Hunter Original Ceiling Fans - Made in USA vs China 

This is a really good explanation about the American and the China made Originals. Some early Hunter Originals were under Robbins & Meyers label and have an AdaptAir (where all 4 blades reverse to the opposite side), and ReverseAire (where you have to push and reverse the blades). You also can get custom faceplates back when it was in the R&M era like the Oak Leaf faceplate and switch cap, Grape Leaf faceplate, and/or the Ivy Leaf faceplate. Back then around the R&M period you could have the cane or plain blade option. Out of all the Original fans with different amps, the 2 amp Originals are by far the most powerful Originals you can get from. The USA Originals are superior, while the China made ones are better. Some early 2002 Originals were American made. As for fan collectors to take responsibility, we have to check the oil every year to make sure it's not running dry. To find Originals, keep checking your Marketplace, OfferUp, Craigslist, 5miles, and NextDoor. The easiest areas to find Originals are in Tennessee (since Hunter was headquartered at), Texas, and Florida. South regions are easier to find Originals, north regions are way harder to find Originals, and Hawaii is common to find Originals but can be hard at times. Not to mention, they're easy to service since you don't have to hammer the shaft out. There's also a brushed nickel Hunter Original only sold in 2001-2002. There's also weathered brick, iron, and white/bright brass Originals. Such as brown, black, and white for example. I really hope Hunter will continue to add more finishes one day, and to reintroduce brushed nickel for the Original. They had other variants the sadly were discontinued: -36" Original (standard blade arms) -38" Original (ReverseAire blade arms) -42" Original -48" Original -52" Sailcloth Original (4 blade only) -52" Outdoor Original (4 blades, pointed tip blades) -52" Tropical Original (standard or tropical blade sets) 52" Coastal Cottage Original (52" Classic Original with beadboard blades) -Low Profile Original (made for low ceilings) -Early 2nd Century Original (same like the Original, but with gloss blades, 4 blade only and 5 blade only models. Chrome was available with 5 included gloss black blades and spotlight kit) -Later 2nd Century Original (contemporary version of the Classic Original, designed by Masao Tsuji) -1930s Original (retro Original, also has a prototype teal 1930s Original, designed by Arnold K. Anthony) -1936 Art Deco Original (Home Depot exclusive, 1996 only to commemorate the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics) -56" Great Room Original (bright brass only, includes a 5 light kit and a 34" slop ceiling canopy kit, Lowes exclusive) -52" Builders Square Showcase Collection Series XXX (Builders Square exclusive, includes a 4 light kit and a bright brass switch housing that the white/bright brass Original wouldn't normally have when new) -Archive Original -Archive Original w/AdaptAir -Hotel Original (Hunter H52 reproduction) -56" Original (white and black finish, Lowes exclusive) -60" Original (Home Depot exclusive) There's catalogs in there look at Originals. iheartfans.me/catalog/

i didnt even notice, luckily mine is dated 1992 and its still working great today

This is a great comparison! I’m glad Hunter is keeping the Original alive, and improving it with the current versions to a point where many avid Original collectors are stating they are on par with the USA Originals, and in some aspects, are even superior. Still amazed that they brought back cast iron blade brackets. I think the new Originals are great, though I prefer the look of the USA original’s motor, since you can see through the vents and the central rotor. For some collectors, patriotism is the sole reason why they dislike the new fans, but besides that, I do think Hunter’s current manufacturing standards for the Original are still very high despite the overseas production. One thing to note is that the current prices are numerically higher simply due to inflation. The USA Originals in the 80s retailed for about $200, which is more than $600 today after inflation. So the retail price of these fans have more or less stayed the same even after decades. Great video!

So what’s the difference between the two originals American made and China made

I posted on one of Dan Neuman’s videos where he shows a Chinese made Original stating that there is no reason why they could not have the Chinese plant manufacture the fan with the same motor design the fan used when manufactured at the USA plant. He responded saying that the winding machines used to manufacture the motor in the American-made era could not be moved to the plant in China. If you are spending $500+ on a ceiling fan, there is no reason why Hunter could not have invested in a winding machine similar to those used in the American plant when they started making the fan in the Chinese plant. It probably costs them very little to make the fan in China, so it is unacceptable that one must spend $500+ to purchase a fan that is not even made the same way. This is most likely one of the reasons why though the Original is still made, it is most commonly shunned for cheaper fans available at Lowes, Home Depot, etc.

I have to admit that I had seen some American Original with winding issues (burned out or having all three speeds slow medium), but never heard of skeletal Original with winding issues. But I don't know the whole story on American Original with winding issues, like maybe someone tried to start with no oil and it made windings or winding taps overheat. Also with only 4 blades installed, high speed doesn't really make difference between skeletal and American Original, and 4 blade configuration blows most air anyways. And one disadvantage of 4/5 blade American Original is that medium speed is too fast and isn't really modifiable, unless you can somehow add a capacitor. You can modify low speed on skeletal Original by swapping wires to pull chain switch between "3" and "2", "2" is for smaller speed capacitor and "3" is for larger speed capacitor, and both are used for medium, so swapping wire only affects low.

They should’ve kept an American made

Why did it go China made?

What’s strange is that my overseas originals from 2002-03 have an American low speed, video on my channel

Good details. Still i see them as the best air perfomer.😀

can a light be installed in one of the original hunter ceiling fans?

The 750 dollar motor is from some asshole price jacking an American made motor. Also in 2015 they changed the motor design which is better than the 2002 to 2014 original but still isn't as good as the USA originals

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