I need some help identifying a part of my bathroom fan...

S

Squashfan

Joined
Jun 6, 2012
Messages
1,670
This is going to be an odd post. My bathroom fan is making a horrible racket. I took it down and discovered that there is metal cap on top off the motor drive shaft. This cap is loose and letting the fan blades wobble, making the afformention horrible noise. BTW, the blades look like an upside down bowl. I did try driving the cap down but it is too short to effectively keep the blades from wobbling. The cap is about 1/2" across and looks like a quaker hat. Where the base of crown meets the brim there are two metal flanges on the opposite sides of the cap. What the heck is that cap called??? I should have pictures. But I don't feel like climbing back up and taking the fan out of the celing again.
 
longun said:
I think you are describing a "push nut".
Click to expand...

this.

Does the motor shaft have a flat on it? If so, rip the push nut off and replace it with a stop collar with a set screw. A drill bit stop of the right size should work.

Unless this is a high end 'spensive 'spensive fan though, it's probably cheaper/easier to buy a new one. If it's a builder grade Broan you can probably buy the exact same model for $20 and not even have to replace the housing, just swap in the new motor/squirrel cage assembly. Or if you want to pimp your facilities get a Panasonic bathroom fan which will be much quieter, although you'll probably have to go into the attic to replace the housing.

Completely unrelated to your question, I also put a timer in place of the wall switch for the fan in my last house so the fan would run for a while after I left for work to pull more of the humidity from my morning shower out to fight the forces of mold.
 
HEY!!! I found a replacement wheel that is listed as fitting my fan! http://www.centralvacuumstores.com/Bath-Vent-Fan/NuTone/Parts/5901A000-Bath-Fan-Blower-Wheel.php Also, I may try to put a washer under the push nut as a temp solution.

Push nut! Yes that is it exactly. N8N, part of the problem is that the hole in the fan blades for the moter shaft has expanded over the 20+ years this fan has been in my ceiling. The motor is still perfectly fine and quiet, when the blades work right, though. I hate to throw away a perfectly good motor. As far as a flat goes, it kinda looks like one has developed over time.
 
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