Convection Fan may be gone

[quickrch]

Well, It is my fault. I have an Avalon Astoria and after using it 24/7 from late October through February the convection fan may be toast. The fan turned off on its own on Friday and I was not home. The family shut off the stove because it was getting too hot. The dog actually was barking and carrying on at the stove until the family came over and turned it off (good dog).

So, I gave the stove a good cleaning and for the first time oiled the convection fan. When I put it back together the convection fan sounded like a helecopter ready to take off. So I took it back out. I am going to rebalance the fan now and see but it may be time to just buy a new one. I see that if I buy the FASCO direct from a fan supplier I can get it for about $100.

So here are my questions (after you admonish me for failure to oil the fan ):

• Anyone ever buy a fan from a non dealer? how did it work out?
• Anyone ever have a fan noisy like I described and brought it back? (I think the bearings are gone).
• I'll be searching how to balance. I did it over the summer but maybe there are better tips out there. If you have a link handy please post it here.

Thanks,
rch

 

[Thaddius Wenderoth]

Sounds like it is toast if you think the bearings are out. $100 is more than worth the alternative to it going out when no one is home (POOR DOG). Spend the $100 and be assured. Then get the dog some treats! (Unless of course you don't get the new fan, no need to waste the money on the treats anymore).

 

[quickrch]

I took the fan out to the garage. I put some air compressor oil in it from TSC I rebalanced it. I reinstalled it. It is running again now. Sounds much better. Dog is recovered. House is warming. Things are looking up. We may consider not running it when we are out though.

Sounds like it is toast if you think the bearings are out. $100 is more than worth the alternative to it going out when no one is home (POOR DOG). Spend the $100 and be assured. Then get the dog some treats! (Unless of course you don't get the new fan, no need to waste the money on the treats anymore).

 

[imacman]

..... I put some air compressor oil in it from TSC.....

Uh, that may not be the best thing for your motor in the long run. Since I don't know anything about that oil, all I'll say is that these motors need 20w non-detergent oil. Preferably, made just for electric motors.

Most widely used and recommended is the 3 in 1 oil in the blue can....it's meant just for electric motors.

www.3inone.com/products/motor-oil/

 

[quickrch]

I looked all over for the blue 3in1 stuff. I couldn't findit at a few stores I went to. I can't say what I used is best and would not reccomend it. It is a nondetergent oil. ISO-100 SAE 30. So it is the wrong weight. After no oil for 3 years and 20+ tons. I am not sure the oil weight matters. This what I used:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/campbell-hausfeld-reg-air-compressor-oil-16-oz--3434054

I'll post back here when the fan breaks...

Uh, that may not be the best thing for your motor in the long run. Since I don't know anything about that oil, all I'll say is that these motors need 20w non-detergent oil. Preferably, made just for electric motors.

Most widely used and recommended is the 3 in 1 oil in the blue can....it meant just for electric motors.

www.3inone.com/products/motor-oil/

 

[Mr. Spock]

What kind of fan blades and How did you rebalance the fan? Just curios as I have never done this.

 

[quickrch]

There are a few threads about this. I hooked up a plug and wire to some terminals I could spin the fan with. After I oiled the fan and ran it a while I saw it was vibrating badly. I have read that there are people who have used a lawn mower blade balancer but I don't have one (yet). First I put the fan on a metal rod that it just fit around. I leveled the rod with two nails on a post (so the rod sat between them). I spun the fan a few times by hand and saw where the heavy side was. I reassembled the fan and ran it and the fan stopped the same place as it did on the rod. I used zip ties to weight the light side. It took 3 very small ones to get the vibration down to the minimum. I'd like to have the equipment but this method did reduce the noise in the stove.

What kind of fan blades and How did you rebalance the fan? Just curios as I have never done this.

 

[Mr. Spock]

Thanks for the explanation quickrch.

 

[imacman]

I looked all over for the blue 3in1 stuff. I couldn't findit at a few stores I went to.....

I suggest a few calls to electric motor supply/repair places....they most likely will have the right thing, or be able to tell you where to get it.

Or just order the 3 in 1 on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00065VGUC/ref=biss_dp_t_asn

Another good oil that I have recommended to others on the forum is Lubit-8:
http://www.amazon.com/Products-002-...e=UTF8&qid=1360551521&sr=8-1&keywords=lubit-8

 

[Harvey Schneider]

Fans don't just go out of balance by themselves. Odds are the bearings are worn to the point where something is colliding. Probably the rotor against the stator. Rebalancing will reduce the noise for a while, but not for long.

 

[imacman]

Fans don't just go out of balance by themselves. Odds are the bearings are worn to the point where something is colliding. Probably the rotor against the stator. Rebalancing will reduce the noise for a while, but not for long.

Or he knocked the little balance clip off during cleaning. I did it once.

 

[quickrch]

I think I may have not tightened the set screw tight enough and the fan came out a bit and amplified the wobble. So, fixing the balance and putting it back together correctly seems to have made a difference. Fan is still quiet a few days later.

Or he knocked the little balance clip off during cleaning. I did it once.

 

[PoolGuyinCT]

Order a new fan, have it on the shelf... Your fan will fail on its terms and not on a warm or convienant day.

 

[nikeseer]

Hi Everyone,

I have the ECO Choice CAB 50 from heatilator. Loved it this winter. Newbie and I've gotten down her way! Now as of a few days ago I have higher than normal pitch. She runs on medium with feed about half. Same pellets all year. Also there is a vibration to her. What could this be? I clean the convection fan blades every 25-30 bags. She was just cleaned not that long ago. Any insight.

 

[quickrch]

Thank you for this. I was looking at the fan and relearned that it can be oiled. when starting it last night I put a drop of oil in the oil hole closest to the stove and it took off running. I ordered new gaskets for the door, glass, and ash pan and will hold off on the fan for now. As soon as I put the oil in it ran like it was new again. For the first time this season I could go to the second red "High" and let it run. No pellet build up and a warm house all night in the snow. I did find an electric fan repair shop nearby. If I make it to the end of the season I may take it there in the Spring and have it refreshed.