Lower fan speed?

[woodyc]

...If you add a few drops of oil on the shaft next to the bearings every year or two the motor can last a very long time...

Yeah, but guess what? I went thru three Walmart shaded pole fans in the last 5 years. I took the last apart (as I am wont to do) to find out how they could possibly make a fan fail... Turns out there was a junky thermal switch imbedded in the coil and those switches just break. You have to partially unwind the coil very carefully to find it. But if you pull it out, as you say, the motor will last decades. There is a really good lesson here about complexity and reliability.

[eschertron]

Yeah, but guess what? I went thru three Walmart shaded pole fans in the last 5 years. I took the last apart (as I am wont to do) to find out how they could possibly make a fan fail... Turns out there was a junky thermal switch imbedded in the coil and those switches just break. You have to partially unwind the coil very carefully to find it. But if you pull it out, as you say, the motor will last decades. There is a really good lesson here about complexity and reliability.

...or planned obsolescence? :grumble:

[J M Fahey]

What opening temperature is that thermal fuse rated at?
It should be printed in the case.

[Steve A.]

Yeah, but guess what? I went thru three Walmart shaded pole fans in the last 5 years. I took the last apart (as I am wont to do) to find out how they could possibly make a fan fail... Turns out there was a junky thermal switch imbedded in the coil and those switches just break. You have to partially unwind the coil very carefully to find it. But if you pull it out, as you say, the motor will last decades. There is a really good lesson here about complexity and reliability.

That junky thermal switch(fuse) is there to protect against the motor burning up and taking your house down with it. If you had 3 fail in 5 years then there is something seriously wrong with that motor design. I was thinking of the decent quality exhaust fans (like Broan) in your kitchen or kitchen not the disposable box fans, etc. Kinda like window air conditioners- when a motor or compressor goes out it is cheaper to replace them than repair them.

With a properly designed shaded pole motor the thermal fuse will blow only if the fan freezes up and overheats. (Yeah that sounds like a contradiction in terms.)

Steve Ahola

P.S. FWIW I removed the thermal fuse from the windings of the power transformer in my Pignose G40V but I did add another fuse to the incoming AC line just to be safe.

[Steve A.]

My mistake... you said box and I was thinking Boxer fan for cooling off your power tubes.

So how do people "cool off their power tubes" if they are wearing briefs?

Steve

[J M Fahey]

You worry about contradictions?
What about Scots who can easily "cool off their power tubes" (they wear no undies), yet live in a bitter cold winters Country?

[Steve Conner]

I'd stick an Ampeg SVT up ma kilt to keep warm, but ma croft has nae electricity.

[J M Fahey]

I guess croft is one of those warm cozy stone walled huts with not too leaky straw roofs?
Nice place to stay in winter
Now I understand why they invented uisquebaugh !!

Now seriously: do the Conners have some special kilt design?
Or a coat of arms, now that we are at it?