# Regarding small electric motors...



## sharkman (Nov 26, 2002)

... Can they be lubricated? ie.-hit with WD40?

The small and probably original motor on the ceiling fan in the bathroom of our Don Mills home has started to whine when switched on. I've cleaned the surface of the motor with a vacuum but it didn't seem to help any. Any one know if spraying a lubricant on the moving pieces will damage anything inside?

Thanks,

Bill


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

WD 40 should not hurt it ( designed for this kind fo use ) but it will be "odiferous" for a bit


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

You're talking about the bathroom ventilation fan, right? If the motor is whining, does it get overly hot to the touch after it's been running for a bit?

WD-40 isn't a good long-term lubricant for electric motors. You should get some 3-In-1 electric motor oil, and oil the bearings at either end of the spindle if they're accessible. If the motor is a sealed unit and the bearings aren't accessible, I'd think about plunking down the $ for a new fan or maybe a replacement motor if you can find one.

Here's a handy reference page for this kind of thing.


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## sharkman (Nov 26, 2002)

Yup, the ventilation fan.

No, I can't access both ends of the spindle from the ceiling. Would probably have to go into the attic which is much more difficult than it sounds.

Thanks for your input 'Doug and 'Doc.


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## yoyo (Aug 3, 2003)

You should be able to remove the fan from the housing to clean and lube it.
In the washroom they are subject to moisture causing the bearing to rust.


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## simon (Nov 2, 2002)

WD-40 is a dust magnet, your best bet would be to clean out the dust, clean with alcohol and use a high heat graphite lube or spray (careful they can stain)


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## rgray (Feb 15, 2005)

The whining indicates that the shaft is not spinning as freely as it should (to state the obvious, no offense), therefore the motor is having to work (maybe just a little now, but it isn't going to get better) harder than it should. Thus the motor is drawing more power than it should (costing you $) and running hotter  than it should....... !!!!!!! Excess heat could potentially lead to fire, but most likey the thing will just crap out.

Really these things are the absolute cheapest the builder could find and are crap. They are easily replaced, really, if you are remotely handy. They can be found really cheap if you rent but are worth an upgrade to something halfway decent if you own.

The bearings (bushings) are probably shot. Likely, they are cheapo plastic and can't be replaced. If you want to lube them anyway (buy a little time) a graphite spray is good - watch the overspray. WD-40 is a bad idea because it eventually evapourates and runs everywhere. Look for a non-penetrating silicone lube spray and soak the bearings as best you can - this stuff will run and creep while freshly sprayed but dries to a slippery layer that doesn't collect dust, lint and general ickh - a plastic bearing will likely absorb some of the stuff: sort of a reservior. In the unlikely event that they are brass (bronze) you may be able to replace them. If you have the book that came with the thing there will be a part number or try a general bearing service - lots of these things are standard.


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

Yeah replace it - just gonna get worse. Forgot it was one of the little enclosed fans. Thinking more open ceiling fan. The WD40 is not a long term fix - likely just keep it quiet for a few weeks and drive out the moisture and perhaps any rust.
Tinkering time for a complete fix.


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## sharkman (Nov 26, 2002)

*Update:*

Okay, managed to get the motor out of the ceiling. Cleaned it up as best as I could with a cloth and the vacuum, WD40'd the shaft top and bottom, wiped up the excess and returned the motor to the ceiling mount. Re-assembled and switched it on. Whoa, what a difference. It seems to spin twice as fast as it did and no noise at all.

I'll try to get some better lubricant for it but in the mean time, thanks everyone for your input, problem solved for the moment.

-Bill


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## miguelsanchez (Feb 1, 2005)

These guys sell replacement motors for many applications including bathroom fans:

http://www.canmill.com/electricmotor.htm

I bought one from them for my dying exhaust fan. Great service, good prices.

Good luck,

Miguel


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## MacAndy (May 17, 2004)

How's this for small electric motor replacement nightmares...

1. We had our central air conditioner serviced in August, at the height of the heatwave, only to have the furnace motor conk out on us just a week later, thankfully just as the heat ended. The HVAC guy warned us the motor would likely not last much longer and would cost $500-$600 to replace. As we're putting a second storey on the house next spring, we put this on the back burner, ha-ha.

2. My wife gets the number of a friend of the family to fix the furnace. I stay out of it. Finally, after a month, and nearing the end of September, he shows up. My wife explains that while we know it's only $500-$600 to fix the motor, we're putting a second storey on, so would it not make sense to replace it with a higher capacity furnace anyways? He goes away. And stays away unfortunately, never to return. You know that "never work with family or friends motto." It applies here.

3. So we call in the first guy who told us so. Only now he knows [cause we have to tell anyone looking at it] that we are doing a second storey. So the dollar signs spin in his eyes and a new furnace and ductwork to get the house up to code [the basement was bastardized years ago when they threw in a now non-existent basement apartment] would cost $9,500. Now, I don't have a problem spending the money, we have a budget of $80K-$90K for the second storey. But this seemed over the top, especially since it did not include ANY second storey ductwork.

4. Luckily, my wife remembered a list of contacts we got from another person in the neighbourhood who built their own second storey with their own contractors. My wife calls up the HVAC guy on the list and he comes in. Fiddles with this and that and then, zoom... furnace comes alive.

Couldn't be more elated. We have a furnace that will hopefully last us through the winter or hopefully until such time as it needs to be replaced.


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## ErnstNL (Apr 12, 2003)

I concur with the consensus that the motor is about to fail from a bad bearing assembly.

If you have a standard (cheap) type of fan (like a Broan) you might be able to replace the unit very easily. The grille pulls off easily. I was able to take out the old fan assembly held in by 1 screw and 2 tabs and replace it with a more efficient, quieter unit. I replaced a 50 CFM fan with a quieter 70 CFM fan. 
The casing was the same size and just replaced the whole internal fan thingy. Didn't have to remove/ modify gyproc or anything.

If they are like these: 
Canadian Tire 

You might be lucky like me.


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## rgray (Feb 15, 2005)

sharkman said:


> for the moment.


..."for the moment". Glad you said that..... remember it!


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