Over Heating Desk Fan

I recenly bought a small 6" brass blade single speed antique GE desk fan and the wiring was worn out. I had to remove the rotor to get to the area where the wires were connected and I thinlk I crushed both carbon brushes when I reinstalled the rotor because I forgot to remove them when I removed the rotor. I purchased some replacement carbon brushes and when I plugged the fan in it is a little noisy and it is overheating (smoking).

What can I can do to eliminate the overheating?

Thank you

 

Might just need to wait for the new brushes to "burn in." That is, to become shaped to the rotor.

 

It could be that the fan was originally discarded because of the overheating problem. I don't know how old you are but I am old enough that I remember when such fans were common, not antiques. Back then they ran so hot that if you were to touch the motor after it had been running for a while you risked a serious burn. If someone over-oiled the bearings it could be the oil burning from being in contact with the motor windings.

 

I plugged in the fan when I got it and even with the power wires barely hanging on it worked and was quiet. I ran it for an hour today and I would have thought the brushes would have worn in by now. I put directed another fan on the back side of the little fan when it was runnung and it kept it cool.

I did oil it but I would have thought it would have burnt off as hot as it got.

I hate to take it apart again because I can't get the brushes out of the fan and I will probably destroy them again at a cost of $15 /pair.

Any additional ideas on how to stop the overheating?

Thanks

 

How did you get the old crushed brushes out and the new ones in?

 

I found the brushes in small pieces when I was reinstalling the rotor. I bought the kind of brushes that have a wire and spring attached but they wouldn't reach the rotor so I cut off the wire and spring and used the small springs that were originally in it that look like a spring from a ball point pen.

I just slid both brushes down the small openings in both sides of the motor. One of the plastic caps that originally held in the springs/brushes in had been replaced with a metal tire air valve cap so I found another one so both caps would match. The guy at the motor repair shop where I got the brushes said he "thought" the caps would be okay to use. I don't suppose the caps could be causing the overheating??

Than you