Wind vane bearing - water ingress?

jim-easterbrook · Post by **jim-easterbrook** » Tue 29 Oct 2013 8:35 am

I've dismantled my wind vane apart to replace a seized bearing. (Replacement is "in the post" on a slow boat from China.)
Has anyone tried drilling a drainage hole in the "wall" that surrounds the bearing? I know water shouldn't get in past this wall, but if it does there's no way for it to escape. The layer of dirt inside the walled area (and the rust on the bearing) suggests that something is getting in.

logjam · Post by **logjam** » Tue 29 Oct 2013 10:25 am

I twice yearly flush and lubricate the bearings. Some of that will spin out against the inside of the housing, but there shouldn't be any rust forming. The design makes it unlikely that water will find its way into the housing. Even if a drop or 2 did get inside, the lubrication should prevent any rust forming.

Did you actually see any water inside the housing?
Was the cap pushed right down?

jim-easterbrook · Post by **jim-easterbrook** » Tue 29 Oct 2013 12:12 pm

logjam wrote:Did you actually see any water inside the housing?
Was the cap pushed right down?

Didn't see any water, but this is some time after bringing it indoors (and it hasn't been stored vertically).
The cap appeared to be pushed down properly.

logjam · Post by **logjam** » Tue 29 Oct 2013 5:19 pm

It makes you wonder how the bearing unit was stored before being fitted to the vane. The problem might have been there all along. I did get one of these units once with a dried out bearing. When you get the new bearing you might want to consider giving it some light machine oil before using it. Check it out at least yearly, and you shouldn't have any problems.

My procedure, which works for me, is to use switch cleaner to flush the bearing. Then soak it in light machine oil for 5 minutes. I do this in September and again in March.

jim-easterbrook · Post by **jim-easterbrook** » Tue 29 Oct 2013 7:01 pm

logjam wrote:It makes you wonder how the bearing unit was stored before being fitted to the vane. The problem might have been there all along.

It had been running fine (and maintenance free) for over 5 years, so I'm not too concerned.

logjam · Post by **logjam** » Tue 29 Oct 2013 8:19 pm

jim-easterbrook wrote: It had been running fine (and maintenance free) for over 5 years, so I'm not too concerned.

I hope the new one serves you as well as the old one did.

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