Electric motor lubrication schedule & oiling & oil port questions & answers.

This article series explains the typical lubrication requirement for for motors found on HVAC equipment in buildings such as air conditioners, furnace or air handler blower fans, oil burner motors, well pumps, and condensate return pumps. While some motors are permanently lubricated, others require lubrication as often as annually, depending on the motor usage level.

Q&A on Electric Motor Lubrication

The two approaches to lubricating the moving parts of an electric motor are:

On 2019-02-01 by (mod) - lube schedule for a Sid Harvey motor on a boiler

Jim

First confirm that there are fittings on the motor that make clear that it is supposed to be lubricated - some motors don't get lubed.

IF there are oil cups at one or both ends of the motor, then annual oiling is what the manufacturer usually recommends. The data tag will typically give the oiling frequency as well as number of drops of electric motor oil.

On 2019-02-01 by Jim

I have a Sid Harvey motor on my boiler at my house how often and how much should I oil

On 2018-08-15 by kevin

oil type for amana condenser fan motor

On 2018-06-15 by (mod) -

Annual oiling is what the manufacturer usually recommends. The data tag will typically give the oiling frequency as well as number of drops of electric motor oil.

On 2018-06-15 by Ralph trombello

I have a Lennox HS26-030 Elite 13 condensing unit the electric fan motor has 2 oil ports one upper one lower with 2 yellow plastic plugs you pull out to oil season the problem is 1 plug has broken off flush with the housing l didn’t oil last year l oiled the the upper port l. Can’t get the bottom plug out to oil it how often do l need to really oil them

On 2017-11-30 by (mod) -

If you can find the manufacturer name and motor model I will do some research to get the correct to tails.

Without that added detail I would put the recommended number of drops into each island Port. So if the tag says 30 drops, it seems to me that would be 30 drops in each port.

On 2017-11-30 by vMartin

The tag on motor only says "Relubricate with 30 drops SAE 10 motor oil (Do not overoil) Cont Duty, Yearly; Intermittent Duty 2 yrs; Occasional Duty 5yrs.". There are 2 oiling ports. Do I use 30 drops in each or 15 drops in each?

(It's a Westinghouse Electric Corp oil burner motor S#316P 937 - I haven't found a manual online)

Have the right oil - thanks!

On 2017-11-25 by (mod) -

VM

Be sure that you are using an oil that specifically says motor lubrication oil.

What's the recommended amount in each oil cup.

On 2017-11-21 by vMartin

Found 2 oiling ports. Do you split the number of drops recommended between the 2? My tag does not say, as the example tag above does, per bearing or port.

Also is MARS zoom spout oiler (turbine oil), supposedly SAE 10 though the bottle does not say that, with no detergents, the right king of oil to use?

On 2017-11-18 by vMartin

I have a old Westinghouse Electric oil burner motor S# 316P 937 1/7 HP that says it needs periodic oiling with SAE 10 oil (30 drops) every 2 years (Recommended for how often my motor is on in a day). But I can't find the oiling port. Can you direct me to a manual online for this motor?

On 2017-09-29 by (mod) -

John

We'll need to ask GE about these motors. IN general I think that if there is a lubrication opening then the motor was intended to be lubricated. Since it was common for motor lubrication oil bottles to include their own small-diameter tube to make it easier to get the oil into hard-to-reach spots, I am guessing that the motor installation you describe was intended for these.

On 2017-09-29 by John Cerny

I have been tasked to lubricate many electric motors in HVAC air handler units. At this time, the motors are the general electric, 5ksp29fk. There is a bracket with a hole in in (which could pass a tube), and a semi-circle hole in the case almost straight down from the one in the bracket.

There is no tube in any of these units. If there is no tube in these models, does that mean that these are not to be oiled? Thanks for your help

On 2016-09-29 by (mod) - Emerson Industrial Automation contact information

Apologies, Kevin I don't know this specific motor. I'd contact Emerson directly to ask for tech support and then to see what lubrication they recommend, if any.
Emerson Industrial Automation
8000 West Florissant Avenue
St. Louis, MO
United States
Phone: +1 314 553 2000
Email:IndustrialAutomation@Emerson.com
www.EmersonIndustrial.com

On 2016-09-29 by Kevin

I have a Liebert A/C unit used for cooling of computer room 3 in all and they have a Emerson model # CG22 motor in each with plugs were Grease fitting should go was wondering if these should be removed and fitting installed for grease to be used or is it not recommended to grease these motors are they sealed or permanent bearings read owners manual and there is no recommendation on doing so.

On 2016-08-21 by (mod) - reader insists we not say his motor should not be oiled.

OK F.R. I won't tell you that such a motor shouldn't be oiled.

For an electric motor that needs lubrication and doesn't sport lubricating ports there is often an end cap or end bell that can be removed to expose a felt or other material that is intended to absorb and hold lubrication in the motor's bearing area. You'll find these motors on some HVAC equipment for sure.

Take a look at the article above where we discuss electric motor lubrication schedules, then check the label on your motor to see what lubrication instructions it includes or what statement it makes about motor lubrication. Use the page bottom CONTACT link to send me a sharp photo of the motor and its label if you can and we can comment further.

There are certainly some electric motors sporting "permanently-lubricated bearings" whose manufacturer does not intend them to require lubrication in the field.
Example:

"Electric motor with permanently lubricated bearings." U.S. Patent 3,626,221, issued December 7, 1971.

Gary, Groot Bluemink. "Motor bearing organization." U.S. Patent 3,002,794, issued October 3, 1961.

"Electric motors." U.S. Patent 2,904,709, issued September 15, 1959.

For industrial electric motors that require lubrication, various companies produce automatic lubricating systems,

Klüber Lubrication Austria GmbH
Franz-Wolfram-Schererstraße 32
A-5020 Salzburg
http://www.klueber.com/ecomaXL/get_blob.php?name=Brochure_Kl%C3%BCbermatic_lubricant_dispenser_for_electric_motors

Mobile produces this motor lubrication guidebook that has interesting text about using sonic evaluation to measure the screaming produced by motors in need of lubrication.
http://www.mobilindustrial.com/ind/english/files/tt-electric-motor-bearing-lubrication-guide.pdf

On 2016-08-21 by F. R. Eggers

I disagree. Motors with no provision for oiling also need oiling!!

The condenser fan motor on my central air conditioner failed; a bearing was frozen because it was not re-oiled. There was no provision to re-oil it.

Having the motor replaced cost almost $400! DO NOT TELL ME THAT SUCH A MOTOR SHOULD NOT BE OILED!!!!

If there is no provision to oil a motor, it must be taken apart to oil it. I suggest that after the first three years or so, taking it apart annually and oiling it. If it is a motor with a centrifugal switch, be careful not to let oil get where it should not get. If there is no centrifugal switch, a bit of extra oil is unlikely do do any harm but it could get messy. Only a few drops of oil are required.

A motor which is not periodically re-oiled WILL fail prematurely regardless of whether it has provision to oil it. It is irresponsible to make motors with no provision for oiling.

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