Noise coming from fireplace insert blower

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Mountain_MD

New Member
Feb 2, 2022
8
Maryland
My Napoleon Oakdale EPI3-1 Series wood fireplace insert blower started making noise. I clean the blower every other month and it's only 4 years old.
I've attached a link to a video of the way it sounds. Thanks for any help!
Video
 
Sounds as though the bearings are already going bad

Or the fan has shifted on the rod and is grinding slightly on the housing/screwset
 
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Can you pull the blower out easily and take a look at it? It sounds like you'll be replacing it, but maybe you will get lucky and can lube it. Its probably a squirrel cage, which I've never tried to lube, but if it is a fan on a shift I've been able to lube the bearings successfully.
 
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I think the bearings are good, sounds more like a grinding. The squirrel cage has some buildup on it but I'm having a hard time figuring out the best way to clean it off. Attached another video. Any suggestions, thanks!

Video

20220205_154314.jpg
 
Can you pull the blower out easily and take a look at it? It sounds like you'll be replacing it, but maybe you will get lucky and can lube it. Its probably a squirrel cage, which I've never tried to lube, but if it is a fan on a shift I've been able to lube the bearings successfully.
What lube do you suggest? I called the manufacturer and they said it's all sealed so there would be no point in lubing it.
 
I've had luck bringing 60s electric heaters/fans back with general lubricants. If there's oiling points, Mobil 1 will work its way down. If not, I've used 3 in 1, liquid graphite sprays, kroil, etc.

Since it's a fan, there's cooling around it that something like a door hinge or latch mechanism doesn't have. I'd try a 3 in 1 just to see if it works. If it does, maybe it'll work for a year and just become a spring maintenance deal. If not, we need to figure what would wick down and last a bit longer. I'd try kroil or something like that. I'm not sure how well it'd work with the heat, but it's a great penetrating oil.
 
Remove the squirrel cage by loosening the locking set screw on the motor shaft.

Use 3 in 1 to lubricate. I wouldn't use kroil.

Video link has expired.
 
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3 in 1 is what I use as well.

Get that video back working again.
 
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Deciphering random noise over the internet is hard. Sounds like bearings to me. I just replaced a set in my NC30 fan setup. Was $12.

I would take the fans off and run it again and see if noise persists. If so, you have narrowed it down to bearings or bad motor.
 
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Deciphering random noise over the internet is hard. Sounds like bearings to me. I just replaced a set in my NC30 fan setup. Was $12.

I would take the fans off and run it again and see if noise persists. If so, you have narrowed it down to bearings or bad motor.
Thanks for the advance. Tried taking the bolt out of the fan, going to be a task lol