5
Appreciation post: A 1980s gearbox failure in a Boston high-rise taught me to never trust a 'quiet' machine.
It was a routine inspection on a bank of four Otis units. The lead car was running smooth, no unusual sounds. My old foreman, who was training me, put his hand on the motor frame and said, 'Feel that? That's a hum, not a purr.' I thought he was being picky. Two days later, a tooth sheared clean off the main drive gear. The downtime and repair bill were insane. Now, my first check on any machine is a hand on the frame to feel for vibrations you can't hear. Anyone else have a 'too quiet' story that bit them?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
tara_patel27d ago
Honestly, that line about a hum not a purr really hits home. Tbh I had a similar thing with a big air handler unit. It was way too quiet right before a bearing completely locked up. Now I trust my hands more than my ears for that first check. That old foreman knew his stuff.
4
amy97427d ago
That's interesting, but hands can miss early vibration. A good stethoscope picks up bearing noise way before it's felt.
6
wendyprice27d ago
Ever check the floor for dust patterns?
2