What is the typical lifespan of a cooling fan?

The core conclusion of the service life of a cooling fan is that under normal use, oil bearing fans have a lifespan of about 20000 to 50000 hours, and ball bearing fans have a lifespan of about 50000 to 100000 hours. The actual lifespan is greatly affected by the type of bearing, the operating environment, and the load strength. 1、 Core influencing factors Bearing type: This is the key to determining the lifespan. Oil containing bearings rely on lubricating oil to reduce wear, and wear intensifies when the oil dries up; Ball bearings have a more durable structure, stronger resistance to wear and high temperatures. Operating environment: dusty, humid, and high-temperature environments can accelerate bearing corrosion, dust accumulation, and shorten lifespan by 30% -50%; A clean and dry environment can extend the service life. Operating load: Long term full speed and overload (such as wind duct blockage causing continuous high load on the fan) operation will increase motor losses and shorten the lifespan of the fan by 20% -40% compared to normal load operation. Power supply quality: Voltage fluctuations and frequent start stop can impact motor coils and bearings, reducing their lifespan. 2、 Reference lifespan for different scenarios Household/electronic devices (such as computer cases, router fans): Oil bearing takes about 2-3 years, ball bearing takes about 5-7 years (running for 8-12 hours per day). Industrial equipment/servers (running 24 hours a day): Oil containing bearings take about 1-2 years, ball bearings take about 3-5 years, and EC fans can have a lifespan of up to 8-10 years due to energy-saving design. Harsh environment (dusty, high-temperature industrial scenes): Oil containing bearings may only last for 6-12 months, while ball bearings take about 1-3 years (requiring regular cleaning and maintenance).