I have a small oscillating fan that worked fine last year, but goes very slowly when I turn it on now. Can it be repaired, or should I toss it out?
I'm not an electrical engineer, so be kind in your response, please. ( :-)
Thanks.
Karol
Likely bearings need oil, some cheap ones have bushings
Chances are the bearing are shot. It would probably cost more to replace them than to buy a new fan. Meantime, put a couple of drops of oil on the end of the shaft if you can see it. It may be enough to get you through the season. Ed
Not likely, it would be hard to ruin a small fan bearing in one season. Slow running indicates a sticky shaft.
Karol:
KM> I have a small oscillating fan that worked fine last year, but goes very KM> slowly when I turn it on now. Can it be repaired, or should I toss it out? KM> KM> I'm not an electrical engineer, so be kind in your response, please. ( :-)
As should all responses.
The problem is probably dust and gunk accumulated at the shaft. Unplug the fan, disassemble the fan case to get to the motor (probably a single Phillips [cross] screw). I generally squirt a little WD-40 at the junction of the shaft and housing -- barely depress the button to let the WD-40 drizzle out; you don't want a full force stream! Plug the fan back in, turn on to let the WD-40 work (be careful of fingers!) With some fans I've found the WD-40 treatment only seems to work from the front.
The fan should rotate relatively freely. Turn off fan and unplug. Now place a drop or two of machine oil to the shaft, plug in, turn on. When the oil has worked itself in the fan will probably suddenly speed up. Button up the fan (turn off and unplug first!); test to be sure it still works. You should be good for the rest of the season.
Ideally lubricate the fan again before it gets gummed up again -- should be able to bypass the WD-40 step. I've got some 'muffin' fans which are close to 30 years old which I've been able to keep resurrecting, though admittedly they all didn't get revived.
- ¯ barry.martinþATþthesafebbs.zeppole.com ®
You can often oil the shaft where it meets the motor (blade end, and also the back end). Three in one oil will work for a couple days, 30 weight non detergent will work for a long time. WD 40 will work for a couple days.
I like to blast out the berrings with some carbeurator cleaner spray before oiling. (with the unit unplugged and outdoors).
quoting:
Open the grill, take off the blade. Vacuum/blow away the dust from the fan's inards and from in the motor. Place some oil in the motor where the two ends of the shaft contact the motor case, any lubricating oil will do. Sometimes it happens: the manufacturer didn't hit it with enough oil to last.
I have fixed apparently dead box fans left on the street for the garbage. Many of them are old, dusty, and stiff. Seems to be a common way to fail. Just a little wacuuming, and oil and they are good as new. I have tried several types of oils. As of yet, engine oil holds up the longest.
Many of these fans are marked "permanently lubricated". Is is not true. There's often enough oil in them to last just five years at best. I've opened up a few only to find the little pad that stores extra oil... dried out. Actually, if you can't get a fan to last very long, try opening up it up and saturating this pad with oil. If you do take apart the motor, some are so cheap that if the scews are tightened uneavenly, the shaft won't turn.
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