This fan has been discontinued by The Modern Fan Company.

Includes 6" and 12" downrods for 18" and 24" overall lengths. To calculate overall height when using optional downrods, add 12" to the downrod length. The Whirlybird fan, new for 2001-2002, is the first product designed by an outside designer for the Modern Fan Company. The Whirlybird was conceived and designed by Laurinda Spear, FAIA, design principle of ARQ(Arquitectonica). By bringing her unique sensibilities to our product design challenge she has produced an elegant and ethereal solution.

The Whirlybird fan is constructed of all die-cast aluminum components covered by mouth blown glass. The glass forms the top or upper body of the fan along with the lower body or lighted end of the fan. The glass is offered in either a sand blasted opal white or an acid etched clear. The rotor is white powder coated aluminum and the blades are painted plywood.

The blades are 52" in diameter with 42" diameter as an option. The Whirlybird fan is available in several standard, as well as, custom hanging lengths. The fan body (sphere) itself is 6" in diameter where the blade rotors neter the body.

The matte clear glass model has the internal components painted blue. This color ghosts through the glass as shown above. The internal color can be customized for quantity orders.

Every Whirlybird comes fitted with a light. The opal white fan gives a very well diffused light from the halogen source, the matte clear transmits more bulb image on the glass.

The Modern Fan Co. offers several switching and control options for fan speed and light control. The fan can be used with or without its light. The Whirlybird also carries a damp location UL/CUL listing. Can accomodate up to 33 degree sloped ceiling; for slopes over 33 degrees but under 45 degrees, use the sloped ceiling adaptor (sold separately).

Click here for Modern Fan Company frequently asked questions (FAQs).

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Modern Fan Company

Modern Fan Company. Consciously cool.

Designed by Ron Rezek, the Modern Fan Company's models celebrate the modern idiom through mechanical simplification, geometric forms and contemporary finishes. The unique ceiling fan styles of Modern Fan represent a new age in ceiling fans - the marrying of efficient function with contemporary design (you won't find any wicker or flowery fans here!).

Modern Fan Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How low can the fan go and still meet my local code?

All of the Modern Fan Company fans, when ordered at the default length, can be used on an eight foot ceiling and still meet local code, since code requires that the fan blades be at least seven feet off the floor. The code looks to the blade height and not the bottom of the fan body. However, for low ceiling installations, we recommend the Cirrus Hugger as it looks more proportional when installed. This is the most popular fan sold in New York City, for instance, due the high number of low-ceiling apartments there. For low ceilings, we recommend the Cirrus Hugger over the Cirrus Short as it is better balanced visually.

What size fan blades should I use?

You should always go with the 52” blades unless the outer blades are going to be less than 24” from a wall. Typically, the only installations that have fans within 24” of a wall are either fans installed near soffits or fans installed in hallways. Most of the fans look “stubby” when using the 42” blades, with the exception of the Cirrus Short and the Cirrus Hugger

How far down should I drop the fan?

We recommend that you drop the fan as far down as your aesthetics will allow in order to create the most air circulation.

What kind of light should I expect from the light kits? Will they light an entire room?

In general, the light produced by the light kits will not be sufficient for an entire room’s illumination with the exception of the Halo fan. The light kits that use MR16 bulbs will not produce much task lighting at all and are more decorative in nature. The light kits which use incandescent bulbs will illuminate the area directly below and around the fan. The Halo has great lumen output and can easily light up an entire room since this body is very large and the glass is a great light diffuser. However, we do not recommend this fan in small rooms as the size of the fan tends to be visually overpowering.

Can I use the fan outdoors?

All Modern Fan fans are UL approved for damp locations. This means that you can use them outside. However, the fans will deteriorate with exposure. Do not use the Halo outside as the glass will look terrible in short order. Of course, this assumes that these outside installations are under covered patios and are not fully exposed to the elements. When selecting a finish, note that the brushed aluminum bodies hold up best when exposed to the elements.

Can I use the fan on a sloped ceiling?

We offer sloped ceiling canopies for all of the fans. However, with respect to the Stratos, the sloped ceiling installation is more difficult and should be performed by a licensed electrician using the factory installed (at purchase) sloped ceiling adaptor.

Which lighting control should I use?

While the choices in lighting controls seem overwhelming, the decision shouldn’t be:

MF001: This is the basic three-speed control used to change speed on a fan without a light. It mounts on a wall switch box and includes a Decora-style wall plate.

MF002: This is the basic three-speed control (MF001) but with the ability to control a light (three levels of light intensity). This control requires two circuits from the wall box to the ceiling junction box (one circuit for the fan motor and one circuit fot the fan light).

MF004 (MF011 for Ball/Whirlybird): If you do not have two circuits leading to your fan installation, then use this control. It uses the two wires that come from the junction box to the wall box to control the fan motor and it uses a radio transmitter (similar to a garage opener) to control the light on the fan.

MF009: This is the same as the MF001 but is designed to control three-to-five fans simultaneously.

MF003 (MF010 for Ball/Whirlybird): This is a handheld remote control unit that allows you to control both the fan and the light. The remote control has a LCD screen which shows the current setting. With the five buttons you can select one of the three fans speeds, stop, or light intensity. A signal receiving unit is placed into the fan canopy. A wall hanger is included with the remote.

Why is my fan sometimes on when I come home?

If your fan is mysteriously on when you come home from work, you are using one of the radio controllers. There are dip switches up in the fan body that change the frequency that the controller uses. Switch the frequency and your problem should go away.

Why does my fan wobble?

Fan wobble is an inherent problem with fans due to minute variation in the fan blade weight distribution. Modern Fan Company's fan blades are specified to be within one gram weight difference to avoid wobble. However, some wobble tends to be inevitable due to variance in installation location, airflow and other minutiae. Included in every fan is a small tool to help balance the fan and thereby reduce wobble: Attach the device to the end of each fan blade and turn the fan on. After trying this tool on each blade, identify the blade which, when the tool is attached, produces the least wobble. Then, move the tool from the outside of that blade towards the center in half-inch increments until you find the “sweet spot” (the location that produces the least wobble). In most cases, this will solve your problem. Modern Fan Company does not consider wobble to be a defect, and accordingly will not repair or replace installed fans due to wobble. YLighting accepts returns on fans but only if the fan has not been installed. So if a little wobble disturbs you, we discourage you from investing in a fan of any kind.

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