Patent ID: 8246313

Claim:
A method of determining an oil level in an oil reservoir surrounding a bearing that supports a rotating shaft in a motor, the reservoir retaining a body of oil in fluid communication with the bearing for lubricating the bearing and having an indicator for indicating the oil level, the reservoir including a fluid port, a portion of the fluid port extending into and above a bottom of the reservoir, the fluid port operatively connected with the indicator, the orientation of the portion of the fluid port extending into and above a bottom of the reservoir being adjustable to compensate for the dynamic affects on the body of oil resulting from rotation of the rotatable shaft, including the steps of: determining the level of oil in the reservoir as indicated by the indicator when the motor is in a substantially static condition; bringing the motor up to an operating speed; and adjusting the portion of the fluid port extending into and above the bottom of the reservoir until the indicator indicates substantially the same oil level at operating speed as it did in the substantially static condition.