Fantastic fan lube and CS

[Kayteg1]

I remember FantasticFan from the past as company having FANTASTIC CS but heard lately that changed.
So my newly purchased Lance has one of their mid-series fan that did not work.
I troubleshoot it and beside some dirt on lid switch, the bearings were stuck with old grease and dirt.
I push-started the motor and it works now, but I know it needs lubrication.
Went via Fantastic site and nothing about their motor lubrication.
I emailed their support several days ago and nothing.
So when I will have to find way to lube the motor the hard way, I hope the company will not go under like others?

[DanNJanice]

down home wrote:
Ours are 14 years old ad are brushless motors.
Only problem I have had is only one arm to raise and lower the lid and one screw.
That is a replacement lid about7 years ago. Screw ell out and the lid flopped up and down.
I bet American coach will go with someone else rather than deal with another problem of Chinese cheap as possible junk from valued Customers. Happy Customers keep coming back.

Yes, you had one of the good ones. Maybe even made in the USA. I doubt if they could even source a quality motor any more.
Regarding customers, they buy whatever is cheapest, that is why most consumer products are complete $hit.

[down_home]

Ours are 14 years old ad are brushless motors.
Only problem I have had is only one arm to raise and lower the lid and one screw.
That is a replacement lid about7 years ago. Screw ell out and the lid flopped up and down.
I bet American coach will go with someone else rather than deal with another problem of Chinese cheap as possible junk from valued Customers. Happy Customers keep coming back.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I mounted my armature in a 1/2" electric drill. Used a pencil eraser to achieve a mirror bright finish on the commutator. On # 3 the motor still encourages dogs to sing a block distant.

[hypoxia]

SidecarFlip wrote:
Because I have not taken mine apart, I assume (don't know for sure) but I assume the brushes mount vertically and the 'noise' comes from the tension on the brushes against the commutator, causing a squeaking sound. Mine does it as well....

That is something I hadn't considered

[SidecarFlip]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
For oil light bushings I use Lubrication Engineers Amasol 607. Heat bushing submersed in lube for three hours at 500F. The lubrication lasts virtually forever.

You like expensive lubricants. Back when I was flush, I used to purchase Lubrication Engineers Teflon fortified synthetic chassis and bearing grease. I say used to. At 1500 bucks per 150 pound open head drum, it's insanely expensive. Excellent grease though. Works extremely well on ag equipment which tends to get 'wiped' off in the field. I gauge grease by how hard it is to get off your hands when you get it on them. LE red grease is impossible to get off.

[SidecarFlip]

Because I have not taken mine apart, I assume (don't know for sure) but I assume the brushes mount vertically and the 'noise' comes from the tension on the brushes against the commutator, causing a squeaking sound. Mine does it as well....

[hypoxia]

The Fantastic Vent pancake motors I took apart, the top bearing is a sealed roller bearing and the bottom bearing is a shielded roller bearing. The top sealed bearing had a white grease in it and the lower shielded bearing had oil in it.

They squeeeked at low speed, that still puzzles me since they were lubricated.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

For oil light bushings I use Lubrication Engineers Amasol 607. Heat bushing submersed in lube for three hours at 500F. The lubrication lasts virtually forever.

[hypoxia]

I had some brand new Fantastic Vent fans that squeeeked, new this year. I drilled them and found the bearings rough. Fantastic did replace them but the new ones now squeeek. I plan to replace the bearings in them which will cure the problem for a long time.

I don't know why Fantastic cannot cure the problem but Lippert is a large corporation and these things are small problems.

[SCVJeff]

SidecarFlip wrote:

SCVJeff wrote:
There's an oil hole on the top of the motor? Not mine...
The only chance of oil is removing it to get the shaft vertical and wick something into it down the shaft

Problem with that is, it don't address the lower bearing lubrication issue (you cannot access it at all) and it's the lower bearing that absorbs the thrust weight and torsional load of the motor, not the upper bearing.

Without taking one apart, I would assune both bearings are of the oil impregnated / sintered bronze variety in self aligning mounts (unless Mexicowanderer can elaborate as to the bearing as he had one apart????

yeah, that's why I asked.. (knocking on wood) I've never had a problem with them at all. I've had replacement lid motors, noisy fan motors, and replaced the RF remote with an IR remote that was getting hammered by a local cell site. All at no charge

[SidecarFlip]

Mine is stamped (on the case), 'Made in China'. I would presume assembled by 'One Hung Lo' or a relative....lol

You could probably cross it to a Fasco but the pto end would be an issue in as much as the blade assembly indexes on the output end with a milled flat and retaining screw.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Working with a spot welded motor was no fun. There isn't much room inside for replacing spot welds with fasteners. It's case alignment that is the killer. I chased this motor all the way to Japan. Panasonic will sell only to "the" dedicated buyer which surprised me. The rep titled it "exclusive sales". I have no idea of who actually assembles the motor. Japan? China?

Chew and Spit Strikes Again

[SidecarFlip]

LCI is buying up everything it seems like. They bought HappyJac, Fantastic Fan, Lippert Components makes about 95% of the chassis for 5ers, and conventional trailers. They bought Indiana specialty which makes RV doors and locks. Who knows what is next.

I'm not impressed with LCI as a rule. Poor bedside manner generally. Since they bought HappyJac you cannot even call the factory, no one answers the phone if you have a question. It's a robo answer and thats it.

At least TorkLift answers the phone and is friendly and answers questions and concerns, but then I also have the direct line to their products manager, that helps.

TL is much better quality components at a price of course.

[SidecarFlip]

Fantastic Fan is now in Goshen (somewhere). It's now called LCI/Fantastic Fan.

[SidecarFlip]

ScottG wrote:
Keep in mind there are two types of FF motors. The old black part that is about the size of a fist and the newer, noisier, higher current grabbing, pancake style gold motors.
Assume the new ones (post LCI purchase) are made as cheap as possible.

The old one was a Fasco (black) the gold motors are Chinese sourced. I have the gold, spot welded case motor.