After draining the oil and flushing out the electric motor bearing as shown in figure "A" of the illustration, when adding clean oil, after reinstalling the drain plug, to what level should the oil be brought up to for optimal performance? See illustration EL-0218.
• Electric motor bearing oil reservoirs and how oil level affects lubrication vs. churning • Typical design goal: oil level around the shaft centerline / bottom of bearing so the bearing is supplied but not flooded • Using the illustration to see where item #1 and item #3 sit relative to the shaft and the bearing housing
• Look at where the shaft centerline lies in relation to items #1 and #3. Which option would have the oil just high enough to wet the bearing without completely submerging and churning around the shaft? • If you filled to each of the listed levels, what would happen to heat generation, leakage, and the bearing’s ability to pick up oil? Which level seems like a practical manufacturer’s recommended level? • Compare this to what you know about oil-bath lubrication of sleeve or roller bearings: is the bearing supposed to be fully submerged in oil, or only partially dipped?
• Identify clearly whether item #1 is a fill/vent plug or an actual level indicator in figure A • Note the vertical position of item #3 relative to the shaft centerline and the bearing surfaces • Eliminate choices that would leave the bearing almost dry or that would flood the shaft and cause excessive churning
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts!