Disassemble, Clean & Oil a Commercial Electric Floor Fan (HDX, Utilitech, Mainstays, Mastercraft)

[@valleysart]

You saved the day! I took my fan apart to clean it and could not remember how to put it back together. So thank you very much! 🎉😊

[@TheSuperFanMan]

You're very welcome!

[@TheHiil598]

This video is a life saver. Me an my wife use a fan like this when we sleep. Randomly started screeching for a few seconds every few hours waking us up multiple times throughout the night so I followed along with this video and boom I’m now the hero! I had to use the household 3 in 1 though because the store was out of any electric motor oil. It seems to have still worked fine and even if I have to change it sooner it’s worth being able to sleep in peace 😊

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Awesome, I’m glad it was helpful!

[@samwimpy2600]

I've been keeping a Utiliteck high velocity floor fan since it seized up several years ago. Initially, I searched for a demonstrative video illustrating how to service one...oil the bushings/bearings, but to no avail. Maybe it's been 4-5 years ago, but I just recently came across your tutorial video... My fan is back up & running!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Great to hear that!!

[@shadowpoet87]

Thank you so much, I am one of those people that has my fan on all the time. Mine started making some horrible noises. With you clear instructions I managed to clean and lube it up and its running better than new.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

No problem! I'm glad the video helped!

[@FansOnly25]

Hi, its me again the 10 year old i just wanted to say U got a really cool fan and good job doing whatever u did in it

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Hey thanks!

[@johnnyrunyon2352]

Love the comment. I got 4 myself haha.

[@daviddyg4301]

Great video, used your video as a guide and it worked perfect for a 20+ year old Hampton bay velocity fan. The oil sponges were positioned a little different but accepted the new oil as it should (both sponges were dry, and never serviced during 20 years of construction use). Sanded the light rust around the aluminum bars of the motor/rotor, as it seem to be scratching a bit as well. For the copper coils that were caked up in dust and debris, i first brushed and aired out as much as i could and then i sprayed the coils and aluminum bars with electrical contact cleaner.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Glad it helped! Those older Hampton Bay fans are solid. With occasional maintenance they’ll just keep going!

[@JordieClark]

Your advice about taping the "self-aligning" bushing was a huge help as I was oiling a Honeywell HV-180. Thanks for the video!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

You're welcome! I'm glad it helped!

[@ericmanseau2382]

Thank you so much for such a clear and detailed tutorial. It's probably the best I've seen. I have the same fan as shown and it started squealing really loud this morning so I'm going to follow your tutorial. It hasn't been oiled since I purchased it probably 10 years ago. It's July in SC and I need that fan. Thanks again.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

No problem! Some oil should take of that noise. Stay cool!

[@bernadettepesce773]

Thank you for your calm, thorough presentation.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

No problem! :)

[@tomhiggins875]

On a previous video you had mentioned vanishing the windings. Do you have a video on how to clean and varnish them? Thank you for your videos.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

I currently don't have a video on the varnishing process, however it's quite easy. The products I use are the SprayOn EL600 clear insulating varnish and the Dolph's EB-41 black insulating varnish, depending on which colour suits the motor windings better. I tend to reserve the EB-41 for antique fans that have windings covered in dark friction tape. Before I apply the varnish, I first clean the windings very thoroughly. I spend a lot of time doing this to ensure the windings look pretty much brand new before sealing them in varnish. Some CRC electronics cleaner helps clear out more greasy build-ups without damaging the windings. I use a soft paint brush to get everything out of the nooks and crannies. I then varnish the windings in one of two ways: - I mask parts of the stator I do not want the varnish to get on, take it outside and spray the varnish from the aerosol can. This method is quick and good for varnishing the entire winding. - I spray some of the varnish into a glass jar and use a small paint brush to manually apply it. This gives you more control over where the varnish goes. The varnish is usually dry and ready for service in a day or two. Hope it helps!

[@shadowpeople2645]

Honestly this video helped me cuz there was something stuck in between the blade and motor and i couldn't for the life of me figure out how to remove the blade part

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Great! I’m glad it helped!

[@fordmuscleluis9710]

Fantastic job disassembling this commercial electric fan for cleaning servicing and oiling bro not bad

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thanks Luis!

[@BobbyS1981]

I just went through this on our 14” Lakewood high velocity fan. It is model HVDJ-14 and I just realized we’ve had it for about 20 years. I oiled up the very dry oil wicks, cleaned everything and polished the frame and now it looks and runs as good as new. I miss Lakewood.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

That's great to hear! Those Lakewoods are solid and surprisingly hardy even without much maintenance. I miss Lakewood too. They had really good products. But at the same time, I don't think it's a bad thing that they went out of business, because their products were getting really cheap towards the end. If they were still around today, the quality of their products would likely be abysmal. At least we remember Lakewood as a good fan manufacturer because they went under before their products were became too cheap.

[@BobbyS1981]

@@TheSuperFanMan yep. When I was a child my mom and grandmother had Kmart(Lakewood) and Lakewood box fans among other types. Those box fans were almost bulletproof and got a lot of use in a house with no central air. Would love to have saved one of them. Lakewood’s demise was driven, in large part, by Walmarts constant push for lower prices. Their hand was forced and they had to start sourcing some of their components from China. This ultimately led to their closure as they were selling them at a loss to Walmart. Same thing happened to Huffy, which now only exists in name. Rubbermaid struggled at the hand of Walmart and was acquired by their competitor Newell. This list goes on. Could these companies have survived if they told Walmart to shove it? Maybe but it would’ve been a challenge. Walmart has done more harm than good in the communities it has setup shop. I only shop there when absolutely necessary. Sure many large businesses have questionable practices but Walmart takes the cake. Sorry for the rant. Love the videos. Will you be doing any more antique or vintage fan rebuilds/restorations again soon?

[@superfanb5742]

Lakewood?? Wow! That's an old fan company. According to Wikipedia. Lakewood went out of business due to bankruptcy. R.i.p lakewook

[@TheSuperFanMan]

@@BobbyS1981 I absolutely agree. I think big box stores in general were one of the biggest reasons why companies like Lakewood went out of business. There’s a chance Lakewood could’ve survived a bit longer but eventually they would have went under. A similar thing happened to a Canadian fan company, Seabreeze a few years ago. I’m assuming all of the cheap big box store fans drove their sales down. I’m not the biggest fan of Walmart either. I actually don’t even remember when I last shopped there lol. It’s all good! I like hearing about other people’s opinions, so rants are always welcome. Thanks! Yep, I actually have a couple 1920s antique oscillating fans in the middle of restoration, and even some old ceiling fan projects too. I’ve been filming video clips for all of them, so they should be coming one by one soon. Going to try to post the video for one of the antique oscillators within the next couple weeks!

[@PanaikinElectric]

@@TheSuperFanMan Panasonic Electronics, too. Panasonic used to making premium quality products, but since 2017 until present, Panasonic, on their certain products (e.g. air conditioners), has cheapened out build qualities, sourcing from China and unreliable. Panasonic is just name nowadays, nothing Panasonic.

[@LemontTheFanMan]

Excellent fan tutorial on how to clean and service a high velocity fan SuperFanMan now I know what tools I must get in order to do the same and the oil I do have I’ve enjoyed the video

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thanks! I know you have a lot of high velocity fans, so I'm sure the video will help!

[@LemontTheFanMan]

@@TheSuperFanMan you’re welcome and no problem 😊

[@BrennanJTC]

Just in case anyone else is having problems with removing the screws from around the outside for disassembly and doesn't have power tools, I found that if I am struggling to get a couple of the screws to move on and do the others, and that would loosen things up sufficiently

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Can confirm that it does work in certain occasions!

[@beauboyett8687]

wd40 works pretty well too when this happens. if this trick doesnt work.

[@asfdasdful]

Soild advice for anyone.

[@johncalkins4755]

Love your How-to's for fans. Can you do something on how to troubleshoot a non-working fan?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thank you! I don’t have any videos on repairing a non-working fan, but I can offer some pointers for your fan. Does the motor hum or buzz at all when you switch it on?

[@Carpathianpixie]

Thank you for this video! Trying to clean this fan has been a nightmare before. I have a dust mite allergy and this gives me hay fever every single time 😩. I couldn't figure out how to remove the blades and the back grill but now I know. Will be cleaning mine in the next couple of days.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

You're very welcome! Glad the video helped!

[@bunkyman8097]

Excellent video packed full of information! Thank you.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

You’re welcome! I’m glad it helped!

[@TravisG-lj9dz]

You could be a certified fan doctor at Home Depot! I remember working at Homebase(now defunct store went out of business) for a summer after highschool, and the head of fan department was always fantasizing what would happen if he rammed a forklift through the fan aisle with all its running litup fans. Like he told me that's what he was going to do his last day there, he kept on fantasizing on it, etc. 😂 Thank God you never had to work at that horrible place.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Haha I may be no Home Depot fan doctor, but there have been numerous instances when I was just browsing the fan aisles and ended up giving fan selection advice to folks who were shopping for new fans! I'm not too familiar with Homebase, but it looks like I would've been too young to work there when it was still around. By the sound of it, I guess it's was a good thing.

[@josephcasper5297]

I was having the same problem tight shaft not spin and that was throwing me off. I’ll try tapping it and see if that works. Thanks.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

No problem!

[@Nemesis0142]

What o rings are used on the rotor?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

They’re thin fiber washers, designed to reduce friction against the bearing and create proper alignment between the rotor and stator. I don’t quite remember the dimensions of the washers at the moment unfortunately.

[@chipblue5771]

Excellent video, however I decided to first see if just taking off the blade and oiling the shaft in front and the back with a zoom spout (get to the back shaft through the motor vents) would fix the terrible squelch. Yep no more noise. This would have been my go to if that would have failed.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thank you! Yes, your method absolutely works too! Fully disassembling the motor does allow a better access to the oil wicks for long term lubrication, but simply applying oil without disassembly will still sufficiently lubricate the bearings.

[@YoutubeTvMan]

What screw driver are you using

[@TheSuperFanMan]

It’s an old interchangeable bit screwdriver I’ve had for years. The brand is Mastercraft, sold at Canadian Tire.

[@MikeTheShadowSage]

How would you recommend getting the wrong oil out of the bearings? I'm i moron and just used household 3 n 1 oil and I'd like to replace it with what you are using, but I'm sure the oil wick is now soaked in this other oil. Getting some rattling noise as well and I hope all this cleaning does something to help it.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

You’re not a moron! When I first started collecting fans, I used WD-40 to lubricate fans, a worse mistake than using household 3 in 1 lol. The household 3 in 1 won’t necessarily harm the motor, especially in short term. In fact, I doubt you’ll notice a difference in performance or behaviour between a fan that’s been oiled with the household 3 in 1 vs. a fan oiled with the electric motor 3 in 1. Over time, the contents in the household 3 in 1 oil have the tendency to become gummy with the contaminants it picks up in the bearing, which could potentially seize up the motor. But it’s not the end of the world since it can be remedied. You can reach into the oil wick with a q-tip and gently dab to absorb some of the old oil out. Honestly it’s not necessary to take every single molecule of the old oil out of the wick. As long as most of it’s out, there shouldn’t be any issues. Also don’t aggressively poke the oil wick, because compacting the material can reduce its ability to hold oil. For the bearing surfaces, the rolled up paper towel method I used this video works to clean out the old oil. For the rattle, check all screws to ensure they’re tight, especially the grub screw on the blade hub. Sometimes the bearings themselves may rattle from excessive wear, but that’s if the fan was used for a long time without adequate lubrication. Hope it helps!

[@MikeTheShadowSage]

@@TheSuperFanMan Alright, thank you very much for the info!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

No problem!

[@Truth101-f9r]

I lost the felt around the bearing, is there like a certain type that i should use? any kind of help is appreciated, thanks!!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

I would say some yarn (ideally white, as there are dyes in coloured yarn) can work as a good substitute. It can be cut into short lengths and stuffed into the bearing housing. Once it’s saturated with oil, it’ll stay put. Hope it help!

[@Truth101-f9r]

Thanks for the reply!!, I will try that...but is it safe? considering the friction and the heat? @@TheSuperFanMan

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Yep, it’s completely safe! The motor shaft rotates inside of the stationary bushing, so there is no direct contact between the oil wick material and the shaft, thus no effect of friction on the wick. As for heat, the motor will definitely get warm during operation, but absolutely nowhere near the melting or combustion temperature of any yarn material.

[@Truth101-f9r]

Thanks for the fast reply!! you are truly amazing@@TheSuperFanMan

[@TheSuperFanMan]

No problem at all!

[@FansOnly25]

good enstructions i leared a lot from them

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Glad it was informative!

[@jabsosteeler]

My HDX has been used for many hours over the last several years. If I suddenly have green oil drops coming from the motor housing (never happened before), does tgat mean my fan is toast, or can I simply clean it and oil it as you've done here? FWIW, I've had no strange noises despite the leaking.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Yes it should be fine! It likely just had a build up of leaked oil inside the motor housing, and it dripped out one day. If anything, it's a good sign that the factory did add sufficient amount of oil.

[@HisWife72]

Thanks , you just saved my fan and my pockets😂

[@TheSuperFanMan]

No problem! Glad to hear the video helped!

[@reymundorodriguez1527]

Hi. Someone dismantled the wires for the speeds and the capacitors. Can you facilitate me with getting the wires back correctly. Thanks

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Hi, unfortunately this fan isn't currently in my possession, so I'm unable to check the exact wiring schematic of the fan. But the wiring of the motor (based on colours of the wires) is visible in numerous shots in the video, so perhaps it could be used as a reference.

[@sergioflores7169]

Hi, any suggestions for replacing deteriorated oil felt/foam wicks? My 90's 20' dayton fan (looks like a lakewood) needs one since it crumbled. Also can you make a video of how to trouble shoot a 3 speed fan with a bad motor winding. I have a broken fan that I cannot figure out. Replaced cap, but could not find the thermal fuse. I repaired an old 9' lakewood fan by fixing the thermal fuse and finding a small wire that had detached from the winding (it was dumb luck). It's gotta be a fuse or broken wire. Thanks!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Some yarn or felt from craft stores can be cut to short lengths and stuffed into the area surrounding the bearings. Undyed yarn is ideal, since there is no worry about the dye leaching out. Once they’re saturated with oil, they’ll stay put. Those Daytons (indeed made by Lakewood) are solid fans! With occasional maintenance, they’ll last forever. Do you know the approximate age of your motor? Most fan motors from the early 70s and older were not fitted with thermal fuses. Typically the fuse is easy to spot if the motor does have one. Older fuses were often small glass tubes, closely resembling an incandescent Christmas string light bulb, while newer ones are small plastic boxes or cylinders. So if it is an older motor, there’s a good chance the motor has an open winding. I’d check with a multimeter to see if there is continuity. If it doesn’t, it likely needs to be rewound. Hope it helps!

[@aristocraticnietzschean-ma1023]

Hey i have a question about the type of oil. Can i use regular cooking oil to lubricate the fan instead of 3 in 1 oil? I don't have 3 in 1 oil at home

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Please don’t!! Cooking oil cannot properly lubricate bearings. It may “work” for a short time but the heat will rapidly deteriorate it. I highly recommend getting the proper oil. It’s relatively inexpensive; certainly cheaper than a new fan!

[@aristocraticnietzschean-ma1023]

@@TheSuperFanMan Thanks a lot, i will buy some 3 in 1 oil later today, thanks and have a nice day !!

[@tusharvn5254]

What kind of motor is this? Synchronous, asynchronous, bldc etc? Wanted to know the motor type

[@TheSuperFanMan]

This is a permanent split capacitor motor, which is a type of asynchronous, alternating current, induction motors.

[@davidzeringuethefanman6292]

I really enjoyed the video but nothing compares to my Lakewood hv21

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Glad you enjoyed it! The HV-21 is definitely superior to this fan.

[@bernadettepesce773]

Is there a way to add a reverse function to an 18" Arctic Wind fan?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

You can’t without extensive modifications to the motor. Also the blades on most fans are optimized to move air only in the forward direction.

[@bernadettepesce773]

Thank you for responding. What I can't figure out is how my ceiling fan, along with most ceiling fans, has a reverse function.@@TheSuperFanMan

[@TheSuperFanMan]

No problem! Ceiling fan motors are built with reversibility in mind. There is a certain section within the copper windings that can determine the rotation direction of an AC induction motor. On ceiling fan motors, those windings are tapped and connected to the reverse switch, allowing the motor to be bidirectional. This is also used on electrical reversible window fans for intake & exhaust airflow. Theoretically a unidirectional motor can be modified to be bidirectional, but the labour required to change the winding setup would be very intensive.

[@bernadettepesce773]

@@TheSuperFanMan Thank you so much for the explanation, very appreciated.

[@Angel-z2d2v]

I lost the screws to this and wonder if you could tell me what size it is? Thank you

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Which screws specifically?

[@Angel-z2d2v]

@@TheSuperFanMan The one where you put on the sides where the legs connect. With the washers.

[@aleksandarsrdanov1171]

Hi! I have a fan that is almost exactly the same as the one in the video. Problem is, even at lowest speed setting fan is too fast for my liking. How to slow it down? Is using a variac the best way to do it? Thanks a lot!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Hi! Yes a variac would be the most ideal way to reduce the fan speed. There are cheaper plug-in variable fan speed controllers available, but they tend to make the motor hum, which could be unpleasant to the ears.

[@aleksandarsrdanov1171]

@TheSuperFanMan I ordered a cheap VFD (variable frequency driver). I will find out soon how it performs.

[@ceecee00721]

i have a mastercraft fan like this and it stopped working, not sure if its done or if this method works to get it running again?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Possibly. Does the motor hum at all when you switch it on? If yes, then this oiling method will very likely fix it, as that is a symptom of locked bearings due to poor lubrication. If there is no hum, either the thermal fuse in the motor blew from overheating or the fuse in the plug blew. The fuse in the plug is replaceable, so if you have a multimeter, I would check the continuity. If there is no continuity across the plug fuse, replace it (hardware stores carry fuses. The current rating must be the same or close) and the fan should work again. If the plug fuse is not the issue, the motor thermal fuse is blown, which is not replaceable and the fan is most likely done. Hope it helps! Feel free to ask any questions.

[@therebelfrogy9287]

I use engine oil cus I just grab one right from the desk and it's very good

[@usastrongwoman1]

Thank you for the information.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

No problem! Glad it helped.

[@usastrongwoman1]

@@TheSuperFanMan Thank You. It did. And I oiled the bearings and it is quieter.

[@mrfanman9209]

The 3 in 1 motor oil isn’t sold in the uk

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Gotcha, there may be similar alternatives though. Technically any non-detergent, 20-30 wt. oil will work in fans.

[@sergioflores7169]

And non detergent oil (usually 30 wt) is known as mineral oil. This shouldn't gum up compared to other oils.

[@stashub8306]

I loosened up the screw on the fan blade and took the c clip off but i cant get the fan to come off? Please help

[@daviddyg4301]

usually it requires some more force (pull vertically) for older fans with gunk build up around the top of the rod. Clean as best at the top around the rod then pull hard, might want to put the fan on the floor when doing so.

[@stashub8306]

I got it about 2/3 of the way off and added oil , it's working good now , thank you . ​@@daviddyg4301

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Sorry about the late reply, but yes, as David mentioned, it’s a pretty common occurrence for metal blades to get stuck. In most cases, cleaning and applying some WD-40 will help loosen it. For extreme cases, a gear puller can easily take them off: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qarKeHdnhsl3fsksi=2PutD5KkXBvQYX5O

[@beverlylocklear42]

The housing on my fan is larger and totally different! It is Utilitech HVP-18S180. HELP!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

It’s an orbit oscillating fan, which I’m unfortunately not too familiar with. Are you looking to oil the fan, or to clean it? If it’s just for cleaning, you can simply remove the grille to access the internals. For oiling, I would suggest accessing the motor from the front. Remove grille, blades and see if the motor can be dismounted from there. Feel free to ask any questions that come up!

[@alexthefanguy]

Ah, I remember when I found one of these in the trash. It was covered in so much cigarette tar that I just threw the grilles in the dishwasher so I wouldn’t have to deal with the smell, and they came out just like new. Ended up making $60 selling the thing because so many people wanted it that one guy paid $20 more than my asking price lol

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Dang, that's a great sale! Right at the retail price. He must have wanted the fan real bad lol.

[@worldwidestats8566]

can you open a brandson wind machine?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Do you mean a brand new wind machine? I currently don’t have one on hand, but I can make a video if I do come across a used one. I won’t be buying one brand new though.

[@worldwidestats8566]

@@TheSuperFanMan no its called "brandson wind machine". Brandson is the name of the brand. it is almost impossible to open near the rotor. I think mine got a termal fuse but i can't open it.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

I’m not familiar with that fan model, and it’s not sold here in North America so unfortunately I can’t offer much help. The motor disassembly procedure on these high velocity fans is pretty universal though, so this video or some other ones on KZbin may be helpful.

[@superfanb5742]

Imagine putting a bunch of those in my room and turning them all on fulll speed. Lol. They would all blow everything around my room making a mess

[@TheSuperFanMan]

That would be wild. Having them in a circle, each facing slightly towards the centre would create a tornado-like wind storm lol.

[@superfanb5742]

@@TheSuperFanMan ikr

[@LiveloveDogTraining]

I’m over here trying to take this fan apart. I called Home Depot and I’m like I can’t get the screws off. Lol😂

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Hopefully the video helped! :)

[@Sheena_the_Lite]

Appreciate you

[@TheSuperFanMan]

You’re very welcome!

[@crlynmrls]

what if it wont turnon?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Does the motor hum or buzz at all when you turn the switch onto any of the speeds? If not, the thermal fuse in the motor, or the fuse in the plug is likely blown. The plug fuse is replaceable. The small plastic cover on the plug can be slid out and the fuse can be removed for a replacement. If a new cord fuse doesn’t fix it, then unfortunately the motor fuse is likely the culprit, which can’t be replaced.

[@Dara.Bortolato_2006]

Ottimo lavoro

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thanks!

[@superfanb5742]

My aunt has one of those fans at her work and she said everytime it will fall foward or backwards and i said maybe the legs are bent😂

[@TheSuperFanMan]

That might be the case! Or maybe it just gets kicked around a lot lol.

[@IronPoorBlood]

F-I-R-E Avoid it. Motors, heat. oil, do things right, like shown here. To mfg anything, the mfg has to be very concerned for public safety. Extra oil does not mean better, with any electric motor. Good video. Recommend a parts source?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thank you! I typically just buy parts and supplies I need from local hardware stores or Amazon.

[@AnthonyDuah-gr5gk]

Squirrel cage fans only way to go or a blower fan with lobes. Propellars went out long ago but dont tell drone buznesd dont ever use wd 40

[@AnthonyDuah-gr5gk]

Lubriplate compared to zoom um there is no comparison on science level

[@NicholasthefanMan]

Yaya im first and nice fan

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thanks!

[@AnthonyDuah-gr5gk]

Most fans easy to get to lube spot. Ots almost intentional making it so difficult to get to AND IVE NEVER SEEN THIS BRAND LAST BECAUSE OF LUBE PROBS. PURPOSEFUL THROW AWAY BUY ANOTHER if thats ya biz plan i buy a diff brand