aeration fans

[ado089]

I'm running a fan on a 15kw gen set right now. It's a PITA keeping it fueled up, and it burns $50 of diesel per day. 28hp and it's all she can do to start a 5hp fan. This winter I want to set one up on a 10hp diesel on a belt drive.

[tweety]

Is Balder the chinese version of Baldor? Or the spell check version of Baldor?

[mbdog]

fjlip...have one of those old fans too....been bulletproof

[Oliver88]

MB hydro sounds like a miserable group to deal with if there is inspections for every aeration fan install.

As far as the fans go these would be my guesses for the breakdown of fans:
-quality issue from electric motor manufacturer (Chinese?)
-alignment issue when motor is assembled in the blower assembly
-wiring issue causing arcing/shorting
-MB Hydro power surges?

Based on what I read I'm guessing there is a quality issue with the electric motors.

[mbdog]

Oliver...hydro involved in my service upgrades...not required for fans/beyond panel. Hydro ground crew was good.
Still think I got some bad motors...

[seabass]

Kihei u have some issues with Valleys products?

[Kihei]

I have had a fair amount of trouble with the Brock guardian 10 hp fan motors that I bought from valley .. Other than that they were good to deal with .

[dalek]

We've always had trouble with service life on electric motors, last place on a short hydro line that Hydro One hasn't maintained for 30 years. Always had "dirty" hydro

[seabass]

We havent had much trouble with fans but unload augers yes. Pretty good to deal with otherwise.

[mbdog]

tweety...Baldor...thx for correction and sorry to Balder.
Dalek...dirty hydro? Sounds like something that I should be questioning MB hydro about?
Brave...Rosenort able to determine cause/source of failure? Was told substandard bearings may be a problem...couple of the motors smell burnt and windings look charred. Told can't fix...new motors not cheap especially if problem continues.

[mbdog]

seabass...have an 4 year old unload auger motor...maybe has 20 hours of use...failed..

[Braveheart]

Mbdog, we haven't sent the fan for repair yet. They won't look at it for a month and by then it won't be needed. This fan draws too many amps and starts to run backwards before tripping breaker. I've been told by others it's unfixable.

[dalek]

Your electrician should be able to find it if he knows to look. Our voltage coming into our meter fluctuates way more than it's supposed to

[biglentil]

Check to see if they are wired with aluminum or copper. Copper conductivity is rated at 97 and aluminum 60 or something. Anyways was told that aluminum is not good for electric motors.