SMC Discussion Areas

Is it possible to repair H81 fan motors? I looked for a replacement fan off the GE number stamped on my motor and had no luck finding a replacement. I know Funtronics & Soda Jerk Works sells new fans - just wondering if these are the same quality of the original GE models?

Hello, Zerbie

Been awhile . I’d just by new ones .if you found someone that could rebuild it it would cost more then the replacements.I had no issue with the replacement ones for over 10 years .Just my opinion

Hi Ltransam,

Yes it's been awhile. Good to hear from you. Thank you for responding and please stay well & be safe!

You too stay safe .and your 56 looks good

Thank you Ltransam!

The motors are seal unit bearing types, they can not be rebuilt,  typically the lower condenser fan motor's a 9-watt CW/120 volts ( CW=clock-wise rotation) while the upper evaporator unit is 6 to 4 watts , CW/120 volts, you can use a larger (higher wattage) 9 watt motor for the evaporator it will function the same a lower power motor, however the higher the wattage (power) the more torque the motor has & this can cause it to be noisier than a smaller wattage unit,  ( it may cause a "thrumming" )

A note on Rotation: most motors use in soda machines for the condenser are CW/clockwise as viewed from the rear or "lead end" side of the motor, & they are matched to the same rotation fan blade, they "pull' the air through the condenser coils.  when in doubt, check your old motors back plate,  most evaporator motors are also CW rotation, like on a Vendo machine where the fan pulls warmer air in the front of the coils & pushes it up along the back wall of the bottle compartment,  there are noted acceptations such as certain Cavalier machines where the motor sits on top of the evaporator, these are marked CCW/counter clock-wise...always check your old motors rating plate.

the higher the rated wattage of a unit bearing motor means it can spin a larger diameter fan blade assembly without "motor slipping" & quickly over heating itself, while a smaller sized fan blade on a too large or a motor may be caused it to  "whip" the air & be extra noisy & vibrate the mounting support.  

conversely, If the motors wattage is under rated ( too small wattage-wise) for too large diameter of a fan blade, it will stall & quickly over heat itself.

I typically use a 9-watt for the condenser & a 6 watt for the evaporator.

Funny how something seemingly so simply can turn into an engineering project... :happydrinkers:

WOW! Everything I wanted to know about fan motors - your reply is incredible! That's what I love about this sight, members with so much knowledge & smarts and are willing to share! It's incredible what people know and you certainly know your fans.

My Vendo H81D has the same (4W/CW) fans for both the condenser and the evaporator.

My Vendo H81B, is the same as the 81D; both the condenser and evap fans are the same at (4W/CW).

Do you mind sharing the source for your 9W & 6W fans?

Thanks again for your response - I greatly appreciate it!   :happydrinkers:

I get them from a local HVAC Jobber supply house, but Grainger.com Online has them too.


https://www.grainger.com

 :help:
Can anyone share their experience with using condenser and evaporator replacement motors with cast iron motor housings vs aluminum motor housings? Does one operate better vs the other or does it make any difference at all?
Thanks!   :hopefull:

Iron vs Aluminum unit bearing motors are functionally identical, the Iron units tend to have better noise reduction & usually have better bronze shaft bushings. plus the damn mounting holes don't tend to strip out as easily as the Aluminum motors, Iron ones also tend to be a bit pricier.

for hobby use, I go with the aluminum, I haven't noticed any real difference in longevity to speak of. 

Thank you johnieG - I like all the attributes you mentioned about the iron housing motors - minus the increased cost - but as the saying goes- you get what you pay for. I haven't noticed that they are significantly more for the added benefits. Thanks for your advice!  :happydrinkers: