I posted a picture of the squirrelcage motor in my homemade "air filtration system" with 18x24" filters. The motor has started to make a high pitched squeeking noise, and the center circular pieces in the picture (bearings?) are getting hot. Is there any way to lubricate, or salvage the motor, or do I need to get a new (used?) motor? This thing has had many, many hours on it, since I use it too to circulate the air in the basement. So I owe it gratitude, but can afford another motor. OTOH, if it can be saved somehow, that would be good. But I don't want it to catch fire!!!
-------------------------------------------------------------- Get an aerosol can of light grade oil (3-N-1, sewing machine, etc) along with the plastic straw that serves as an extension.
See if you can feed the straw in past the motor housing(s) so you can squirt some oil on the bearing(s).
Sometimes you can, sometimes you can't, it's a crap shoot.
I got mine from a local AC company. You might get a replacement motor (used) very cheap this way. If you are ever down in Georgia I have a spare unit you can have.
====================================== If price is controlling issue, shit can the whole shebang and buy a 20" box fan at end of season price of about $10 from a big box store and get a beer.
But, if a hammer seems too crude, you can make a cheap press at the hardware store. Buy two short ones of these, one that's a little larger than the outer flange of the bearing, one that maches the outer flange:
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a piece of this that is the largest size that will fit through the bearing:
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a couple of nuts and washers that fit the all-thread. To remove the old bearing, fit the big nipple over the bearing, slide the all-thread through, put on nuts and washers, tighten nuts. To install the new bearing, put the big nipple against the hole that the bearing will go in, slide the all-thread through, slide the bearing and the small nipple on, put on nuts and washers, tighten nuts. Get a satisfied feeling when the bearing seats. Kerry
I posted a picture of the squirrelcage motor in my homemade "air filtration system" with 18x24" filters. The motor has started to make a high pitched squeeking noise, and the center circular pieces in the picture (bearings?) are getting hot. Is there any way to lubricate, or salvage the motor, or do I need to get a new (used?) motor? This thing has had many, many hours on it, since I use it too to circulate the air in the basement. So I owe it gratitude, but can afford another motor. OTOH, if it can be saved somehow, that would be good. But I don't want it to catch fire!!!
"anon" wrote in news:5064a193$0$22361$ snipped-for-privacy@unlimited.newshosting.com:
This is very close to a post-mortem, as predicted by Puckdropper.
I took things apart. This is a 7.7 Amp motor for 1050 rpm. It was rather solidly mounted, so that wasn't the problem.
It was an interesting experience. There was 1 loose long bolt that attached a grounding wire between outer housing and motor itself. If there ever was a nut on the other side it is now lost. I can't get the bearing covers (?) off unless I go out and buy something. So I am going to ask a plumber friend whether he might know of a squirrelcage fan and motor that is looking for a new home. Otherwise, I may just go and get another one on eBay.
"anon" wrote in news:5064a193$0$22361$ snipped-for-privacy@unlimited.newshosting.com:
This is very close to a post-mortem, as predicted by Puckdropper.
I took things apart. This is a 7.7 Amp motor for 1050 rpm. It was rather solidly mounted, so that wasn't the problem.
It was an interesting experience. There was 1 loose long bolt that attached a grounding wire between outer housing and motor itself. If there ever was a nut on the other side it is now lost. I can't get the bearing covers (?) off unless I go out and buy something. So I am going to ask a plumber friend whether he might know of a squirrelcage fan and motor that is looking for a new home. Otherwise, I may just go and get another one on eBay.
- Han,
It sounds as if the bearings are tightly pressed onto the rotor and into the end caps, preventing you from separating the motor. A seated bearing set will only move if pressure is applied evenly and straight along shaft direction. Prying with one screwdriver is futile; you would need at least two large screwdrivers applied at the same time directly across from each other, torquing in opposite directions. Even this is doubtful to work on the tough nuts to crack.
Sometimes I'll use the weight of the stator to my advantage, being very careful to protect the shaft, and raise the motor assy and strike (gently at first) the shaft end of the rotor (traveling in a straight line with the shaft) onto the (carpetted) bench until the weight of the stator drives the front end cap off of the bearing (or the front bearing off the shaft). Unfortunately removing the rear end cap is more difficult without the mass of the stator to help and the end caps tend to be a brittle cast metal that don?t like repeated banging.
Regarding the nutless screw, if one of the adjoining screws were at all loose, one of the end caps could have skewed slightly, binding the bearing up, creating increased friction, higher heat, etc.. If the motor could be hand turned, find a nut to fit the bolt, tighten it all up making sure the end caps seat tightly and evenly into the stator frame. Having all of the screws tight may make the difference.
(The opinions and suggestion expressed above are my own and do not reflect current enginieering or electrical standards in any way.)
"anon" wrote in news:5064b859$0$22390$ snipped-for-privacy@unlimited.newshosting.com:
Thanks, Scott, but I have indeed given up on this thing. Chalk one up for experience and in favor of the disposable society. I wonder what the town's recycling division is going to do with it ...
Man, it's obvious you have not dome many repairs! You knock ball bearings in by driving them on the OUTER race. Usually using a suitably sized socket and a medium hammer. Care is required, of coarse
- but the chance of contributing to brunelling of the bearing are excedingly remote. Bearing drivers are made and available at a reasonable price for purists and tool junkies - and are the standard recommended method of "driving" most automotive ball and roller bearings, from alternators to transmissions.
I received an entire furnace gratis for the asking. Some day, I'll use the included squirrel-cage fan to blow/filter the shop air. To save the HVAC companies trouble, they often give the old units away, even when they're complete and working.
-- Never trouble another for what you can do for yourself. -- Thomas Jefferson
Ditto. 1/2" drive sockets usually had large enough orifices to handle small shafts, and an old collapsible steering shaft tube worked to hammer the socket down over the shaft, for armature-mounted bearings and such.
I also cut old bearing races with my die cutter and a cutoff disc so I could use it to tap in the new races. Tap the old one out, cut a slot with the cutter, cool, and wire-brush the edges off. I think I have a dozen of those in various sizes in my old mechanic's toolbox.
-- Never trouble another for what you can do for yourself. -- Thomas Jefferson
--------------------------------------------------------------- Try running that past a bearing manufacturing application engineer and see if you can get one to salute it.
Guarantee it will never happen.
The above is total bull shit.
There was a time in my life that one of my major tasks was to oversee the design and installation of all ball bearings for an electrical rotating equipment manufacturer.
We shipped thousands units equipped with ball bearings every month.
Trust me, none of my bearing suppliers would have put holy water on what you are suggesting.
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