On Wednesday, August 3, 2016 at 1:06:04 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On 3 Aug 2016 17:35:35 GMT, KenK wrote:

The motor in the floor fan in my office is squealing loudly when the fan is
started. Just began a few days ago. Most of these fans have sealed bearings
and can't be oiled. I've tried other fans unsuccessfully in the past.
Anything help besides replacing the fan? Worth the trouble of taking off
the front of the case and trying to squirt some oil around the motor shaft
if I can get to it?

TIA

Let me guess, a stray pig got inside your fan............

Seriously, you can often oil those "sealed bearings" by filling a
medical syringe with some thin oil, and squirting it in the motor
bearings. Of course the bearings might already be worn and it's too late
to do any permanent repair. But the oil can make that motor last a few
more months or so. (Or years if you oil it regularly).

Sealed bearings are just "planned obsolescense". The only advantage is
for the manufacturer, because they can get you to open your wallet and
buy another of their short lived fans or other products (with motors).

Note:
If the bearings have a rubber-like material around the shaft, you can
often pierce that material with the syringe needle and inject the oil.
If there is a hard plastic around the shaft, use a very thin drill bit
to CAREFULLY make a hole to squirt the oil.

# Syringes can be purchased at pharmacies or farm supply stores.

I've extended the life of many porous bronze sleeve bearing motors by using a tiny drill bit to drill a hole into the metal bearing housing to get to the felt in the oil reservoir. I would grind the sharp tip off the needle on a syringe so I basically had a tiny hollow tube. It didn't seem to make any difference if there was a sharp tip on the needle as far as dispensing oil but it made it much safer to handle. I'd use either turbine oil or 3-In-One Oil in the syringe, push the needle through the hole into the felt in the oil reservoir and soak it. A few tiny drops of oil around the shaft where it comes out of one of both ends of the motor will soak in especially if you pull the shaft in and out as you twist it. It may take a little while for the oil to soak into the bearing but the friction warming the bearing pulls the oil into the porous bronze. I'd put a drop of hot melt glue or silicone sealer over the hole in the bearing housing so I could get back in if I had to. I saw motors I serviced that way often last for years. ^_^

[8~{} Uncle Motor Monster