RJH wrote:

Yes, could be. Diagnosing to that level is beyond my pay grade though :-) I'l
try to keep the thing running through the winter and get somebody in to check
calibration etc. It's had a few components changed recently - but none could
be adjusted in any way.

If a fan is going, it might last about a week.

If I was you, I'd order in something just to
take its place. If you can get the item cheaply,
you'll look positively heroic when it blows.
With item in hand, ready to go.

Fans wear. It's an item guaranteed to need replacement.
If you think the device is a keeper, then keeping
a spare fan next to the machine might make sense.

The only reason for me mentioning this, is when
I needed a fan, it wasn't a stock item. I should
have been more proactive.

My fan was *designed* to make a noise as it was
failing. If the motor had been ordinary, it would
have been quiet, until the instant it stalled.
Whereas what they did, was use materials so it
could "clang together for quite a while before stalling".
The noise is supposed to make you "call someone immediately".

Paul