Is My Blower Gone?

**WoodMangler** · 09-11-2004, 08:21 AM

So... what's up with this eh?

Inquiring minds wanna know..... :)

**Cody Colston** · 09-11-2004, 08:35 AM

Tony,

Try pouring a little bleach into the condensate drain. If that drain gets stopped up (it's probably 3/4" pvc) it will freeze up the unit and do just like MarC said. The access to mine is underneath the unit behind the return air grill.

Also, I'd suggest you change the filter monthly and do the bleach thing then also. If you get dirt in your duct lines, it can start growing all kinds of nasty stuff that will make your home smell like a sewer.

If the blower needs changing, you're on your own. I wouldn't even know where to begin outside of calling an A/C repair man.

Cody

[ol]
An amateur built the Ark
PROFESSIONALS built the Titanic[/ol]

**bmorto1504** · 09-11-2004, 11:27 PM

Ice in unit. Keep in mind I am not a pro.
If your unit is developing ice, that is an indication you are low on refrigerant gas. That means the system is out of balance. If it is way low on gas it will not ice up and not cool the air on a hot day. A service call to top off the gas will likely prolong the life of your unit. If you have not changed the filters as you should or if air is slipping past the filter the “A” coil could be covered with a felt like layer of lint. This situations can cause the coil to ice up because not enough hot air from the house is moving through the “A” coil. Unfortunately the “A” coil is almost impossible to get to for cleaning. I called a service guy to clean mine and check the charge and it cost about $35.00. The gas charge is a precise business so don’t try DIY. The system must be in balance to work properly. A clean “A” coil will make your system operate more efficiently.

Changing out the blower motor. I am not a pro but this is some notes on things to be aware of if you do the work yourself. See http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/sea...ults.jsp?xi=xi for price ideas.

First of all electrical safety is IMPORTANT. Now that you have turned off the breaker that supplies electricity to your furnace you think you are electrically safe..... Wrong.... If you do not know how to handle capacitors you should get assistance from someone who knows how to check for STORED ELECTRICAL ENERGY. If you do this wrong you could get a SHOCK that will knock you socks off.

Check with local supply houses to see if they will sell you a replacement motor if you are not in the trade. If they will not, check with a one man type repair service they will usually sell you a motor, they order the motor from the same jobber sod who would not sell the motor to you. Usually in either case the cost will be about the same. Grainger is one of several companies who has a line of replacement motors and will sell to anyone with a buck. They all sell universal replacement motors so the shaft may be a little longer or it may have two mounting methods or extra motor speeds you will not use.

If you are ready to tackle the job check out the wiring. The replacement motor will just have several wires hanging out of it. It will be up to you to connect them to your unit. Make a good drawing, even a color photo, and get a plan in mind how you will reconnect the wires. The motor runs two speeds one for cooling and one for heating. So you will be dealing with about 4 wires or so, some universal replacement motors will have and extra wire that will not be used. Insulate the end of unused wires (wire nut) and secure them to something solid. When you pull the blower assembly out about half way the wires will likely be tight and you will need to disconnect them from the terminals or cut them so have a plan in mind.

The mechanical part of the job is really fairly easy. As you indicated, remove the two screws holding the fan assembly in place. Slid the assembly out of the unit. It will be a little more difficult to handle than you think so be careful, don’t let it flip over and give you a fat lip.

Notice the position of the blower relative to the side of the blower housing opening. If it is centered replace it in the centered position. Make a couple of marks and measurements so you can replace it exactly as it is now. Notice the position of the hub in the center of the fan relative to the motor so you don’t put the fan back into the housing in the reverse position. If you are not an expert you can’t look at the vanes and know which way the fan should turn.

Most likely you will need to pull the motor out of the blower before the blower can be removed from the housing. When you loosen the blower hub screws, usually two, holding the fan hub to the motor shaft you may find that one of the screws put a bump on the shaft where the screw was. That bump may make the hub a little difficult to get off of the shaft. Be careful not to bend the blower. Get the blower loose then unbolt the motor mounting from the side of the blower housing and pull the motor shaft out of the blower hub. Your blower housing may have a little sheetmetal part that must be removed to pull the blower from the housing for cleaning.

Before you reassemble the blower give it a good cleaning with a toothbrush and some little wood sticks and cleaner. Don’t put scratches in the vanes with metal tools. Be careful not to dislodge the balance weights found on the little vanes, they hide under the lint and dirt buildup. Cleaning is a tough job but an important one. A clean blower will make your unit operate with more air volume, with less noise and lower electric consumption.

Good Luck
bmorto