bathroom fan ~6 yrs old does not work / repairable?

[dardsa]

The fan in the main bathroom of our ~6 year old (SouthOntario/Canada) just stopped working. It wasnt used excessively in the time we've had the place (1.5 years) and there were no strange noises before it stopped.

The electrical point from where the fan draws power is live (checked with other devices plugged in).

Hardware stores in the area sell a whole fan kit which requires the entire unit be removed (electrics and all).

How can I check to see what is wrong with the unit (a reference book would also be helpful). Is it possible to replace just the motor?

The fan is of the centrifugal type (based on my reading of this NG FAQ) and is 90 CFM conforming to CSA-C260 - no brand name visible.

thanks in advance Darryl

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Probably the motor is gone. I'd bet 99% on that. They usually have a cheap motor that is not repairable. If you are fortunate, you can find a replacement at reasonable cost. Often the motor will cost close to the same as a whole new unit. You may get lucky with what you have. Give the end of the shaft a squirt of a spray lubricant. It won't fix a worn bearing, but sometimes you can get a few months or a year out of it. Other times nothing. The bearings are often sealed and the lubricant will not get to them.

I don't know if they ship to Canada, but

will have many replacement motors.

[Joseph Meehan]

Typical of the cheap fans builders and others put into homes. Repair is likely to be as expensive as it cost in the first place. I suggest you replace it and get a good quality fan. It will run much quieter and likely also move more air. It will also last a lot longer.

[Joe Bobst]

Oilite bearings on some motors can sometimes be revived by drilling a 3/32" hole in the side of the bearing retainer boss and soaking the bearing with a light household oil. You need to disassemble the unit anyway to measure all the dimensions for a replacement if this doesn't work. Good luck.

Joe

[Terry]

wrote in message news: [e-mail]...

Darryl: I'm in Canada too. I've never had our bathroom fan 'burn out' even when they totally jam up and fail to rotate due to grease and dust and dried up or worn bearings. They just sit there and hum and warm up! Our original fan housing and duct, 30+ years, is in place but I've had to 'rebuild' the electric motor several times always finding it was worn/dried up bearings. Most of these simple electric motors have sleeve bearings not ball or roller ones. If you can get the motor out (power off) you might be able to buy a replacement from an electrical supply house; I doubt if a hardware store (such as Canadian Tire!) would carry something like that. And even then you might have to modify the mounting screws or something? Since year 2000 our fan motor has been using some bearings out of a scrapped phonograph motor that I picked up somewhere on garbage day in 1999! Other potentially suitable motor 'bits and pieces' are in a large jar in the basement, since several (do it yourself) members of the family have the electrical and mechanical skills to rebuild the fan next time it 'goes'! Come to think of it there is an old kitchen range hood somewhere in the shed that has a fan and motor in it, hmmm! Having said all that I would agree if you are not the sort of person who keeps those kind of bits (useful junk?) around it will likely be just as cheap to go and buy a new fan and either install it; or if it's basically the same type take the motor and fan out of the new one and install it in the old housing. Good luck.

[Greg O]

We have one of those cheap Broan fans in our bathroom. When it dies I just go buy another whole $6.95 fan from Lowes, Home Depot, or Menards, strip the motor out and stick it in the old housing. Good for another 4-5 years! Greg