RE: (ET) Re: mover deck submerged.

["Elie, Larry \(L.D.\)" <lelie ford com>]

Clean the brush tensioning mechanism with a water-displacer (i.e. WD40) 
and soak.  I've 
seen a lot of brushes that were seized with rust.

Larry Elie


-----Original Message-----
From: elec-trak-bounces cosmos phy tufts edu
[mailto:elec-trak-bounces cosmos phy tufts edu]On Behalf Of Perry Cain
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 11:17 AM
To: snaugler earthlink net; elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
Subject: RE: (ET) Re: mover deck submerged.


Steve,
Great info.  You did not talk down to me.  In fact, I was picturing 
unsealed
(open) bearings when I read "sealed" and "unsealed".

Will check when I get home.  Thanks for the instructions.  Glad you caught
that I was confused.

Thanks

----Original Message-----
From: snaugler earthlink net [mailto:snaugler earthlink net] 
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 10:45 AM
To: perry suppleye com; elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
Subject: Re: (ET) Re: mover deck submerged.

Perry,

I would take all three motors apart and dry them.  If there is any water in
them despite baking in the sun, and there probably will be, you will get
severe corrosion when you apply the 36 volt power.  I have rebuilt motors
that had water inside of them, and it was not pretty.  They were difficult
to take apart, the cables on the brushes were gone, bearings were shot, and
the commutator needed serious polishing.  The brush holders were damaged 
but
repairable.

The tiny vent hole won't allow much water vapor to escape.  However that
same vent hole will allow a lot of water to get sucked into the motor if 
the
motor was warm when it went for a swim.  The mechanisim is that the cold
water chills the motor housing, causing the air inside to contract as it
cools.  This creates a vacuum sucking water inside.  When you warm the 
motor
in the sun some water will get pushed out as the air expands from heating,
but not all of it.

It is unlikely any water got in rubber sealed bearings, but if you have
metal shielded bearings that is a different matter.  Metal shields don't
seal, they only keep most of the dust out.  Also, without taking all three
motors apart you have no way of knowing if all three deck motors all have
bearings with rubber seals, or if some of the bearings still have original
bearings with metal shields.  If the bearings have shields it is likely 
that
those bearings will have water in them.

I would advise taking the motors apart and warm the parts for 24 to 48
hours.  What I have done is use one of the oil filled electric heaters that
is shaped like an old cast iron radiator.  I set it on low and leave the
pieces on top.  They will heat to roughly 140 to 150 F, not hot enough to
hurt rubber bearing seals or cause the grease to melt.  This is hot enough
that it will evaporate water trapped in a bearing.  Don't forget to dry the
thermostats. When everything is dry, put it all back together.

You said that you were surprised to find the bearings sealed.   Forgive me
if it sounds like I am talking down to you, but I don't know your level of
experience with bearings.  If the "seals" that you saw were metal, you have
shielded bearings.  In this size bearing bearings seal are typically 100 %
rubber, ans shields look like they are 100% metal.  I have never seen a GE
Elec-Trak motor with open bearings, and all of the OEM bearings had metal
shields.

Hope this helps,

Steve Naugler

-----Original Message-----
From: Perry Cain <perry suppleye com>
Sent: Jun 7, 2005 9:19 AM
To: elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
Subject: (ET) Re:  mover deck submerged. 

Took one of the motors apart.  Surprisingly damp inside. ;0

The bearings were in fact sealed.  Which surprised me, since there has been
very little maintenance on this particular tractor prior to my ownership.

Thus, I am going with Chris Zacks "leave it upside down in the sun" for a
few days theory.  I see no reason why they would be damaged beyond use.

 



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