Re: any way to resurrect a weak fan?

On 2025-06-21 23:02, Bill Abers wrote:

On 6/21/25 4:21 PM, Carlos E.R. wrote:

On 2025-06-21 21:58, Bill Abers wrote:

So my refrigerator evaporator fan has become too weak to turn.  Well, it turns, but very slowly maybe 1 RPM when the normal speed is 3000 or so. I have a new one on the way but, before my food spoils, is there any way to perhaps resurrect this existing fan, just to keep it going for 2-3 days until the new one arrives?  I wiggled it once or twice which initiated full speed, but it didn't last.  I also tried lightly oiling it but no difference.  Thanks in advance.

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You did not say if it turns smoothly when you move it with your finger.
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(I do not know what is a weak fan, though)
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 Sorry, yes it does turn easily with finger.

I have trouble understanding what is a weak fan. I have seen fan fails for two reasons: either they don't turn easily: possibly lack of oil, maybe a combination of oil/grease and dust/hairs making the axis stuck. The other reason, on big fans, is that the condenser fails. Wire breakage seems rare.
If a small fan doesn't have strength to turn, it turns easily, and there is no capacitor, I don't know what it is. On DC type of fans, with a permanent magnet, that magnet may have lost the force.
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Cheers, Carlos.