Fan repair

[Andy K]

I am fixing another fan.

I cleaned and lubed the bearings as the shaft was very difficult to move.

There is an electrical switch and a white rectangular box with these markings

M-16 01

DE 3 FU

250W 250 V AC

What should I check next ?

Thanks.

 

[Martin Riddle]

Price of a new fan.

...Jim Thompson

If its an older fan ( Like the all metal grey GE window fans) then it
might be worth while to rebuild it like I did. Was fun making bobins
for the coils and winding them all on one form

An ok reference 'Electric Motor Repair' by Robert Rosenberg
Wish he went into torque an speed calculations.

Cheers

 

[Andy K]

Once, in my lifetime, I rebuilt a 1/2 hp blower motor. Thenceforth I

hire it done. Recently had a ceiling fan require "push start".

Replaced it ;-)



...Jim Thompson

--

| James E.Thompson | mens |

| Analog Innovations | et |

| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |

| San Tan Valley, AZ 85142 Skype: Contacts Only | |

| Voice480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat |

| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |



I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

I will wait till someone with electronic experience makes a post.

Andy

 

[Joerg]

IME bearings that were that far gone do not make a full recovery. Got a
gazillion in our Hammond organ where the previous owner skipped the lube
sessions several years in a row until the thing would not even start up
anymore. After spending over 20h on it the organ works. But it requires
up to three start attempts and occasionally breaks into a wee squeal on
the first two attempts.

Once, in my lifetime, I rebuilt a 1/2 hp blower motor. Thenceforth I
hire it done. Recently had a ceiling fan require "push start".
Replaced it ;-)

Sure it wasn't just a failed capacitor? Those are often easy to change.

 

[Joerg]

Naaaah! Ceiling fans should coast forever. This one would stop after
1/4 turn. It finally reached the point where it couldn't sustain
rotation after a good hefty push start.

Yup, then it's really gone. But sometimes it's just dust, dog hair or
cat hair that got in. Or a spider or other bug.

Twice a year I climb up with a ladder to clean the big ceiling fan. It
is amazing what collects up there.

And it was that handy-dandy Chinese crimped together sheet metal :-(

Young buck to old buck: Thou shalt not be so cheap

Our ceiling fan is one of the top-quality deals from the previous
owners. It is well over 20 years old and runs at least 4000h per year.

 

[Andy K]

The first thing to do is see if the bearings are replaceable. My

fan's weren't. It simply proved cheaper to replace the fan than

attempt replacing the motor assembly. (It was about 15 years old.)



...Jim Thompson

--

| James E.Thompson | mens |

| Analog Innovations | et |

| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |

| San Tan Valley, AZ 85142 Skype: Contacts Only | |

| Voice480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat |

| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |



I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Bearings are good, shaft spins freely.

Andy

 

[Andy K]

IME bearings that were that far gone do not make a full recovery. Got a

gazillion in our Hammond organ where the previous owner skipped the lube

sessions several years in a row until the thing would not even start up

anymore. After spending over 20h on it the organ works. But it requires

up to three start attempts and occasionally breaks into a wee squeal on

the first two attempts.





Price of a new fan.

Sure it wasn't just a failed capacitor? Those are often easy to change.

Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

It might be.

Are there white rectangular shaped capacitors ?

I am familiar with the can type, I recall seeing a lot of blue ones with black writing.

Motor does not smell bad.

This might be the markings of a capacitor.

Thanks.

M-16 01

DE 3 FU

250W 250 V AC

 

[Andy K]

Price of a new fan.



...Jim Thompson

--

| James E.Thompson | mens |

| Analog Innovations | et |

| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |

| San Tan Valley, AZ 85142 Skype: Contacts Only | |

| Voice480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat |

| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |



I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

If you are buying, you can send a check.

 

[Andy K]

So what are we looking at here ?

A ceiling fan, a desk fan, pedestal fan, exhaust fan etc. etc. ?

Is a capacitor run or shaded pole?

Thanks.

I do not understand those terms.

Fan is a pedestal type. Windmere and 82M5 is on a sticker on the motor housing.

 

[Joerg]

It might be.

Are there white rectangular shaped capacitors ?

I am familiar with the can type, I recall seeing a lot of blue ones with black writing.

Motor does not smell bad.

This might be the markings of a capacitor.

Thanks.

M-16 01

DE 3 FU

250W 250 V AC

Capacitors normally do not wave wattages stated on there. Best is to try
to sketch up a wiring diagram. If one end of this goes directly to a
winding and nothing else then it could be a cap. But some fans have a
dual cap where a switch turns on either one or both, for three speeds.

You should be able to measure the cap with a multimeter. No DC
conductivity. If the meter doesn't have a uF range you can use the
highest ohms range and alternate the leads across the removed cap. You
should see a quick dip to low ohms and then retraction to infinite ohms.

 

[tm]

Capacitors normally do not wave wattages stated on there. Best is to try
to sketch up a wiring diagram. If one end of this goes directly to a
winding and nothing else then it could be a cap. But some fans have a
dual cap where a switch turns on either one or both, for three speeds.

You should be able to measure the cap with a multimeter. No DC
conductivity. If the meter doesn't have a uF range you can use the
highest ohms range and alternate the leads across the removed cap. You
should see a quick dip to low ohms and then retraction to infinite ohms.

Maybe the OP can take some good pictures showing the wiring and parts and
provide a link so we can see what he is working with.

tm

 

[Andy K]

Maybe the OP can take some good pictures showing the wiring and parts and

provide a link so we can see what he is working with.



tm

Gold star to you.

Will post some pictures shortly.

 

[Andy K]

Capacitors normally do not wave wattages stated on there. Best is to try

to sketch up a wiring diagram. If one end of this goes directly to a

winding and nothing else then it could be a cap. But some fans have a

dual cap where a switch turns on either one or both, for three speeds.



You should be able to measure the cap with a multimeter. No DC

conductivity. If the meter doesn't have a uF range you can use the

highest ohms range and alternate the leads across the removed cap. You

should see a quick dip to low ohms and then retraction to infinite ohms.



--

Regards, Joerg



http://www.analogconsultants.com/

I am not clear how you want me to check.

I have a volt meter with Ac, dc, and only a continuity check beep.

Andy

 

[Andy K]

I am fixing another fan.



I cleaned and lubed the bearings as the shaft was very difficult to move.



There is an electrical switch and a white rectangular box with these markings



M-16 01



DE 3 FU



250W 250 V AC



What should I check next ?



Thanks.

It's not that big a deal. I will check the switch, if it's good. that will leave the cap as the burnt out part.

I am guessing that when the bearings lost it's lube, the fan starting drawing a much larger amount of current.

They probably could use a resettable fuse.

 

[Joerg]

I am not clear how you want me to check.

I have a volt meter with Ac, dc, and only a continuity check beep.

In that case I'd ask in the neighborhood if someone has a multimeter
with capacitance ranges. Even the one I bough for $20 fro Harborfreight
has that, so chances are high you'll find someone.

If the capacitance is diminished or gone than that would explain
starting problems.

 

[Andy K]

In that case I'd ask in the neighborhood if someone has a multimeter

with capacitance ranges. Even the one I bough for $20 fro Harborfreight

has that, so chances are high you'll find someone.



If the capacitance is diminished or gone than that would explain

starting problems.



--

Regards, Joerg



http://www.analogconsultants.com/

I think it might be a Tantalum Cap.

I saw a yellow rectangular cap on ebay that was yellow.

Mine is white.

Andy

I can not find that cap based on its markings.

 

[Joerg]

I think it might be a Tantalum Cap.

Highly unlikely. AFAIK there are no tantalum AC caps.

I saw a yellow rectangular cap on ebay that was yellow.

Mine is white.

Andy

I can not find that cap based on its markings.

That's why it is important to sketch up how the whole thing is wired,
snap a photo, and post that. Chances are, someone could point out "Oh,
you need this many microfarads there". In the end it doesn't matter what
color the cap is and who made it.