Bearing system with lubricated exclusion seal

A bearing system comprising:

• a bearing housing configured to house a bearing, the bearing housing enclosing a free volume for receiving a lubricant and including a shaft opening;
• a shaft in the shaft opening;
• and
• an one exclusion seal between the shaft opening and the shaft, the exclusion seal being repeatably and non-destructively shiftable from a sealing state in which the exclusion seal substantially prevents lubricant from leaving the free volume and a release state in which the exclusion seal allows the lubricant to escape between the exclusion seal and the shaft, the exclusion seal being shiftable from the sealing state to the release state by increasing a pressure in the bearing housing to above a first level and being shiftable from the release state to the sealing state by decreasing the pressure to below the first level,
• wherein the only location for the lubricant to exit the bearing housing is between the shaft and the exclusion seal.

A bearing system comprising:

• a bearing housing configured to house a bearing, the bearing housing enclosing a free volume for receiving a lubricant and including a shaft opening;
• a pump configured to pump the lubricant into the bearing housing;
• a shaft in the shaft opening;
• at least one exclusion seal between the shaft opening and the shaft, the at least one exclusion seal being configured to allow the lubricant to escape past the at least one exclusion seal when the pressure is above a first level;
• a controller operably connected to the pump for controlling the pump, and
• a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure in the bearing housing and to send an output signal to the controller indicative of the measured pressure;
• wherein the controller is configured to add the lubricant to the housing and monitor a pressure in the housing while adding the lubricant, to determining a maximum pressure obtainable by adding the lubricant to the housing, and if the maximum pressure is not greater than a predetermined pressure to provide a signal indicative of a worn seal.