Relube condenser fan motor bearings?

[timdp]

Condenser fan started squealing, so I assumed it was a bearing problem and dumped some oil down the shaft after pulling the motor. Reinstalled it and it was running with no squeal. Ordered a new motor and installed it when it arrived.

Am hoping that the old motor can be relubed correctly to serve as a backup motor. Can this motor be relubed? Pics of the motor below. Unit is 15 years old.

Thanks,

Tim

 

[bazar01]

I think you can pop the front end bell and replace the bearing. But you will not need it til another 10 - 15 years and the system may need replacing or upgrading by then.
I would just keep the old motor for a few months the way it is just in case the new one dies prematurely.

 

[Brian_WK]

Pop those silver caps on the ends of the motor. One goes around the shaft the other one on the other side. Use a flat screw driver or pry bar they pop off pretty easily. Use SEA 30 non detergent and saturate the wick material inside. If there is play in the bearings it will serve as a temporary backup but I wouldn't re-purpose it to anything critical.

Also if you do this re-lubing to the fan motor every other year that new one will outlast the condensing unit.

Also on the new motor make sure you take out the plastic plug on the bottom side but leave the one on the top side to allow moisture to drain.

Brian

 

[timdp]

Thank you Gentlemen.

Does not seem to be any side to side play, so I think I caught it soon enough to prevent bearing damage, but will take a look. Will do the bi-yearly relube and look at removing the plastic plug.

Any interesting ideas for repurposing the 1100 RPM motor?

Tim

 

[SALIV8]

Imo that's a sealed motor. I would trash it if it were me.

 

[Brian_WK]

Sealed bearing motor would be a ball bearing type where only replacing the bearings would fix it. But this is a brass sleave style motor maybe some scoring on the sleeves but still good to run a non critical item. True it will be tough to do being it is 220v.

Brian