Grease..... and not the movie....

[Karl Card]

I have a baldor 7.5HP BALDOR 3450RPM 213T TEFC 1PH MOTOR L3709Ton my table saw. What type of grease should I look for to put grease in the grease or zirk fitting?

[Bill Dufour]

Probably none. Unless you want to remove the endcaps so the old grease can be cleaned away before running the motor. You say it has grease zerks. Does it also have drains/vents to allow the old grease out so it does not flood the centrifugal switch and windings? Often just a screw to remove before grease fill time.
Bill D

[Lisa Starr]

According to various sources, Baldor uses Mobil Polyrex EM grease initially, so
I'd use the same

[Tom M King]

EM is for electric motor

Screw the zerks out and see what it looks like. Probably won’t even need a half pump. You don’t want to put too much in. Best done by feel

[Tom M King]

While you have the zerks out, see if they will pass grease freely. If not, replace them with new ones.

[Jerry Bruette]

I wouldn't bother greasing the bearings unless as Bill said if there's a vent for the old grease to vent out. If the motor has the original bearings they are probably sealed. That doesn't mean you won't get any grease in them it just means you have to pump more in. Then you run the risk of grease getting into the windings and when the motor shorts you can buy a new motor. I don't think it's worth the price to grease them.

When Baldor builds their motors they buy bearings from some manufacturer. Those bearings come with grease in them already and it's he proper amount. You don't want too much grease in a bearing or it causes a condition called slushing. Slushing causes too much heat which breaks down the grease and causes premature failure of the bearing.

If you're still determined to grease the bearings any grease with a designation of EP2 will be good enough. Don't try to determine the type of grease by the color. The color of the grease in the bearing or the grease you buy means nothing. It's nothing more than a dye to make it look pretty.

[Tom M King]

Does the motor even have zerks on it? None of my Baldors do. I have one 1/4 hp Baldor that I bought cheap because the fan on it had been crushed on the TEFC motor. I needed it as a replacement in a 4 foot fan in the barn. Since it's inside the fan I figured there was a good chance it had enough circulation over it to make up for the crushed fan that I cut that part of the bent shaft off. I forget what year I bought it, but that fan gets cut on when it gets hot in the Spring and runs continuously until sometime into the Fall. I had my motor man put new bearings in it when I first picked it up.

I know it's run at least four Summers. It wore out one belt that I replaced but other than that it still runs smoothly.

[Brian Runau]

I have a baldor 7.5HP BALDOR 3450RPM 213T TEFC 1PH MOTOR L3709T

on my table saw. What type of grease should I look for to put grease in the grease or zirk fitting?

Is there a grease zerk on the motor? If yes, you want Baldor to tell you. You don't want to mix greases, this causes grease failure, motor failure. Brian

[Brian Runau]

I wouldn't bother greasing the bearings unless as Bill said if there's a vent for the old grease to vent out. If the motor has the original bearings they are probably sealed. That doesn't mean you won't get any grease in them it just means you have to pump more in. Then you run the risk of grease getting into the windings and when the motor shorts you can buy a new motor. I don't think it's worth the price to grease them.

When Baldor builds their motors they buy bearings from some manufacturer. Those bearings come with grease in them already and it's he proper amount. You don't want too much grease in a bearing or it causes a condition called slushing. Slushing causes too much heat which breaks down the grease and causes premature failure of the bearing.

If you're still determined to grease the bearings any grease with a designation of EP2 will be good enough. Don't try to determine the type of grease by the color. The color of the grease in the bearing or the grease you buy means nothing. It's nothing more than a dye to make it look pretty.

2nd vote slushing, like walking through water up to your knees or up to your chest. Resistance equals heat. Brian

[Alan Lightstone]

And now I can say that today I learned what a zerk is. Ah the things you learn in life.

[Rich Engelhardt]

And now I can say that today I learned what a zerk is. Ah the things you learn in life.
But - did you find out who invented the "Zerk"? ;)


https://www.farmcollector.com/equipment/grease-fittings-zmlz15octzhur/#:~:text=One%20account%20says%20he%20developed,in% 20Cleveland%20to%20manufacture%20it.

[Bill Dufour]

Some machines use zerks but they expect you to pump oil into them. Using grease will gum up sliding ways and cause wear. A properly greased bearing has about 30% grease 70% air in the open space.
BilL D

[Jerry Bruette]

And now I can say that today I learned what a zerk is. Ah the things you learn in life.

Alan you've only scratched the surface. There are many types of zerks for different applications.

[Tom M King]

I keep assortments of both SAE and metric zerks in the mechanic shop. They need to be replaced more frequently than it seems like they out to.

[Edward Weber]

A properly greased bearing has about 30% grease 70% air in the open space.
BilL D

That is a very loose rule of thumb for "some" bearings.
There are far too many variables to guess about grease types and quantity. you need to follow the manufacturers specs in each situation.
While over greasing can be bad, it's typically less harmful than under greasing.

Just my 2 cents

[John C Cox]

Typically, motors under 10hp are permanently greased. Don't add more. They will run for many, many years with no additional lube.

Electric motors have a very specific greasing procedure. Do it wrong or add too much and you wreck the motor by filling the windings and stator with grease.

The first thing starts with the right specific grease. Each manufacturer will have a specification for the grease and amount. You have to use what they say, not whatever miscellaneous grease you have laying around.

Next is that the motor has to be hot.

Then, you add a specific weight of grease in grams to each bearing.

Then you pull the grease zerks out and run the motor to let the excess grease weep out under power. It generally takes an hour or two.

Last you reinstall zerks and clean off all the grease.

Do it wrong and you'll blow the seals and contaminate/wreck the bearings.

[Jerry Bruette]

Well here it is right from Baldor.
https://www.baldor.com/mvc/DownloadCenter/Files/LB5001

Karl's 213T frame motor should be greased every 3600 hours of run time. If my math is right and he runs the saw 4 hrs. a day for 365 days a year he should put 4 teaspoons of grease in the bearings every 2.46 years. Do it wrong and risk ruining the bearings.

I still don't think I'd bother getting the Polyrex EM to use 8 teaspoons of grease every two and a half years. I've seen 20 HP, 3600 RPM Baldor motors run under a heavy load on a Wheelabrator shot blaster for 18 hours a day never get greased and 5 years later they are running just fine.

[Karl Card]

Thanks for all the info. My motor was losing power. Ive had it for over 10 yrs so i figured it might need greased. However I also considered that I put new start and run caps about yrs ago. Start caps were the problem after testing so replacing them.

[Brian Runau]

https://www.pulsarlube.com/main

Automatic lubricators. Brian

[Bill Dufour]

If you were paying to use Kluber grease you would be using as little as possible. Probably cheaper to buy a used motor with good bearings then the grease.
A one kilogram can on Amazon is $429. Grease gun not included at that price.
BilL D.
https://www.amazon.com/Kluber-Isoflex-Spindle-Bearing-Grease/dp/B01BLY32EO/ref=asc_df_B01BLY32EO/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693071814229&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1263930174617240050&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1014019&hvtargid=pla-421951611763&psc=1&mcid=9dc17102f716379b8569b183210be573&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwrvyxBhAbEiwAEg_Kgrx2L36s8pt0Rna1KiKP JfCuTgnYb58787_hV6RBJExB579L_rGjDBoCbKUQAvD_BwE

[Brian Runau]

If you were paying to use Kluber grease you would be using as little as possible. Probably cheaper to buy a used motor with good bearings then the grease.
A one kilogram can on Amazon is $429. Grease gun not included at that price.
BilL D.
https://www.amazon.com/Kluber-Isoflex-Spindle-Bearing-Grease/dp/B01BLY32EO/ref=asc_df_B01BLY32EO/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693071814229&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1263930174617240050&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1014019&hvtargid=pla-421951611763&psc=1&mcid=9dc17102f716379b8569b183210be573&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwrvyxBhAbEiwAEg_Kgrx2L36s8pt0Rna1KiKP JfCuTgnYb58787_hV6RBJExB579L_rGjDBoCbKUQAvD_BwE

Bill, They will fill them with whatever grease the customer wants. Brian

[Karl Card]

Well after several thoughts and discussions with the local electric motor repair place, I decided to just get another motor. I found a brand new Leeson 7.5 hp tefc, 213tc frame, shaft is same as the baldor. about a 3rd of the price of a new baldor.
I feel baldor is dropping the ball on their motors. Many issues I read about while researching. Cant wait to try it out.

[Bill Dufour]

Cost for our information? Single or three phase.
Bill D

[Karl Card]

Cost for our information? Single or three phase.
Bill D


The new Leeson was $650 plus tax. free shipping. regular retail on this motor is $1200 on up. Single phase.

[Bill Dufour]

Great price! Now you can replace the bearings on the old motor at your speed. I am in the market for 3-5 hp. Was this something they had sitting on a shelf in the back needing to unload or a special price for good customers?
Bill D

[Ron Selzer]

Bill, I have to source motors for work. Had very good luck on eBay over the years. Helps if you can be patient, most of the time that is not the case.
Ron

[Pat Germain]

"Summer lovin', had me bla-ast!"

Great, thanks for the ear worm...

[Roger Feeley]

Can I jump in with a question? My father was a dentist. I inherited his buffer (he called it a lathe) that has self holding tapers in each side for various grinding and buffing wheels. He probably bought it in the late ‘40s. It still runs great and is virtually silent. It has a place for lubrication but they aren’t zeros. It looks like some kind of hole with a steel ball that can be pushed in.

what sort of lubricant would it need

[Bill Dufour]

Ball oiler. Push down the ball with the tip of the oil pump can spout. clean well before oiling so no gunk goes down the hole. If need make a pin hole in a nitrile glove to use as a gasket to seal the pressure so the ball unseats. New ones are cheap to buy. likely just a press fit.
The dentists call them "dental lathes" for some reason. Note the spiral tips are left and right handed.
Good habit to cover them with tape or magnetic sheet after oiling to keep out junk and make next use less messy. Also makes them easier to find. If stuck push down with a scribe to unseat stuck ball.
Bill D

[Roger Feeley]

So what oil should I use?

[Bill Dufour]

Use light weight non detergent oil. I assume plain bearings. Turbine oil if you can find it. Hydraulic fluid is probably fine.
Bill D

[Karl Card]

Great price! Now you can replace the bearings on the old motor at your speed. I am in the market for 3-5 hp. Was this something they had sitting on a shelf in the back needing to unload or a special price for good customers?
Bill

Got it on ebay. Kaeindustrial
Very good experience.