Why You Should Keep Your Concept2 RowErg Damper Fan Assembly Free of Dust

Most athletes who have spent time training on Concept2 rowers know the importance of a smooth and consistent stroke. One of the factors that may detract from the smoothness and consistency of an erg’s stroke feel is dust in the damper fan assembly. 

Keeping the damper and fan assembly free of dust is a small and often overlooked maintenance task that can have a big impact on your rowing performance, data accuracy, and the longevity of your equipment. 

At Mammoth Upgrades we want you to get the most out of all of your equipment. Here’s why dust matters and how you can stay ahead of it

Why Being Dust-Free Matters

1. Accurate Airflow & Resistance

The damper controls how much air enters the flywheel housing, which has a direct effect on perceived resistance. When dust builds up inside the vents and on the fan blades, airflow is restricted and can cause the damper settings to be unpredictable. For example, a damper setting of 5 on a rower with a dusty flywheel housing could feel similar to a damper setting of 3 on a clean rower. 

2. Reliable Performance Data

Concept2 monitors measure drag factor, which is the rate at which your flywheel’s rotation slows down between strokes. With dust interfering with airflow, the drag factor data can become unreliable. Many users have reported that extremely dusty flywheels prevent them achieving the drag factors that they prefer for their training. With an inaccurate or lowered drag factor, other data such as power or calories would also be inaccurate. 

3. Longer Machine Life

A dusty flywheel housing can put more strain on the flywheel and can introduce contaminants to the bearing. The damper mechanism may also be affected by excessive amounts of dust and debris. Regular cleaning will prevent undue wear and tear, which will keep your rower running longer and stronger. 

Official Concept2 Maintenance Recommendation

Concept2 Recommends inspecting the flywheel every 250 hours of use (monthly for institutional users) and vacuuming it if necessary. This means that an average home user can expect to clean their rower a few times per year. Many of our customers use their rowers frequently outside and in garages. These customers should inspect their flywheel housing more frequently as dusty environments can contribute to faster buildup. 

How to Clean Your Damper Fan Assembly

Here’s our step-by-step process based on our experiences and consideration of Concept2’s official recommendations:

1. Set the damper to 10 which opens the vents fully.
2. Use a flashlight to inspect the housing and vents. If excessive dust is noticed, proceed with step 3.
3. Vacuum the outside of the fan cage and easily accessible vents. A brush attachment can be helpful with this step. If you are still noticing dust inside of the assembly, proceed with step
4. Deep Cleaning (if needed):
   • Loosen the four screws on the fan cover and the single screw located at the metal screen clamp without removing them completely.
   • With the screen clamp screw loosened, remove the metal screen
   • Vacuum the dust directly from the flywheel, the housing, and the metal screen. 
   • If needed, wipe dust away with a soft microfiber.
   • Reattach the metal screen and tighten its clamp screw, along with the four screws for the plastic housing/cover.
5. Verify your cleaning by checking the drag factor on your monitor (Menu-> More Options-> Display Drag Factor). You should have no problem seeing a drag factor above 100 at a damper setting of 5.

How Often Should You Clean It? 

It depends. You should clean it as often as your rower needs it. With inspection taking almost no time, it can’t hurt to inspect once a month. Realistically, home users can expect a cleaning once or twice per year, with intervals decreasing slightly depending on the environment. Users who store their rowers outside or in garages should consider storing their rowers with the damper/flywheel assembly covered.

If you notice inconsistent resistance, unusually low drag factor readings, or hear extra noise from your flywheel, it’s likely time for a cleaning. 

Keep your Rower Performing Like New

Taking a few minutes to inspect and clean your flywheel and damper assembly ensures your Concept2 rower feels right, tracks your efforts accurately, and lasts a lifetime. Pairing consistent maintenance with high quality upgrades from Mammoth Upgrades creates a rower that performs better than the day you bought it.