Hi folks,
It's been like forever since I needed help.
I have one of the 36V permag leaf sucking blowers I've set up to collect partially mulched leaves from the mower deck and blow them into a cart behind the tractor. Last year it ate a huge stick which damaged the blower, especially the fan, but I was able to make it through the leaf season. It vibrated a lot (no surprise here) and would trip it's breaker now and again. I put the blower n the shed and promptly forgot to deal with it until leaf season 2012.
I just took the motor apart check bearings, which were both fine, So were the brushes and commutator.
A quick internet search said that I should have between 0.00125 and 0.00150 inch measured at the midpoint of the reduced diameter
section where, in this case, the blower mounts.
I put a dial indicator on the shaft and found about 0.004 inch, more runout than I think is proper based on the above. However the shaft does have scarring from being filed in the past to remove rust and set screw damage, so I don't know if the reading is truly runout, or just shaft wear and damage limited to the surface.
Due to the limited use of the blower, leaf season only, I'm tempted to use the motor as is.
So here are my questions:
1. What do you folks think about my shaft runout numbers? And the idea to just use it as is?
2. Any Elec-Trakker have a motor shop willing to help a long time E15 user our?
3. Anyone know where I can get the fan assembly serviced? Meaning straightened better than I can do with a hammer and anvil and the mark one human eyeball. And balanced?
Sadly, this has got to be cheap. I was the subject of a corporate downsizing a few years ago and have a minimal economic recovery. On the other hand, before I started using the blower I got tendonitis every year from all the laves I had to rake. I don't want to go there again.
Thanks,
Steve Naugler