure had a major change, cutting lots of costs and the fan quality, i noticed that all K56 dated november 1983 i encountered had issues with its operation, mainly due to its gasket breaking up over time, this issue was improved later on in 1984 but returned back in 1988
July 1983
for comparisons:
1985
first fan is dated June 1982, the second fan is dated November 1983
1986-1989:
i have no curved blades from that generation, but i remember seeing a few pics of it here somewhere, the blades have been redesigned, making it thinner (almost as thick as union blades)
they would look like this (pics taken from vcf member galleries)
1990-present:
since 1990 till now when the motor size was reduced, the motor hasnt changed much externally except possible color variations and inner structures and motor screw position, the recent models starting from 2010 are faster than the previous ones
using the same blade since the 1986-1989 model, just less pitched as time passes, unlike the straight K56 models which reverted its lower canopy back to the 1978-1986 shape in 1996, the curved ones stayed with their 2 piece lower canopy which was introduced in 1986
may 1999 (the only one i have)
1960s? - Dec 1976:
most probably the first generation of the SMC K56 series, these fans had heavy cast iron motors, very high quality windings and very high quality bearings and blades.. i am not sure when these fans started production but the earliest one i found is estimated to be around 1973.. these fans are insane in air delivery and in so many ways uncomparable with many other fans in that generation!
the downrods and canopies differed between the models but there arent any specifications which ones were done when since i found many different shapes having the same date.. some had thick threaded downrods, some had normal threaded downrods, some had thick non threaded downrods and some had normal non threaded downrods.. 1976 models had all these types of downrods except the thick non threaded downrod, all the earlier ones had normal non threaded or thick non threaded downrods, one of the 1976 models had its canopy exactly the same design as the 60s models
this fan is dated August 1976 (non threaded normal downrod)
1977
this model has the same cast iron motor as the earlier models but smaller, as big as the 80s SMC, i initially installed blades with similar pitch to the earlier version but it was too weak to handle so i replaced it with a spare 80s blade set.. this model was only produced in 1977 i believe
dated december 1977
1978-1985(6)
starting from 1978, K56 models were no longer manufactured with cast motors but they managed to maintain the quality until the sudden quality drop in end of 1983..
between 1978 and 1983, the fans had a very strong motor with high quality windings and insulations, no matter how much it heated up, the windings never burned out, the had the same structure as the 60s and 70s SMCs but smaller, however the models from mid 1983 showed signs that its operation is slightly weaker than the other models, it also has different bolts than all the previous and later models of that generation.. starting from end of 1983 (most probably november) the winding structure and motor structure had a major change, cutting lots of costs and the fan quality, i noticed that all K56 dated november 1983 i encountered had issues with its operation, mainly due to its gasket breaking up over time, this issue was improved later on in 1984 but returned back in 1988
July 1983
for comparisons:
1985
first fan is dated June 1982, the second fan is dated November 1983
1986-1989:
i have no curved blades from that generation, but i remember seeing a few pics of it here somewhere, the blades have been redesigned, making it thinner (almost as thick as union blades)
they would look like this (pics taken from vcf member galleries)
1990-present:
since 1990 till now when the motor size was reduced, the motor hasnt changed much externally except possible color variations and inner structures and motor screw position, the recent models starting from 2010 are faster than the previous ones
using the same blade since the 1986-1989 model, just less pitched as time passes, unlike the straight K56 models which reverted its lower canopy back to the 1978-1986 shape in 1996, the curved ones stayed with their 2 piece lower canopy which was introduced in 1986
may 1999 (the only one i have)