How to oil bearings of a FH52000 Hoover steamer/carpet cleaner/shampooer?

[jason.arthur.taylor]

FH52000 Hoover:



I can tell the bearings need oiling or replacement because of the sound it makes. I will post a youtube video of the sound on spin down, if I have time.

The motor isn't that easy to access. You have to remove the clear plastic nozzle, then a bunch of screws. To reassemble requires a little delicate patience and attention to detail.

Has anyone ever oiled bearings on ac motor of a vacuum? Many units have small DC motors for pumping or brush agitation. That's not what I am asking about.

 

[vacerator]

It doesn't have ball bearings, only sleeves. You can try some sewing machine oil. or penetrating oil spray. I have a mitre saw that does it too. It is still running after having the noise for years.

 

[Hatsuwr]

That's surprising that a main motor of that format wouldn't use ball bearings.

If they are just sleeves, I usually go with 3-In-One motor oil (not their multipurpose oil), unless there's a good reason not to. It's a little more viscous than typical sewing machine oils.

If they are ball bearings, you are usually better off just replacing them with new high quality bearings (shielded or sealed depending on how dirty the environment is and how much pressure differential there is across the bearings).

 

[huskyvacs]

It is very likely the parts are just rusty and not out of oil. This shampooer is too new to have all its oil burned up already. After I use my shampooer I always turn it on its back and put a fan on the brushroll area. Call it OCD, but I never had a problem with squeaks and stuck parts.

The only grease that should be used on a vacuum is Mobil Polyrex EM. For oil applications, any SAE30 nondetergent oil, it should have a picture of an electric motor on the label.

For plastic on plastic moving parts, EcoLube or powered graphite (tube powder or dry spray). Depending on application area do not use a wet or tacky lube on areas exposed to dirt and debris.

You do not use sewing machine oil or 3 in 1 oil or any other kind of thin cheap oil on vacuum cleaner bearings or high RPM motor applications because it is not heavy or viscous enough and it will just get flung away from the bearing and do absolutely nothing but ruin it. It is not made for that purpose. 20 weight is not thick enough to not get flung out of the bearing or break down at the high RPM of a vacuum motor.

Be very careful accessing the motor on these vacuums. They are not designed to be repaired and the parts are very fiddly or deliberately made to break permanently if tampered with.

 

[jason.arthur.taylor]

It doesn't have ball bearings, only sleeves. You can try some sewing machine oil. or penetrating oil spray. I have a mitre saw that does it too. It is still running after having the noise for years.

If so, then my question was really stupid. So sorry guys and to the forum as well. I would have thought that the noise from your saw is due to the fact that it hits 4000 rpm (like 60 hz) and each revolution the wires are being pulled in reverse directions by 20 times (see picture)


so 20 x 60 = 1200 hz x 2 = 2400 hz, and the wires are in contact with air, not vacuum, so they produce a noise like a huge speaker at 2000-3000 hz would. Thanks for correcting my ignorance. I thought sleeves are used in like 5 watt chip cooling fan, not 1 KW wood saws and vacuum cleaner motors able to suck in tons of air. I am so happy your saw was dead quiet when you first purchased it as I'd love the neighbor contractor to get a new wood saw when he runs it at 6am each morning. Where did you get your magic saw at? I guess all the 115VAC motors I've seen with ball bearing assemblies on each side of the rotor were just like strange dreams I got confused about. Thank you so much for your help.

 

[cheesewonton]

If so, then my question was really stupid. So sorry guys and to the forum as well. I would have thought that the noise from your saw is due to the fact that it hits 4000 rpm (like 60 hz) and each revolution the wires are being pulled in reverse directions by 20 times (see picture)
View attachment 170186

so 20 x 60 = 1200 hz x 2 = 2400 hz, and the wires are in contact with air, not vacuum, so they produce a noise like a huge speaker at 2000-3000 hz would. Thanks for correcting my ignorance. I thought sleeves are used in like 5 watt chip cooling fan, not 1 KW wood saws and vacuum cleaner motors able to suck in tons of air. I am so happy your saw was dead quiet when you first purchased it as I'd love the neighbor contractor to get a new wood saw when he runs it at 6am each morning. Where did you get your magic saw at? I guess all the 115VAC motors I've seen with ball bearing assemblies on each side of the rotor were just like strange dreams I got confused about. Thank you so much for your help.

You don't know it probably but you have just described one of the many challenges in making submarines that use electric motors quiet running. Electric motors have all kinds of harmonics that clearly detectable under water if you have the right acoustic sensors and people trained to understand what those sensors are detecting.

 

[Hatsuwr]

If so, then my question was really stupid. So sorry guys and to the forum as well. I would have thought that the noise from your saw is due to the fact that it hits 4000 rpm (like 60 hz) and each revolution the wires are being pulled in reverse directions by 20 times (see picture)


so 20 x 60 = 1200 hz x 2 = 2400 hz, and the wires are in contact with air, not vacuum, so they produce a noise like a huge speaker at 2000-3000 hz would. Thanks for correcting my ignorance. I thought sleeves are used in like 5 watt chip cooling fan, not 1 KW wood saws and vacuum cleaner motors able to suck in tons of air. I am so happy your saw was dead quiet when you first purchased it as I'd love the neighbor contractor to get a new wood saw when he runs it at 6am each morning. Where did you get your magic saw at? I guess all the 115VAC motors I've seen with ball bearing assemblies on each side of the rotor were just like strange dreams I got confused about. Thank you so much for your help.

Sleeves can be used on larger motors as well, but it's less common.

The type of sound you are describing from the wires does exist, but in these applications it's going to be fairly insignificant, especially since the armature wires are covered in varnish.