Fan Test

[POP3Y3]

can someone advise how i would test a fan that is out of the heater box? i am not very wise about testing electronicals.

thanks

[Guest Anonymous]

Look at the base of the fan and you will see a male spade connector and a female spade connector. Use some jumper wires connected to a battery and attach them to the connectors. Don't worry about the polarity since it is a DC motor (it will only affect which way the fan turns).

shermanmartinez@hotmail.com

[Mike Self]

1. brown wire is the negative, whatever the other color wire is (usually but not always red, sometimes black) is the positive.

2. If the fan is out of the heater box, just connect the brown wire to the - terminal on your battery, and the other wire to the +. If the fan turns, you're in business. If it tries to turn, encourage it by pushing a little on the fan blades (watch your fingers). If it starts to move, but squeals, disconnect the wires, oil both bushings and try again.

3. Once you have it going, let it run for ten-fifteen minutes to get thoroughly warmed up, then oil again. The fan end armature bushing has a felt pad that will absorb quite a bit of oil--and it's impossible to reach once the fan motor is back in the heater box. Be circumspect in oiling the bushing at the brush end--you don't want oil all over the brushes and commutator ring. Use 3 in 1 or something thicker than WD40 (even 10 weight motor oil will work.)

4. If the fan doesn't work, visually inspect the brushes and commutator. Burned/melted brushes and/or a burned commutator means the motor is probably toast. You can do some continuity tests and possibly fix the motor--I'm working on how to dismantle and make one good one out of several not-so-good motors, but am not finished with my research.

New motors are available but pricy, esp when bought with the fan. I can advise how to remove the old fan from its dead motor if you need to do so...

cheers and happy troubleshooting

mike

PS check the archives for more motor troubleshooting tips.

[tinkidz]

Watch you fingers

[POP3Y3]

thanks for the help. i'll try it tonight and let you know how it goes.

[Whale]

My neighbor tested his electrical fan outside of his car. As soon as he connected power to the leads, the torque caused the fan to jump up and nip the tip of his finger off. It grew back but he was bleeding like a faucet there for a while.

On the plus side, he did find out that his fan was okay. So I figure he's got that going for him.... which is nice.

[POP3Y3]

fan works and all filanges (tips included) accounted for.

thanks for the help guys.