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?

[SidecarFlip]

Kind of a PITA to pull the motor and fan assembly because you have to access the mounting arm screws from above. What I did was open the vent lid all the way and carefully teach up (after I removed the fan which is held on with a phillips screw and pulls straight down and h=then reached up through the opening and removed the 4 screws. Mine was hard wired to the switch so I cut the wires and added butt connectors. Makes it easier to remove next time...

[kampinguru]

back when I got the RV I did not have a fan in the bedroom, just a vent. I took the trailer to the Fantastic vent factory in Michigan and they gave me a tour of the factory. I purchased a new remote control fan for the bedroom. This was before they were taken over. The service manager even installed it for me for free while I waited. I mentioned that I was from Canada and would not be able to get service on them and he gave me two extra motor and fan assemblies to keep as spares. I have not had to use them but one of the motors is now starting to sound a little louder so a replacement may be in my future soon.

[ScottG]

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.

[SidecarFlip]

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????

[SidecarFlip]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
I de-spot welded he motor at a machine shop. Drilling holes and popped the welds. Black & Decker brushes fit the Panasonic motor. It took three pair of hands and a mig welder to re-establish the housing.

So you used an end mill to remove the spot welds...?

Now it you were real industrious you would have drilled the case and fitted through bolts through the upper and lower case ends so you could disassemble it at will (to lube the bearings) something I considered had not Fantastic Fan been willing to replace mine.

Even cheap Fasco fan motors use bend tabs to secure the case ends that you can bend over a few times without breaking off.

When this one starts suffering from tight bearings, I may modify the case myself.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I de-spot welded he motor at a machine shop. Drilling holes and popped the welds. Black & Decker brushes fit the Panasonic motor. It took three pair of hands and a mig welder to re-establish the housing.

[SCVJeff]

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

[suprz]

SidecarFlip wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:
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?

Knowing you, I'm reasonably sure you were curt with them. People in Indiana don't take an attitude well.

The motors are sealed and made in China anyway.

Not going anywhere. They got absorbed by LCI last year.

LCI? As in Lippert Components? Oh no....! The folks that brought you the Schwintek slide out mechanism? If so, that sucks. If you disagree... Just google Palazzo slide problems. I won't own a coach with a schwintek slide mechanism. But i believe they also purchased or own Qwikee step, and Power Gear also... Quite the monopoly it would seem

[SidecarFlip]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
The motors neither spin fast enough nor get hot enough to require polyurea grease. Soft NLGI # 1 grease will do fine. Avoid stiff wheel bearing grease. I just did a maintenance turnaround on the oldest of my three Fantastic fans. Brushes and bearings.

The newer ones have spot welded cases and cannot disassemble without destroying the motor... I know, I looked at it hard.

If you have a 'better mousetrap' please elaborate....

[MEXICOWANDERER]

The motors neither spin fast enough nor get hot enough to require polyurea grease. Soft NLGI # 1 grease will do fine. Avoid stiff wheel bearing grease. I just did a maintenance turnaround on the oldest of my three Fantastic fans. Brushes and bearings.

[SidecarFlip]

Kayteg1 wrote:
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?

Knowing you, I'm reasonably sure you were curt with them. People in Indiana don't take an attitude well.

The motors are sealed and made in China anyway.

Not going anywhere. They got absorbed by LCI last year.

[SidecarFlip]

My experience was just the opposite. Maybe calling and being cordial helps, not sure but... I'm on my third motor. The first one just quit, they replaced it no charge. The second one got noisy, they also replaced it no charge. The motor's case is spot welded together no taking it apart. I'd suggest a bit of machine oil applied to the upper bearing. This one works fine. If it didn't I'd call (and be nice) and I bet I'd get another.

On all the replacements, they paid the return shipping and I had them in days.

You get a lot more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.

Each replacement came with a new fan too.

[ScottG]

Their service stinks now. I called with a similar issue (dead motor) and not only was there no lifetime warranty anymore, they didn't even want to sell it to me. Just gave me a P/N and told me to google it.
BTW, the new style motor is noisier than the old one. (I had both in my TT and could compare them)