have 15 plus year old st Croix auburn squirrel fan motor starting to make weird noises need new motor?
SQUIRRELFAN
- Thread starter duncanite
- Start date
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heat seeker
Minister of Fire
I removed entire stove from house last summer to garage. removed squirrel fan cleaned it with air compressor oiled motor shafts blew entire stove cavity with leaf blower (what a mess). started stove this winter ran fine for about a month then started making noises. took fan out and cleaned, oiled shafts again. ran fine for another month now making noise again.
Bioburner
Moderator
Well there goes a chunk of change. About $140 -150
Can try and use a synthetic motor oil for a bit better result
Can try and use a synthetic motor oil for a bit better result
How are you guys oiling these bearings?
I dug into mine last weekend and see no way possible to oil them. As they are sealed bearings.
I dug into mine last weekend and see no way possible to oil them. As they are sealed bearings.
Bioburner
Moderator
If yours is indeed a sealed bearing, see if you can get a new set or carefully dislodge the seal but good luck on the smaller bearings on getting them to snap back in. If they are bushings then the oiling is your option but sometimes one can get new bushings from a electric motor shop or have the shop see if they can replace.
tlc1976
Minister of Fire
About a month ago my room fan motor was making noises of a dry bearing. I tried drizzling oil and hoping it would work its way in but no go. So I pulled it apart and just kept rubbing grease on the sides of the sealed bearings, while spinning the bearings, as some of it would make its way into the races. Works great now.
I have replaced bearings on the st croix blowers. Plastic squirrel cages are just a friction fit. You just have to work them off. I used a puller to remove bearings from shaft, they pulled easily. Bearing are less than $10 for a set at motor shop. The key thing is not damaging bearings putting them back on shaft. get a 4"x1/4" brass nipple to use as a driver. it will catch the inner race and not smash the seal or damage bearing while driving it back on.
I sat fan on end used small straw to reach shaft oiled lightly spun fan let set awhile turned over repeated. this worked last year. after 3 weeks this winter it started making noise. removed fan cleaned and oiled. 3 weeks later more noise. figured motor shot ordered new from dealer 1 day later noise stopped has been working fine for a week now (go figure). will be replacing at next occurrence.
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