How-To Repair a Ceiling Fan Speed Pullchain

DISCLAIMER: do NOT attempt to use this video if you're not comfortable doing so. If you have a riveted pullchain (Zing Ear 208S, 208S5, 208S6 208D), JinYou, Santa. Or if they have brittle plastic and hard to take apart (KTE and clear Wu Pin chains), they're NOT worth repairing the chain. It's more worth replacing the entire chain rather than fixing it.

When opening those pullchains that can be easily taken apart, some of the steps can be tedious such as putting the chain bead spindle back in together. Even though they're worth taking apart the chain to repair, getting the top case of the chain bead spindle can be harder to put back together unless you know what you're doing, that's why I made this video. I apologize if this video isn't the best, but feel free to comment below if you have any questions about repairing the pullchain.

Timestamps:

Intro:
-Introduction (0:00)

Procedure:
-1. Remove switch cap or switch housing (1:06)
-2. Remove pullchain nut and pullchain from switch housing (1:51)
-3. Remove wires from pullchain using pick (such as a paperclip or mini flat-head screwdriver) (1:58)
-4: Remove pullchain bead case from contact case (use mini screwdriver to release the clips holding the contact case on the chain) (2:16)
-5. Remove plastic cover on the chain bead case (use a mini screwdriver to pry up the bottom case to open up the chain bead spindle. Leave the spring inside. It only goes on one way) (4:17)
-6. Remove broken pullchain bead from the bead spindle (use a mini screwdriver to pry up the bead coming from the top until it pops out) (5:16)
-7. Install the new pullchain bead onto the top of the spindle where the last bead is attached to. Be sure it's firmly tight and doesn't come off (6:17)
-8. Repair copper contacts by bending them back until it touches the sides of the casing using a mini screwdriver (7:04)
-9. Reassemble the pullchain bead spindle by winding up clockwise, then reinstall the plastic cover onto the case, but not fully yet. Lift the plastic cover up a little bit, use a flat head screwdriver to wind the bead spindle up enough in the clockwise position, pop the plastic cover back in a little bit to bind the chain up. Pull the chain a little until you see it pull properly, and then snap the plastic cover back on once you see the chain pull correctly. It takes a few tries (7:27)
-10. Reassemble the chain bead case back onto the contact case to test if the chain pulls and makes contact correctly. If it's not making a clicking sound on the chain, then open the chain bead case up until the chain pulls correctly. You can cut the chain bead down to size if you don't want the chain to be too long (10:30)
-11. Reconnecting wires back into the pullchain (11:21)
-12. Reinstalling pullchain and pullchain nut back into the switch housing (12:48)
-13. Reinstalling switch housing or switch cap (13:11)

How to connect wires back into the speed pullchain (must count the number of capacitors before buying a replacement pullchain if the pullchain you have is NOT worth taking apart):

Start capacitor with 2 or 3 wires with speeds operated by speed coils from motor or transformer (use Zing Ear 268S1 as a replacement) (A01, L-1, L-2, L-3):
L: Black (line)
1: high speed wire from reverse switch
2: medium speed wire from motor winding
3: low speed wire from motor winding
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PFBDX46

Earlier Casablanca PC board fans with separate 5uf and 12uf speed capacitors goes in as:
L: Black (line)
1: Green (5uf for low)
2: Blue (12uf for medium)
3: Yellow (high speed from reverse switch)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PFBDX46

Dual-capacitor fans with 2 capacitors (use Zing Ear 268S2 as a replacement) (A05, L-1-2-3, L-2-3, L-1-3):
L: wire from reverse switch
1: lower capacitor value wire
2: higher capacitor value wire
3: Black (line)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09P12BBWW

Triple-capacitor fans with 3 capacitors (use Zing Ear 268S6 as a replacement) (A09, L-1, L-2-3, L-3)
L: Black (line) (some earlier KTE 3089 Circuit M and Santa pullchain must be moved from position 2 to L)
1: common capacitor wire (from start capacitor) (some earlier KTE 3089 Circuit M and Santa pullchain must be moved from position L to 1)
2: higher capacitor value (from speed capacitor) (some earlier KTE 3089 Circuit M and Santa pullchain must be moved from position 1 to 2)
3: lower capacitor value (from speed capacitor)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BBCR2HF

Quadruple-capacitor fans with 4 capacitors (use Zing Ear 268S5 as a replacement) (A94, L-1, L-2-3-4, L-3-4, L-4)
L: Black (line)
1: common capacitor wire (from start capacitor)
2: higher capacitor value (from speed capacitor)
3: medium capacitor value (from speed capacitor)
4: lower capacitor value (from speed capacitor)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09V4YRSY9/

Where to buy replacement bead chain only for pullchains that can be taken apart: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=3mm+bead+c...