spindle fan blows up out the top or down through the spindle?

[knight_toolworks]

I have changed several fans and I have had it sucking air through the spindle and out the top. I just replaced the spindle and it is blowing through the spindle. so I want to make sure I had it right.

[Gary Campbell]

Steve...
If its blowing out the top the fan is in upside down. I don't think those fans, if its the 24vdc version will run if the + & - wires are backwards.

[knight_toolworks]

I do know they do from experience . but I have replaced the fan 5 or more times because it took forever to find out I had a bunch of shorts in the fan wire because of zip ties. but I could have had the flow backwards on one of the changes and thought it was right the whole time. man I forgot how quiet spindles are.

[Nate Sirek]

Did you guys get replacement fans directly from shopbot? When running the spindle, should the fan be constantly on or does it kick on and off as needed? I'm trying to figure out if my spindles fan is functioning properly as it seemed like my spindle got pretty warm the last time I ran a long 3d part.

[Bob Eustace]

Nate on the Buddy it runs whenever the control box is on regardless of spindle status. It blows downwards. If you blow out with compressed air its best to not let it turn as it can reach extremely high revs. Have bought off Shopbot, I think around $100 plus freight. Current emergency spare came from Ali Express for $13 freight free. Brady did a post on the specs a few months back as its no good saving on spares if you stuff the spindle! For monitoring temps we like many here juse a non contact infrared temp gun. Handy as you can also measure the tool temp. Are you always using the warm up procedure?

[knight_toolworks]

you can buy just the fan for around 15.00 online. shopbot sells it with the housing. you have to solder the wires to the plug though.

[Nate Sirek]

Interesting, I'm not entirely sure mine runs non stop on my PRT alpha. Now I can hear the bearings a little bit of I turn my spindle by hand when it's off. To test the spindle fan, is there a continuity test u can do or something to see if it's good or bad? Didn't know that about the compressed air. Are u guys taking them off the spindle to clean out then? Are all of you keeping a spare on hand? I'm hoping I can pick up a non contact infrared heat meter tomorrow and do some testing. I want to make sure I get this spindle stuff squared away as its one of the most important components of my machine. Oh, the joys.

[knight_toolworks]

I had problems with my fan wire running through the chain. I guess the zip ties had caused shorts in the write and for years the fan would turn on and off as the machine moved or once it stopped. as I removed the zip ties it would get better then start up again. I finally replaced the whole section of wire and the problem was gone.

[Nate Sirek]

I was thinking about that today as I had to follow my fan wire back to my control box.

Tom at Shopbot and I figured out that my SEV spindle wires back to the shopbot control box and not the Varispeed controller. I guess thats a little different than the Colombo spindle wires. My fan is a 24v fan and I tested both the control box and the lead on my spindle fan wires and both checked out (parked at home base). He told my my fan should be constantly on when my control box is on. So I bought an extra fan today as well to keep on the shelf.