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03/08/11, 08:38 PM
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Moderator
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 9,511
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Any chance I can fix my electric fan that got wet?
Over the weekend, our basement flooded after the sump pump failed.
I found our good, but old, fan laying face down in the 4 inches of water. Apparently, we got enough water to 'float' the fan which was standing up, to move and then fall over.
I bought this fan many years ago at an auction in the dead of winter, and I only paid $2 for it. IIRC, I've seen those fans priced at $90. It is a VERY good fan that is directional and can move tons of air.
Should I just scrap the fan, or is there any simple and inexpensive fix?
Sorry to ask such a dumb question..I've never tried to fix electric stuff like this.
Thanks in advance!!!!!!!!!!
ETA: Here is a link to this style fan: http://www.mysears.com/Lakewood-20-i...or-Fan-reviews
Last edited by clovis; 03/08/11 at 08:54 PM.
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03/08/11, 08:45 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: ne colorado
Posts: 1,205
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let it dry compleatly then let it dry some more, then put oil in the oil cups and turn the blades by hand to work the oil into the bearings. plug it in and try, it will probably work. if it had been a new wallyworld type you would be out of luck for shure.
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03/08/11, 08:55 PM
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Moderator
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Join Date: May 2002
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rancher1913
let it dry compleatly then let it dry some more, then put oil in the oil cups and turn the blades by hand to work the oil into the bearings. plug it in and try, it will probably work. if it had been a new wallyworld type you would be out of luck for shure.
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Cool!!!
Where will I find the oil cups??? Will I have to take the motor housing off, or are there holes for adding oil?
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03/08/11, 09:00 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Indiana, USA
Posts: 12,680
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That looks like a newer fan, so it's likely you may not even be able to take the motor apart.
Just dry it out real good and it should be fine, IMO. It really was not submerged that long, anyway.
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03/08/11, 09:24 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Michigan
Posts: 904
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Where should I start.
I just turned 54 and I started working on things like that when I was five years old.
If you see a screw remove it.
You can take it apart until you get to the motor then take the motor apart.
Then you will see where to oil.
OR, Just let it dry out and plug it in.
See if it will run.
Really make sure it is dry.
Do you have any other fan you can blow on it?
PS, Really old fans do have small tubes for oiling the bearings.
I have one of those downstairs.
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03/08/11, 09:31 PM
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Moderator
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Join Date: May 2002
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Quote:
Originally Posted by plowjockey
That looks like a newer fan, so it's likely you may not even be able to take the motor apart.
Just dry it out real good and it should be fine, IMO. It really was not submerged that long, anyway.
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The link for the fan that is sold at Sears is the new version of the fan. Just by guessing...and only a shear guess...I'd date this fan at least 20 years old.
I think that I've owned it since 2003...and the fan was old when I got it.
I have had a chance to mess with it yet...I spent today installing a new sump pump.
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03/08/11, 09:38 PM
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de oppresso liber
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 13,948
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First, make sure you don't turn it on. You need to do is wash it out with clean fresh water to get any nasty stuff out. Then flush it with distilled water to get any minerals that were in the 'clean water'. Then let it dry, and dry and dry. After that you can plug it in and see if it works. If so then you can oil it.
__________________
Remember, when seconds count. . .
the police are just MINUTES away!
Congress has no power to appropriate this money as an act of charity. Every member upon this floor knows it. . .Davy Crockett
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03/08/11, 09:51 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Alaska- Kenai Pen- Kasilof
Posts: 9,376
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If there is someone in your life that like um...well... maybe ...like you do like very much.
if there is then
get a term life policy for them
and invite them over
have them plug it in.
the tricky part is you only have a three day cooling off period from when you sign for their term life policy (spell your name correctly where it says benifiuary--saves time later when minutes count)
So, using my plan you will have eighter
a working fan and someone still around that bugs you
(just remember the 3 day timeframe cancel the policy --that's my frugle tip of the day)
or
the stress of dealing with someone will be gone and you will be able to afford a new fan.
(that's my second frugle tip to live with in your means)
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03/08/11, 10:51 PM
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Miniature Horse lover
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: West Central WI.
Posts: 21,256
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Getting a fan wet is nothing. Every spring I take the box fans out of my barns. Take off the front and back spray them down with soap. Then Rinse with hot water from a hose using the sprayer at full force, making sure I spray water into the motor to get out all the trapped dust, dirt etc. out.
Then set it out in the sun to dry, for a day or two. I do this each year and have been doing so for 20 some years. Keeps fan clean and dirt out of them so no over heating when used in the barns to cool animals down.
Even did this in AZ. at the boarding stable I worked at.
Before putting them back together oil re good and start using them again in the barns on hot days.
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03/09/11, 09:34 AM
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de oppresso liber
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 13,948
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Quote:
Originally Posted by arabian knight
Getting a fan wet is nothing. Every spring I take the box fans out of my barns. Take off the front and back spray them down with soap. Then Rinse with hot water from a hose using the sprayer at full force, making sure I spray water into the motor to get out all the trapped dust, dirt etc. out.
Then set it out in the sun to dry, for a day or two. I do this each year and have been doing so for 20 some years. Keeps fan clean and dirt out of them so no over heating when used in the barns to cool animals down.
Even did this in AZ. at the boarding stable I worked at.
Before putting them back together oil re good and start using them again in the barns on hot days.
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The prob the OP has is the fan was soaking in what was probably nasty water with who knows what in it. That's a lot different than spraying it with water from a hose.
__________________
Remember, when seconds count. . .
the police are just MINUTES away!
Congress has no power to appropriate this money as an act of charity. Every member upon this floor knows it. . .Davy Crockett
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03/09/11, 09:52 AM
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 7,883
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A couple days out in the sunshine would be a good thing..........
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03/09/11, 10:08 AM
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Waste of bandwidth
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: OK
Posts: 10,618
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You also might want to check the Survival & Emergency Preparedness forum for any other Wet Hit the Fan scenarios.
__________________
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Less barking! More wagging!
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03/09/11, 10:11 AM
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Moderator
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 9,511
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Quote:
Originally Posted by watcher
The prob the OP has is the fan was soaking in what was probably nasty water with who knows what in it. That's a lot different than spraying it with water from a hose.
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Really, it was just ground water...no mud, silt or other junk.
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03/09/11, 10:19 AM
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 3,567
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Clove
Yuck!
For the next time the water rises...When we had a sump pump back in the suburbs, we bought a water activated alarm for around 15 bucks from Harbor Frayed (Freight). It will alert you anytime the water rises past the level at which you place the sensor. I weighed the cord down with a brick and set the unit (size of a deck o' cards) up in the dry.
Sorry for the mess.
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03/09/11, 10:31 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Central Arkansas
Posts: 189
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Oggie
You also might want to check the Survival & Emergency Preparedness forum for any other Wet Hit the Fan scenarios.
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 too funny!
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03/09/11, 11:15 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,693
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Shake the fan out, let it sit in the sun for a day, plug it in and see if it runs. Likely it will.
If the plug is dry, and you're dry, there's no shock danger.
If it trips a breaker, let it sit in the sun for another day.
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03/09/11, 12:08 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: north Alabama
Posts: 10,818
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Maybe you could just dry it out with a fan blowing on it... oh... nevermind. 
__________________
George Washington did not run and hide.
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03/09/11, 03:04 PM
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de oppresso liber
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 13,948
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Quote:
Originally Posted by clovis
Really, it was just ground water...no mud, silt or other junk.
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When I think of a flooded floor I think of all kinds of nasty things floating in the water. Still if it were me and I really wanted to make sure I saved the fan I'd hose it out then wash it down with distilled water and let it dry well before I plugged it in. After all its not going to hurt anything, its not going to cost but a couple of bucks and some of your time.
__________________
Remember, when seconds count. . .
the police are just MINUTES away!
Congress has no power to appropriate this money as an act of charity. Every member upon this floor knows it. . .Davy Crockett
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03/09/11, 03:11 PM
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Brenda Groth
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 7,817
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open it up..dry off as much as you can and let it drain well..then use a hair dryer on it and then let dry even longer..
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03/09/11, 04:07 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Virginia
Posts: 138
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Good idea to wash it out with clean water, dirt,lint, excetra will be slow to dry and start rust against the metal. Rinse it, blow dry ( compressed air would be best) so the slow drying doesn't form rust on the parts, let stand in sun to dry some more, then ONLY plug it into a GFCI protected outlet to test run it. GFCI will protect you from sparks or a short, GFCI trips off instantly if there is an electrical short before it shocks you. Be carefull what type oil you use, some are conductors and can short out the comutator. Use an oil rated for use on electric motors.
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