My room blower bearings are bad but no replacement fan can be found.

[Whitfield1]

Out of the blue my 1980's Whitfield 1 distribution fan began sounding like an unbalanced washing machine in spin cycle. It had always run at maximum speed, I believe because the control setting dial inside the variable-power unit (rheostat) was set wrong, producing little if any reduction in speed. I removed the blower and gave the shaft some lubrication for the heck of it, but the squirrel cage was noticeably wobbly, so for sure a bearing to two must be shot.

I have limited options since I can't find any reference on the internet to the Fasco motor that powers it. [No. 7021-7462 Type U21B 1.65 Amp.]
I hope another motor can be attached to my blower housing somehow, though I have no idea how to separate the two.

I read about imbalanced blowers and mine is definitely now imbalanced since it's rumbling sound is very rhythmical, so for the present I'll remove it once more and attempt to balance it, if possible.

I adjusted the rheostat speed-control dial inside its control box too far toward the slow side so now it either runs fast or runs slow, and the in-between is limited to the width of a hair. Running slower quiets it down a lot, -as I learned when bench-testing it with a variable-power controller, but that was before adjusting that dial too far. I'll have to find a happy medium so I can use it during the interim.

While running it today, and sitting next to it with the blower apparently running too slowly, the entire stove just shut down. That worried me but later, after cooling, both blowers worked again. Lesson: higher speed keeps the heat down. I'll aim a fan at the back inside next time.

I saw at a road-side rummage sale location an old Whitfield model, -but more modern than mine, but it was in horrible looking condition, -exposed to an old barn environment it appeared (very dirty) but priced at just $50. I'll check it out tomorrow and maybe pick-up such cheap spare parts, -heck, I might even end up with some to sell and pay for the thing! That would be a great silver lining. Now if only I can figure out what the heck to do with my over-flowing septic tank here in wonderland.

 

[Phil Do's fire.]

That Fasco part number superceeded years ago. The motors are still available aftermarket and on ebay. On ebay search Whitfield pellet stove and you will find one. Also electricmotorwarehouse.com has them

 

[Whitfield1]

That Fasco part number superceeded years ago. The motors are still available aftermarket and on ebay. On ebay search Whitfield pellet stove and you will find one. Also electricmotorwarehouse.com has them

Thanks! That opened the door to finding listings. The problem now is the ugly price. Minimum found so far is $169. on Ebay. Now I'm wondering if the bearings, which aren't meant to be accessible, can be somehow reached by some dismantling method and replaced on the cheap instead. Bearings are like O-rings. Always the first to go and perhaps the only part to ever fail, leaving the rest of the device worthless.

 

[Roadstar]

Thanks! That opened the door to finding listings. The problem now is the ugly price. Minimum found so far is $169. on Ebay. Now I'm wondering if the bearings, which aren't meant to be accessible, can be somehow reached by some dismantling method and replaced on the cheap instead. Bearings are like O-rings. Always the first to go and perhaps the only part to ever fail, leaving the rest of the device worthless.

I found a Fasco cross reference listing that suggests a Pyro Industries B24220.



The B24220 blower is listed at Electric Motor Warehouse for $87.75.

http://www.electricmotorwarehouse.com/fasco/fasco_blower.htm



All my searches for your 7021-7462 turns up the B 24220.

 

[Harvey Schneider]

Very often when the motors rattle that much it is because the end plates that carry the bearings have loosened up. They do that over time. The plates are held in place by three or four dimples or indents in the cylindrical motor shell.
My PDVC was doing that when I first bought it used and rebuilt it. A tap on each of the dimples with a nail set and all is quiet. Best yet, it didn't cost me a cent.

 

[SmokeEater]

Thanks! That opened the door to finding listings. The problem now is the ugly price. Minimum found so far is $169. on Ebay. Now I'm wondering if the bearings, which aren't meant to be accessible, can be somehow reached by some dismantling method and replaced on the cheap instead. Bearings are like O-rings. Always the first to go and perhaps the only part to ever fail, leaving the rest of the device worthless.

Often these bearings on a squirrel cage shaft are sleeve and when they wear, the shaft also wears. It may be the worn shaft that is no long round making the rhythmic sound you hear. When replacing the sleeves, you might need to replace the shaft also.

 

[MountainSean]

Also the Advantage 1 used the same convection blower that Breckwell stoves use. If you don't go the other route.

 

[tjnamtiw]

If there are real ball bearings in the motor, it's pretty simple to replace them if you get a cheap bearing puller at Harbor Freight. The bearings are easy to get from Grainger or McMaster Carr. The one's I've seen are the same size as skateboard bearings.

 

[Whitfield1]

I can't figure out any way to disassemble the motor nor remove it from the attached stove-mounting assembly. It seems to be permanently sealed in ways preclude disassembly. That includes the back cover of the motor and the shaft capping parts that keep the squirrel assembly on the shaft. It looks like something that is hammered on and meant to never be removed, with circular rings that look like a compressed spring covered by a shaft end-cap like wagon axles use. Them only allow pushing onto the shaft but pulling on them embeds them into the axle. So even my willingness to investigate the innards of the motor is thwarted by an inability to disassemble it short of grinding the retaining pieces off.

 

[Phil Do's fire.]

I can't figure out any way to disassemble the motor nor remove it from the attached stove-mounting assembly. It seems to be permanently sealed in ways preclude disassembly. That includes the back cover of the motor and the shaft capping parts that keep the squirrel assembly on the shaft. It looks like something that is hammered on and meant to never be removed, with circular rings that look like a compressed spring covered by a shaft end-cap like wagon axles use. Them only allow pushing onto the shaft but pulling on them embeds them into the axle. So even my willingness to investigate the innards of the motor is thwarted by an inability to disassemble it short of grinding the retaining pieces off.

The original motor is basically not serviceable. Shop around for a new one. They are available for around $100.