Are you looking for a way to lubricate your anemometer bearings? 

Or you want to troubleshoot your wind transmitter.

Anemometer bearings can be found in brands of wind transmitters like the Tacktick and Davis. 

Although they do their jobs, they can sometimes stop functioning especially if you have been using them for a long time.

Two of the most common issues with bearings are that can at some point become slow and stiff, once any of these occur, they tend to stop working as they should.

However, they are a couple of things one can do to fix this, even though most of the time it is usually advised to get a replacement as it is a guarantee that it won’t malfunction again in the future.

In this guide, you will learn how to lubricate anemometer bearings, how to clean sticky anemometer bearings, and other additional tips.


How To Lubricate Anemometer Bearings

Before you lubricate an anemometer bearing, you need to remember that they are usually permanently lubricated.

Most of the time you think it might need to be lubricated, they actually might need to be replaced.

However, if you are on a budget, you can improvise.

Additionally, I will not advise that you take the bearings apart as those locking washers at the center aren't exactly designed to be removed.

Let's get started.


  1. Get hold of hair clipper oil or machine oil like this one as they are the only thing that has the same consistency as the original lubricant.
  2. Take a jeweler screw driver and put it in between the two tabs just to pry it open a bit, not too much so as not to break it.
  3. Finally, drop a few drop of the oil into the shaft which is in the middle, and exercise it for 1 minute.

That is how to lubricate an anemometer bearing, without having to buy a new one.

However, there is no guarantee that this method will work for you, if it doesn't, the best thing would be to buy a replacement.


How To Clean Sticky Anemometer Bearings

To clean a sticky anemometer, you are going to need a few products that you may find in your home.

A sticky anemometer makes it hard for wind transmitters to rotate effortlessly. 

So if you notice that you have a sticky anemometer, they are a number of things you can do to narrow down the issue. 

Let's get started. 

1. Firstly, you are going to need some mild detergent, machine oil, a nylon brush, and water. 

2. Remove the anemometer from the mount, this is a great way to clean it properly. 

3. Take the nylon brush and brush off the dirt from the middle, pry it open gently, and brush in between cranks and corners.

Read: How To Remove Yellow Stains From Snorkel Mask Lenses

4. After brushing off the specks of dirt, turn the spinning pieces slowly to observe any friction, if yes then you will need to continue with the next step. 

5. Add a little of the mild detergent and add to a bowl of water and then use the nylon brush to wash the anemometer, do this gently, and don't submerge.

6. Next, rinse thoroughly with water and allow to dry properly. 

7. If after all these, the anemometer is still sticking or friction, try lubricating with machine oil or hair clipper oil (highly recommended).

8. Drop-in several drops of the oil, spin the parts for a minute to even the distribution of the oil.

If none of these steps worked out for you, you might consider contacting the people you bought it from or the brand, or you can replace it.


How To Tell If Your Anemometer Bearing Needs To Be Replaced 

One of the easiest ways to tell if your anemometer bearings need to be replaced is to take note of its rotation as it slowly comes to a stop.

However, you have to do this before sunset and sunset as wind conditions tend to slow down during those times.

Additionally, you can look at the behavior of the anemometer as it slows down and compare it to another anemometer whose bearings you are sure are in very good condition. 


Conclusion

An anemometer is primarily used for measuring wind speed, especially in boats, ships, and windmills.

It is very important that bearings movement are smooth sailing, to do their work properly.

So if your anemometer bearings are kind of jammed, dirty, or sticky. 

You should follow the steps in this guide to narrow down the problem.


Further Reading:

Is It Safe To Be On A Sailboat During A Lightning Storm?