Man-cave diesel heater 12V supply......

[slim_boy_fat]

Like many others here, I have one of these little heaters for the shed, powered by a 12V supply converter. It has worked no problem until this week.

Now, when I deliver 240V AC to the 'magic box' [which keeps 228V as a fee and delivers the remaining 12 DC to the heater], it comes to life with a continuous screeching noise. I'm assuming this is related to the fan bearings in the unit, as it's fixed by a few sharp 'knocks/taps' to the unit.

I'm not in the mood to start dismantling the unit as PCBs mean nothing to me, so wonder if a spray with something like electrical switch cleaner or WD-40 would be OK? Failing that, it'd be easier to send off to foreign climes for a replacement like this from out friends at Banggood CLICKY which is the same one as I currently have.

Wotcha think, lads?

 

[indy4x]

Probably the same style fan that's fitted to PC's, 3D printers etc. I have had limited sucess peeling back the sticker on the fan body and oiling the bearing, doesn't last long though

If you pop the cover, you will probably find the fan is attached to the circuit board with a small 2 or 3 pin connector, nothing special, match it up with something off eBay and away you go

 

[JOEPRO]

I fired mine up yesterday with some interpretation.

It ramped up and went out like a damp fart. Then tried itself a second time and away it went. Must have been some sort of air in system after sitting so long. But it seems OK.

 

[mtt.tr]

As indy4x says.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Thanks, I'm going away for a few days so it could be a week or more before I get a chance to investigate further.

A replacement won't be the end of the world....less than £20.

 

[mtt.tr]

Thanks, I'm going away for a few days so it could be a week or more before I get a chance to investigate further.

A replacement won't be the end of the world....less than £20.

Best not be crossing no borders.


You can't break what's already broke.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Best not be crossing no borders

Definitely not on the itinerary.

You can't break what's already broke.

You don't know me, I have special skills.....

 

[doubleboost]

Time to fire mine up getting a bit chilly in the shed

 

[not done it yet]

Buy a replacement fan. Too much stuff gets thrown away, instead of being repaired.

Mine runs from a battery with a battery charger connected. Likely far more efficient to run a 3A battery charger than a 20A power supply - and it doesn’t risk effing the heater PCB if the mains fails.

 

[Red'n'Black]

Get a picture of the label and some dimensions and I may well have one that'll fit.

 

[voipio]

These diesel heaters don't have a simple computer type fan. There are normally two impellers, one at each end of a motor. One impeller drives the air to the combustion chamber, and the other is for the air to be heated. It's a bit of a faff to get at the bearings to lubricate or replace them.

 

[jsf55]

I must check mine as i saw it was stopped when the unit was powered up and never saw it come on .... must have been 9 months ago, but has worked fine since without it

 

[jmp49]

Volpio, I interpret the original post as the noise is coming from the psu that supplies the 12v, not the heater itself.

I have a similar diesel heater that services one of the workshops, and I run that off a old stabilized Tandy's cb psu that I bought in the 90's that has no fans just passive heatsinks on the back, and seems more reliable than the cheap switchmode psu that I was going to use. I just turn it on every winter and it works without drama after bleeding the diesel lines to the heater.
As the others I've tried lubricating the fan bearings on cheap psu's and its at best a very temporary thing, the only cure is fan replacement because the bearings are shot.

Noga make some really good quality quiet replacement dc fans with bearings that last much longer before giving problems, but probably a bit expensive overkill for the diesel heater psu.

 

[not done it yet]

As the others I've tried lubricating the fan bearings on cheap psu's and its at best a very temporary thing, the only cure is fan replacement because the bearings are shot.

Yep, ‘the horse has already bolted’ when wear is noticed. ‘Chicken fat‘ grease, in chinese bearings, is never a good recipe for longevity.

 

[R Kraft]

They tend to have clearance problems with the fan impellers.
Might see if it needs a nudge.

 

[indy4x]

Volpio, I interpret the original post as the noise is coming from the psu that supplies the 12v, not the heater itself.

I have a similar diesel heater that services one of the workshops, and I run that off a old stabilized Tandy's cb psu that I bought in the 90's that has no fans just passive heatsinks on the back, and seems more reliable than the cheap switchmode psu that I was going to use. I just turn it on every winter and it works without drama after bleeding the diesel lines to the heater.
As the others I've tried lubricating the fan bearings on cheap psu's and its at best a very temporary thing, the only cure is fan replacement because the bearings are shot.

Noga make some really good quality quiet replacement dc fans with bearings that last much longer before giving problems, but probably a bit expensive overkill for the diesel heater psu.

@voipio

That was my interpretation, PSU fan not the heater itself

 

[slim_boy_fat]

These diesel heaters don't have a simple computer type fan.

Volpio, I interpret the original post as the noise is coming from the psu that supplies the 12v, not the heater itself.

Correct.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

They tend to have clearance problems with the fan impellers.
Might see if it needs a nudge.

Yep, see quote below below from the initial post. Tried it again today although it's been warmer. Less noisy this time - switched it on/off a couple of times....back to normal.

as it's fixed by a few sharp 'knocks/taps' to the unit.

 

[OJCar]

switched it on/off a couple of times....back to normal.

I thought you had worked in Banking, not IT ...

 

[colnerov]

Noisy bearings are the new normal.