How do I Lubricate a Blower Motor?

[Kool]

Hey, I have a couple blowers (squirrel cage type) with direct drive motors. I want to lubricate the bearings, but I'm not sure what i'm looking for. I know what type of oil to use and I know i'm only supposed to use about 5 or so drops, but i don't know where to put 'em! I thought there would be an oil fill spot(s) to do this, but can't seem to locate any. Surely they wouldn't design it so you have to take the damn motor out, would they? Anyone have any experience doing this and know what I should be looking for, what it looks like and approx. where it is?

Thanks in advance.

Kool

[phab]

...from what you have said it sounds like youre looking for a tiny hole on the motor about 2mm. it should have a stamp in the metal that says oil. ive seen these type of oil fills on electric motors before but i dont know what setup you have.
the squirrel cage blower i have has a belt driven shaft connected to an electric motor that came out of a furnace.

are you sure they arent sealed bearings?

[LTD]

little spout with spring lid? real little, small like a pencil eraser

[brettodie]

normally the motors are sealed. there will be bearings on the fan you might be able to get to but i doubt the "motor" has bearings you can oil peace brett

[jiminyrootkit]

the motor is probably sealed, there may be a spot to oil the cage itself, if it's the kind with a seperate spindle and a belt drive off the motor, but if it's the kind where the fan's "cage" is hard mounted onto the motor spindle, there's prolly nothing to oil.
-f

[Kool]

It's def. the kind where you lube the motor bearings. See the attached photo. I'm not sure if it's going to be readable, but it says: "...Lubricate motor at the start of each heating season...8 to 10 drops...electric motor oil should be added to each bearing"

Also, I have attached a photo of each motor. Anyone dealt with one like this and no where I should be looking for the "oil port(s)".

Kool

[phab]

...try a small mirror like a womans makeup mirror and see if you can find that tiny hole i mentioned before. you also might want to call a furnace company and ask for a tech and tell him what youre doing. try to supply as much info as you can like the motor make or year. i would guess the bearing oil hole would be at on the end of the shaft since it is the bearings that keep the spindle shaft in line.

[brettodie]

the center cap on the motor might pop off to reveal the bearing for oiling. not sure though but worth a look. peace brett

[Kool]

the center cap on the motor might pop off to reveal the bearing for oiling. not sure though but worth a look. peace brett

I was waiting for someone to say that. It sure looks like it's meant to pop off, but i didn't want to go jacking it to all hell. I also didn't want to say that outright and just have someone agree with me, giviing me false security. Of course, it still might not be the answer, but at least this way i won't feel like a complete moron when I ruin it! I'll let you know what happens.

Kool

[Kool]

OK, here's what happened. After some struggle, I finally got the first cap off to reveal a buch of green foam packed around the shaft. I then removed the foam (which was definitely oily) and saw that there are quadrants seperated by metal. I've got to think that I'm supposed to put the oil in these quadrants. I posted pics below of the top of the shaft with the foam removed and also a photo of the foam sitting in the cap, just to demonstrate what it looks like...I know. Anyway, I was all excited, and then i opened the second one, which was much easier now that I have the technique down. Unfortunately, even though these are both similar looking GE motors, this one just has the top of the shaft and nothing else. There is an indentation in the top of the shaft, which at first i thought was a hole for oil, but it is not. I guess i could just spin the shaft and put drops around the outside, it seems like they would flow down. there is also a pic of this shaft below.
I've looked for a hole elsewhere on both motors, but couldn't find anything. I've got to think that the caps come off for this very reason, but the second one without the ports is throwing me for a loop and making me hesitate before I actually use the oil. What do you guys think?

Kool

[Greymatter Glass]

don't oil the shaft.... it wont get to the bearing surfaces.

Are the motors over heating, squeeking, or making a bad sound? if not, you can probably just make due without new oil.

I would deff put a squirt of oil on the rear bearing of the one motor you figured out.

You may have to pull the motors to get to the oiling spout on the front bearing...they may be sealed and the tag is wrong....

Ultimately, if they're not over heating, and they're not squeaking, and all seems to be running fine, just leave them alone...oil is required as a factor of time spent running, if the motors dont run continuosly 24/7 they'll last much longer than if they were used in a heating furnace or something... ya know?

I have a big motor that calls for oil every 6 months and it's been running for 3+ years of heavy duty without fresh oil with no problem yet....for whatever that's worth.....

-Doug

[Kool]

Thanks for the help.

I think i'm gonna oil the one and just leave the other alone. Maybe the second one doesn't need to be lubed. It didn't have the sticker witht the directions, the first one (with the ports) did. i just figured since the cap came off on the second one, it must come off for a reason. Then i was thinking they probably use the same body for all their motors, so maybe that's why it comes off.

Anyway, thanks again.

Kool