Repairing Lakewood Kool Operator fan

[Peabody]

I have an old 7-blade Kool Operator fan which I'm trying to get working again. For a long time, it only started up on Hi, and now it just doesn't start up. And the blade no longer moves freely. So I suspect it needs cleaning and oiling. I hope that's all. I don't find a capacitor anywhere, and the switch seems good.

The problem is getting the plastic fan blades off the shaft so I can take the motor apart. I can't tell whether it screws on, or in which direction, or is pressed on, or what.

Has anyone taken one of these fans apart or knows how to get the blades off?

Thanks for any suggestions.

[Peabody]

Nevermind. It's just pressed on, with a square side. So it just needs to be pulled straight off, wiggled, persuaded, but not turned.

Peabody says...

[Stormin Mormon]

Thanks for the update. I've found that brake cleaner or carb cleaner works well to remove dried out lube. Zoom Spout turbine oil works well for oiling. I've heard that two stroke gas mix oil works well, also. Not the gasoline mix, just the oil.

A sticky fan; gas mix to thin The man's actions were damnable The can it did say flammable He plugged it in, the cord to the socket The explosion blew the house up just like a rocket And now the burn ward he's in

[Peabody]

Yeah, the problem was just that after 25 years it just had no effective lube left. One bearing was completely dry. So I cleaned all the dust and crud out, added a fair amount of oil, and now it works fine.

By the way, these fans are really nice if you find one that's still in one piece (the feet tend to break off). This is the 7-blade original Kool Operator, not the current

5-blade version, which gets bad reviews. The old one's Low setting is just perfect - moves a moderate amount of air at very low noise, which is what you want 99% of the time.

[Stormin Mormon]

Sounds like a good old work horse. I dragged out a box fan I got a long time ago, and of course had to spray clean with some brake cleaner, and reoil. Good for a couple years more.

[filidave5]

Just tore apart my old Kool Operator. Probably close to 15 years old. Got i t taken apart (thanks for the tips) and oiled up, but it seems I let it get too hot and blew the thermal fuse buried in the motor connector. Has anyon e taken it down to bare bones and seen the rating of the thermal fuse? I as sume that is what is hiding in the side pocket of the connections for the w indings. The white lead shows open inside the motor on the wire holder/conn ector. Maybe I'd be safe with a 100 degree C unit since the nameplate says Class B (130 C) insulation. Loved it when it worked; the low setting was qu iet enough not to bother my sleeping; moves a lot of air. Another "new" fan is much too loud. Thanks.

[david j anthony]

replying to Peabody, david j anthony wrote: where does one find the replacement blade?

[tucsonics]

replying to Peabody, tucsonics wrote: As engineers, Lakewood would know that more blades and lower speed = quieter operation. I suppose they went to a 5 blade because of lower cost to make or a patent issue. I've been trying to find a replacement motor for mine, which has an open winding, or something. Anyway, it won't turn and it's lubricated ok.

[Mike Burns]

replying to Peabody, Mike Burns wrote: Missing the knob in the rear of my Lakewood Kool Operator JR fan. Where may I obtain one?