Jump to content

Westinghouse 6 blade propeller has resistance


Recommended Posts

Posted

Hi all,

I am going to attempt a fourth time to load this picture. The propeller won’t rotate freely when it is off and I try to spin it with my hand. I have changed the wick, added fresh oil and added oil to the gear box in the rear. Please let me know how I should proceed.

Thanks!IMG_3139.thumb.jpeg.b5de96b8ac0353d160cb7e4994033383.jpeg

 

Posted

Does the fan run? Certain early moxies have a centrifugal start system & that will not let it spin as freely as later units. 
Can you post a pic of the fan & how many wires for the headwire?

Posted

Yes Lawrence, the fan runs but makes a clanging sound on startup then it is smooth. I discovered I could unscrew the oscillating pull as well as the gear in the back. I added some oil to both.IMG_3142.thumb.jpeg.6bc2c9640b9656c8189741f266b57571.jpegIMG_3141.thumb.jpeg.20c6f17d8322b9070caeb770794b18a9.jpeg

Posted

If you have not cleaned & serviced all the pivot pints on that fan I highly advise . It appears yours is a 2 wire unit, this means early in the stamped steel era, the centrifugal switch has spring loaded fingers which should be heard on start up & shut down ( lower rpm range) I’ll have to search my old facebook posts , I had some info on 4 pole/6pole westy also 2 & 3 wire headwire start ups . For now the pic is a 4 pole cage 6 pole stator stamped steel westy

5FF18F84-2705-45A8-A31A-B478DE14E2F0.jpeg

Posted

Thank you guys! I am very new so if I take this thing apart I will need some guidance…

Posted

Thank you guys! I am very new so if I take this thing apart I will need some guidance… and yes Lawrence I hear two distinct clicks when I turn off the fan.

Posted

Nice fan, Todd. Just so you know, those stamped steel Westinghouse fans are among the MOST difficult fans to work on for a number of reasons. All other fans will be less challenging if you can manage to master restoring a stamped steel Westy. These fans run hot due to the lack of an air space between the stator and the housing (stator is pressed in). Replacing the head wires will require removing the stator which is extraordinarily difficult even with all the techniques that are know through this forum. Further, there are "pot metal" parts on this fan including the front nose and the rear gear housing. Pot metal gets brittle with age and will fracture if you attempt to pry it with a putty knife after removing the screws.  One more thing, the front and rear bearings on these fans are fixed, that is, they do not float like GE fans so they won't self seat. This means that the rotor will bind up if the bearings aren't perfectly aligned. Removing the front cover sometimes calls for taking a very thin knife and lightly tapping on the line where the front cover meets the main housing. Follow the seam all around, tap, tap, tapping, until the front cover pops off. Getting those bearings to line up so that the rotor doesn't bind isn't as simple as putting the front cover back on and tightening the acorn nuts. There is a trick to that. Put the front cover on loosely and SLOWLY, tighten each acorn nut all the while checking to see that the rotor spindle spins freely. Turn on the fan and tighten each of the four acorn nuts, a quarter or half turn (opposite nuts) while listening to the motor. Back off a quarter of a turn, if you hear the motor start to labor and the spindle start to bind. It is a time consuming process but it is the only way I have found to get the front cover back on the fan successfully. These are nice fans when restored. Happy to assist if you run into trouble.

IMG_1423.thumb.JPG.375033cac6ac74602c4bd1720d9efbf9.JPG

Posted (edited)

I don’t find that they run hot.The hottest Westinghouse I’ve had was the 16”6 pole and that was around 125f give or take and only on high.I run 2 in bedrooms regular,and one in my work room all 12” and they are just warm at best.This one gets run every night.It’s an unrestored centrifugal start with brass bearing housings.I just noticed the blade dust build up.I grab it every morning to make sure there is no heat and it’s hardly warm.The bearings have to be perfectly aligned.They can be a real B to work on that is a fact.
They are smooth and quiet when they are right.

IMG_1448.jpeg

Edited by Paul Carmody
Posted (edited)

I really don’t have a preference for Westinghouse fans.I have a BMY in the family room ,and a 16”Emerson in the garage.These are regular use fans.I just think the Westinghouse fans get a bad reputation when in fact they are great fans.I I find the pot metal in most cases solid and stable.There are others n the top tier with bad pot metal I can assure.
I believe they were built with great precision and they have to be put back that way.Very tight tolerance.Even the spacers on the shaft.There is more leeway in other fans.I have played around with spacers and always go back to the factory arrangement.

The blade should turn free.Clean out all the grease in oscillator, spray penetrant at  the rear bearing and turn the blade.Let it sit and repeat,then drip oil on shaft while turning blade..Take the oil cup off and take a swab with clean oil and clean inside the wick and bearing area.Turn the fan upside down and drip oil in while turning blade.The rear shaft has groves to lube the bearing and the hard grease gets caked in and doesn’t allow for transfer.

Edited by Paul Carmody
Swab
Posted

I have 2 that run fantastic with a couple problem childs that were very worn out and are temperamental to say the least  

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...