Upgrading Jotul Fan Motor Bearing to Sealed Ball bearings ?

[RonInMidland]

Have been pleased for 8 years with my blower equipped Jotul C450 Kennebec insert. I lube the bronze fan motor bushing 2-3 times per season with a drop or two of oil however I would like to retrofit the blower with either needle or ball bearings to reduce power consumption and perhaps making the blower unit even quieter.

Has anyone any gone down this path ?

Perhaps finding another like sized squirrel cage fan assembly that would drop in with no or minor fan housing modification ?

 

[funflyer]

I've done this with larger motors when there was enough room to add housings for the bearings. Last one I did was for a whole house fan. I machined aluminum housings and used a ball bearing on the shaft end and a needle bearing in the lead end. Bearings are easy to find in standard sizes to fit most AC motors but unless you have the right tools to reengineer a motor, you would be better off buying a better quality one to begin with.

 

[NE WOOD BURNER]

Amazon has motors with sealed bearings I just put a single speed fan in mine for $89. its an exact fit. low speed would be nice but to me wasn't worth the extra coin.