Blower has started making noise (Lopi)

[tickbitty]

The blower on our 4 year old Lopi 1750i has started making noises, a couple different noises but the high pitched squirrel cage noise is the one that is really getting to me. We haven't tried anything yet, anybody with experience on these blowers or blowers in general have ideas on what we should attempt first?
Have only been using stove a few weeks this year. Haven't ever oiled the blower or anything and not sure if that's recommended. Thanks!

 

[tickbitty]

The blower on our 4 year old Lopi 1750i has started making noises, a couple different noises but the high pitched squirrel cage noise is the one that is really getting to me. We haven't tried anything yet, anybody with experience on these blowers or blowers in general have ideas on what we should attempt first?
Have only been using stove a few weeks this year. Haven't ever oiled the blower or anything and not sure if that's recommended. Thanks!

 

[gzecc]

Oil or replace the motor?

 

[DBoon]

First step is to vacuum off the blower - it is probably filled with dust. If it is like my Lopi Answer, you'll be able to see into the blower and see how filled up with dust it is. When it is filled with dust, it will have restricted airflow and will have to work harder to push the air - not what you want if you want quiet operation.

Once you vacuum it out, then assess what you need to do from there.

 

[Holiday]

If you can get to the bearing or bushing to give it a little grease or oil that would be good. Fixed the fan motor on my truck doing that.

 

[guy01]

my blower (freedom Bay Insert) needs replaced on a four year cycle .I was told you can't just replace the motor you need the whole unit,about $100.00 if I remember right.
Guy

 

[bioman]

I would clean it real good & lube it up if possible . If that don't work just turn up the TV.

 

[Shmudda]

If its a high pitched squeal like you say it's most likely a bearing needing some lube. Use a light oil, not grease or anything heavy. They spin to fast for the heavy lubes.

Craig

 

[Grisu]

I second the recommendation for cleaning. Should be done at least once better two or three times per season anyway. A cheap brush can help to get the dust out of the places the vacuum does not really get to.

 

[Lanningjw]

I blew my fan with compressed air, fluff was flying all over the place. Hold the fins on the fan so you do not damage them. Ran like it did when I installed the insert.

 

[tickbitty]

Thanks everyone, finally checking back in. So should we detach the blower for the initial cleaning or try it without?
I'm thinking pull it off - then I can see what else is going on in there. Appreciate the comments, thank you all!

 

[tickbitty]

Gosh, hoping it won't need to be replaced for a long time! Clean and lube sounds like a plan. THanks everyone for the comments and help!

 

[Lanningjw]

I pulled the cover off and blew it off. Great results, runs like new!

 

[begreen]

Remove it for a thorough cleaning. If you can oil the bearings, all the better.

 

[tickbitty]

We removed the blower and vacuumed and picked out all we could - There was pretty much enough fur in there to make another pet, so hopefully that will do the trick. Does not seem to be an obvious way to actually access the fan,motor or bearings from the back as there are continuous metal coverings. We were able to reach in the sides and clean out the "sleeves" of dust/dog hair from around the fan area though. So, hopefully this will do the trick. Thanks for the help!

 

[begreen]

There was pretty much enough fur in there to make another pet...

LOL On many of these motors one now has to carefully drill into the felt at the bearing ends in order to lube them. Some are almost impossible to do this.

 

[DBoon]

Filled with pet hair - of course. Probably vacuumed right off of them as they lay in front of the wood stove!

 

[tickbitty]

Yes and two of those beloved shedding machines are no longer with us, but I spotted a bunch of their fur (we used to have three dogs and they each had a different color/texture). So now it's running a bit better, but still rattling some, wish I could get it open and get inside to fully get at the fans and the bearings. There are three small screws that come out with a philips head screw driver, but then there are 4 or more rivets that keep you from getting inside. Wonder if there is some alternative way!

 

[DBoon]

Bummer - tough to lose man's best friend. Sounds like they provided a lot of good memories....

 

[tickbitty]

Bummer - tough to lose man's best friend. Sounds like they provided a lot of good memories....

Yeah, it was tough to lose both those guys. One less than a year ago, was my heart dog!

So, put cleaned out blower back on and it rattles more than ever. Guess it needs to go to the local Lopi dealer, or something. Possibly under warranty since it's under 5 years old, but not sure the blower would be covered. I'll post again if and when I take it to the dealer. (The local dealer sells Lopi but he's not who I bought mine from, because they didn't have any in stock for me to look at or buy, so I'm not sure how well he would know the product, but we will see.) As much of a Lopi fan as I am, and appreciate their quality, I'm still a bit irked at how tough it is to get answers from the company. Jealous of the thrifty Englanders and their more direct customer service.

 

[tickbitty]

Well, the blower was really too rattly to use, so we have been going without. Finally took it somewhere today, and yeah the bearings are gone on one side. The warranty on the blower is only 2 years and it's been 4 but I am still bummed. New blower costs $300. I guess you can attempt to replace the fan yourself for less, but you have to drill out the rivets and stuff to get in there, and we don't really know what we are doing. Bummer. I know it has to do with how dirty the thing got, but heck, woodburning is dirty.
Have been pleased with my Lopi quality, but this is a little bit of a low point.

 

[tickbitty]

New Blower $300. My idea was to disable the side with the busted bearing and just use the blower one sided but the dealer couldn't figure out how to disable just one side. So, old blower lasted 4 years. Not too great. On the plus side, the new blower has the on/off and controller in the middle right over the air control, the old one had it on the cord a couple feet away, and for those who might want to hide the cord, that's not a good idea. I was pleased with how the stove heated without the blower, by the way, but the circulation is faster with the fan.

 

[Fins59]

New Blower $300. My idea was to disable the side with the busted bearing and just use the blower one sided but the dealer couldn't figure out how to disable just one side. So, old blower lasted 4 years. Not too great. On the plus side, the new blower has the on/off and controller in the middle right over the air control, the old one had it on the cord a couple feet away, and for those who might want to hide the cord, that's not a good idea. I was pleased with how the stove heated without the blower, by the way, but the circulation is faster with the fan.

Don't know if your blower is same as mine, but, for mine, on the air intake side opening, I hang (or attach) a regular furnace filter. I actually buy a 14"x20"x1" and cut it in half (14"x10") to get two filters from one. I use either MERV 7 or 8. The suction of the fan actually will hold the filter to the housing, but I kind of hang mine on the protective screen that's on there.

Up until about a week ago we had a pet cat (Big Boy) but he also is no longer with us. (He was 15 yrs old). I was amazed at the cat hair that would accumulate and also my stove is in my wood shop area so sawdust dust is being caught by that filter. Been replacing it about every 10 days. But now with cat gone, it might last longer.

My fan motor has 2 tubes, one leading to the front bearing and one leading to rear bearing. Every so often I'll add a few drops into these tubes. Hopefully it's getting to the bearings. I think you have to be careful on the weight of the oil you use. I saw the other day there is a regular dedicated fan oil available. I've been using 20 W motor oil (recommended by stove mfg.) Had bearings replaced once in 30+ years.
I have a couple extra motors I picked up over the years, sitting on the shelf, just in case.

 

[tickbitty]

Don't know if your blower is same as mine, but, for mine, on the air intake side opening, I hang (or attach) a regular furnace filter. I actually buy a 14"x20"x1" and cut it in half (14"x10") to get two filters from one. I use either MERV 7 or 8. The suction of the fan actually will hold the filter to the housing, but I kind of hang mine on the protective screen that's on there.

Up until about a week ago we had a pet cat (Big Boy) but he also is no longer with us. (He was 15 yrs old). I was amazed at the cat hair that would accumulate and also my stove is in my wood shop area so sawdust dust is being caught by that filter. Been replacing it about every 10 days. But now with cat gone, it might last longer.

My fan motor has 2 tubes, one leading to the front bearing and one leading to rear bearing. Every so often I'll add a few drops into these tubes. Hopefully it's getting to the bearings. I think you have to be careful on the weight of the oil you use. I saw the other day there is a regular dedicated fan oil available. I've been using 20 W motor oil (recommended by stove mfg.) Had bearings replaced once in 30+ years.
I have a couple extra motors I picked up over the years, sitting on the shelf, just in case.

Sorry about your old kitty. :-(
Our blower has a kind of rounded front, and looks like this: If I wanted to put a filter on it, I'd have to get it to go around the corners I guess... maybe I could squeeze one in on the inside but that would mean taking the thing off pretty frequently and that's not easy to do either!
(broken image removed)

 

[Fins59]

Just noticed you have an insert. Totally different fan than mine. Can't see offhand how you could hook up a filter.
You would think mfg would come up with something.