Chris Schafale on sun 23 apr 00
Help! Getting ready for those last few firings before the first show
of the spring season, next Saturday... Get the pots glazed, the kiln
loaded, punch in the firing schedule, hit "start", turn on the
Envirovent, and YIKES! what is that horrible sound coming from the
vent, (much louder/higher-pitched than the usual sound)? Sounds
either something has come loose, or something is binding and
badly needs lubricating. Get down on my belly, brush off the dust
and accumulated gunk on the fan housing, can't see anything, of
course. Swear, turn on the fan again, just to be sure that noise
hasn't gone away. Swear some more. Take apart the kiln so I can
get at the vent, see that the steel plate that the kiln sits on looks
just awful, black and cruddy with corrosion. Finally get the fan
turned over and figure out how to take the motor off the plate, and
yuck! the bottom of the fan looks awful too. Can't figure out how to
get it apart any further, and can't see what/where to lubricate.
Two questions --
did I do something wrong that caused this level of corrosion, or is
this typical?
how do I lubricate the motor?
Any helpful and detailed advice would be greatly appreciated.
The manual is useless. On the motor is a helpful little sticker that
says I should lubricate with "Anderol" (whatever that is) once a
year, but no information about where the lubricant should go. I
thought I remembered a detailed post on this subject some time
ago, but of course, can't find it now. And naturally, since it's
Saturday, there's nobody home at Skutt, and I'd sure like to get a
firing done this weekend....
Chris
Light One Candle Pottery
Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, USA
(south of Raleigh)
candle@intrex.net
http://www.lightonecandle.com
David Woodin on mon 24 apr 00
There are two small holes one on the back edge and one on the front edge of
the fan motor. They look like two small rubber tubes, very small hole in
them. It is not worth trying to pull the fan itself off the shaft there is
an allen that holds it on and the shaft is usually rusted so much it won't
come apart. Try WD 40 and don't turn the fan on but try to free it by
turning the fan by hand. Let the WD40 sit for a while. I have used 2in1
oil in the small holes. It is normal to have all that junk. You may have to
replace the fan motor assembly.
David
John Rodgers on tue 25 apr 00
A caution about using WD 40. WD 40 was never intended to be a lubicant.
Specifically, the name WD40 stands for Water Displacement Batch #40, indicating
its composition and funtion. If you try to run a motor with it as a lubricant,
your motor will probably burn out a bearing. WD40 can be used to loosen things
up, but be sure to follow immediately with a good lightweight machine oil
designed for bearing lubrication.Depending on the motor, you might use 3-in-1
successfully or you may want to go to a straight 20 wt oil.The latter might be
better if the environment is hot.
John Rodgers
Birmingham, AL
David Woodin wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> There are two small holes one on the back edge and one on the front edge of
> the fan motor. They look like two small rubber tubes, very small hole in
> them. It is not worth trying to pull the fan itself off the shaft there is
> an allen that holds it on and the shaft is usually rusted so much it won't
> come apart. Try WD 40 and don't turn the fan on but try to free it by
> turning the fan by hand. Let the WD40 sit for a while. I have used 2in1
> oil in the small holes. It is normal to have all that junk. You may have to
> replace the fan motor assembly.
> David
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