My apologies guys, I meant to say we tested the capacitor and it was GOOD. It tested fine with my multimeter on microfarad setting. Sorry for any confusion :) cheers
Yea. I was about to say. Most times a hum like that is a bad cap. Easy way to tell if its a bad cap usually is spin the blower wheel with your hand and hit the switch to make it hum like u did before if it takes off running it’s usually a bad cap.
@@scott5654 He showed every step needed. Why the hell does every HVAC service tech think that people are incapable of following wiring diagrams, simple instructions, and sound advice? Thumbs up, thumbs up, hashtag I'm an expert.
Personally, these days, I wouldn't trust a certified hvac technician to put air in a bicycle tire. Maybe just my area and there are some that actually do a good job (or what they show themselves doing on UA-cam) but the cons outweigh the pros. Actually goes with every certified businesses these days. If it ain't theirs, fuck it. Don't know if it's lazy, job security or not giving a shit but.... No. I guess in bigger cities where there's code to have this done they might do a better job but here with no codes they are crap
I came in here to endow you with my TREMENDOUS gratitude for sharing your talents with the interwebs. I, nearly 60 year-old/about to be homeless lady) just fixed the central air system in the house I'm staying in, and may have earned myself a few more months of shelter by doing so. Yes I'm sobbing with gratitude for the help this and other videos provided. You can't even know. ❤ ❤ ❤
It was a super handy video. Thanks to you, your encouraging words of "these things are all pretty much the same design", I pulled out my blower motor assembly out of an Aire-Flo furnace and cleaned the crap out it, and recorded the existing motors specs just in case. Thanks for the help.
Very nice video . I've commented before. I'll have something to say here. Years and years ago, when I worked residential. Anyone with a service agreement got visited twice a year. Once in the spring and once in the fall. Our service manager would tell us if we needed to pull the blower assy. That was part of the service agreement. Every blower got pulled out and cleaned and motor lubricated once per year. While the blower assembly was out we always changed the filter and thoroughly vacuumed and cleaned the entire blower compartment. . A service agreement was 159.00 back then for 2 visits per year. Times were good back then. Retired now.
Good video. Just had the AC guy tell me the blower motor was out and had to wait until Monday to get it replaced. I watched this video, found the motor and put it in. Only got hung up for a bit on the wiring because it was different than what I originally had. My old motor handled the cap connection a little differently. But we are up and running. Family is happy and the temps in the house are dropping. Phoenix 110+ today.
I've done this twice on my 1970s-era blower. Both times it was the front bearing worn egg-shaped from the weight of the squirrel cage. My blower seems to have more substantial sheetmetal in its construction and, therefore, more weight out on the end of the shaft. The first time I wasn't able to locate a motor but had a new motor with the same sized end bells, so I just swapped them onto the old motor. The second time I ended up with a 4 speed universal motor.
I just replaced a genteq 2.3 1hp motor with an evergreen vs 1hp motor and control board. It was about $450 for the motor and $150 for the control board. Versus $800+ for the official replacement motor. And $1,400+ was the total estimate including labor. So I saved $800 buying the evergreen and i still have a pretty high tec efficient motor. And i didn't have to mess with a capacitor and wiring was fairly easy
@@diyhvacguy ...rental property. Yup, same as up here in Alberta. The ' owners ' just dont actually GIVE A DAMM. Eavestrough falling off, for 3 or more years; sheds full of mattresses/boxsprings/frames. Washer/dryers/stoves, etc in yard, under trees. NO ONE CARES, anymore = GREEDY FOR PROFIT. No surprise, to me at all, that the furnace is a dirty disgrace....
All right little mister electrician, I know how good you work but everybody else needs to too. Keep posting these great videos. Have a wonderful night.
I’ll keep ‘em coming! If you are interested in support with your HVAC system from sizing equipment to repairs, and warranty info, make sure and check out our membership over at Patreon.com/diyhvacguy Cheers
Really appreciate your videos! Question about replacement motor specs - I need to replace a 1/2hp - 1100 rpm / 3spd - blower motor with an FLA of 10.3 amps. It's difficult to find a replacement motor matching the amperage of the OEM motor. Are there any issues with replacing with a lower FLA motor?
I know this sounds crazy, but I recommend having an extra capacitor AND motor in your workshop ready to go in case these go bad. They ALWAYS go bad when it's crappy weather. And they always seem to go out after work hours!
this vid takes the mystery out and replaces it with confidence to tackle this project. BTW, in addition to rinsing the fin wheel, I would have vacuumed the housing and motherboard, etc.
U can Write “ Blower side “ or Better yet. Take a standard screwdriver & scratch an “ X “ into the steel. Toooo many times I’ve marked on something to wash it off While cleaning with degreasers etc. Scratch it with a screwdriver , knife whatever your most comfortable with.
This is all well and good as long as you're existing system is pretty old. Most of the newer ones have motors with a buncha computer shit on em. The blower motor for my A/C went out last summer and the hvac company wanted $1200 just to replace the motor. I found one at Graingers and replaced it myself in about 15 minutes. Still cost almost $400 just for the motor. Unfortunately the "universal " motors won't work in most of the newer systems.
Well, 15 minutes is a gross exaggeration. I mean, I’ve only changed four or 5000 of those blower motors, and I am not as good as you having only done the one that you own. It takes more than 15 minutes just remove the blower assembly and reinstall it.
I’ve been experiencing issues with my HVAC filters bending and creating air gaps, allowing dust into the house. I've already tried switching back to more restrictive filters, but the problem persists. Could a dirty blower be causing increased suction or airflow issues, making my filters bend? Would cleaning the blower help resolve this?
Saw the title and was hoping this would be converting an ECM blower motor to a universal motor with a capacitor. Would love to see a video on that. Had a Goldman ECM motor die last year and was told the motor was backordered for several months. So it had to be converted.
I did not, I called in a much more experienced HVAC guy. He was actually an electrical engineer in Ukraine but came here and got into HVAC. Nice guy to have on speed dial. LOL @@theelmokiller
Thanks. my 1992 Rheem central air is still running due to yearly oiling and one recent disassembly and scrub brush cleaning . An old HVAC repair man once told me to buy the cheap filters because they put less strain on the motor when pulling air.
You can get better airflow by using the thinner cheaper filters The strain on the motor from trying to pull air through a denser filter isn’t something that happens with squirrel cage blowers (or any centrifugal fan) since they’ll just keep spinning existing air around inside the blower housing.
A dirty filter doesn't fill your unit with dirt like that. They were either running this without a filter or using one of those garbage cheap nylon filters that doesn't keep any dust out. What a dirty filter will do is over stress your blower motor and burn it out early.
Question, I have a 2.5 ton whole house heat pump that's 21 years old. It runs good with no issues. Is it coming to the end of life or should I just leave it alone until it dies? I've replaced control module and both fan motors in the past 7 years. This is a self contained system not the split unit.
The last thing you want is to be fixing it in the middle of summer, so my advice would be to replace. If you need some help locating the right equipment and finding a good price, email me at diyhvacguy@gmail.com Cheers
@@marrowsteven Run it until it dies! The new equipment is built like JUNK!!!! As long as you have back-up resistance heat for winter, you'll be able to limp through the cold until spring when you can decide to replace or repair. My heart is old, still works fine, but I never thought of replacing it!
awesome video! But I have a question... I have 2 units in my house, one for the 75% of the house and the secondary one just for the bedrooms. I am thinking about replacing the motor on the secondary one to make it more quiet in the bedrooms at night. does this make sense? would it hurt anything? i am ok with not using 100% of its capacity as a result. I already have the motor out. 1/2hp 1050rpm R047 S. Any help is appreciated!
I had an X-13 (mounted vertically) go wacky last weekend. It would NOT shut off, even with the COM & all 24v signal wires removed. I'm guessing its orientation causes condensation to well on the module. I ended up installing a DPDT relay for the L1 & L2, and it is activated by the Green fan wire. I can hear the relay kick on now and then the fan starts. I suppose I should leave a note as to why! You know, just in case you work on it in the future. LOL
electrostatic dust bunnies on the control board may short board components if humidity is an issue in Salt Lake city. I thinking compressed air or perhaps 99.9% alcohol cleaning of board prior to reinstallation may be a good idea.
Many of the cheaper motors or "universal" types are built with bushings vs. true ball bearings on their main shafts. The number one reason most motors stop working is due to failed bearings/bushings and a ball bearing style typically is higher quality and will last longer than a bushing design. This would have much to do with what type of job is intended, long lasting quality or Chinese. Same goes with a capacitor...USA or Chinese, one lasts longer. Great video on the process with one exception. Would have been a good idea to clean off the main board and interior of the air handler of all that built up dirt and dust. That amount of filth would indicate NO filter was used for a long time.
@@Kevin-mp5of Generally that is untrue however, there are millions of imported products that are just as good as USA or better but most of the time they aren't going to include electric motors or other mechanical devices. I have seen lots of hand tools from imports that are dandy and other things. Not to mention "made in USA" has been pimped out to include imported parts and imported assembly can bear the name if it meets a certain percentage of parts and assembly here in the USA so just because it says USA doesn't mean it really is a USA quality product. Brand loyalty is a thing of the past and it appear the brands are responsible for that some.
I had a Heil Furnace/AC that once it was about 10 years old I could hear from the attic a barely audible bearing whine when the fan was on. I had pretty good hearing despite loud stereo music and concerts in my youth. I found that the USA made motor actually had oiling ports, so then and every few years after that when I heard it again, I would pull the motor/fan out and oil it with a few drops of Zoom brand oil from an HVAC supplies shop. I understand now they are made sealed and you can't lubricate them. I would also visually inspect the heat exchanger for rust and cracks and clean out an dust and lint inside the unit. The only thing I couldn't get to, to clean, was the A style evaporator coil which I was just sure was coated with crud. Even though I knew my furnace was probably good for another 20 years, the system wasn't cooling well and I let them talk me into a new Lennox a couple of years ago, saying my condenser fan was bad-drawing too many amps(all it needed was a new cap I now know) and my compressor was testing weak -drawing too many amps-maybe true, maybe not. They also claimed the parts were obsolete now. I actually believed all that, because the condenser unit was the second one for that system-first one, the compressor conked out. Also the system was 25 yrs old, and R22 is sky high expensive. They left me overnight with a temp "replacement motor". When they took it all out the next day, the evaporator was very clean. I don't know why it wasn't cooling well but I have the feeling I got "took." Now this new Lennox sweats a lot and collects water in the pan, and now I see that HFC 410A is now being banned anyway! Great. I'll say one thing, after I have educated myself with all of these YT videos, the next time they better be pretty damn good to fool me, if that's what they are doing.
@@freespirit1975 Always be aware of confident artists and those who only know the classroom facts. The experienced tech who is there to represent you first is the one to hire.
@@Garth2011 "there are millions of imported products that are just as good as USA or better" No, there are not. The only times they are better than American made are when there is no similar product made in america. Slave labour and 12 year old chinese kids do not take any pride in their work and the chinese QC is mostly nonexistent.
Hey, shoulda vacuumed up, BEFORE dis-mantling the unit . Cleanliness, makes for better health; both for you, and THE MOVING PARTS in that furnace, like motor bearings. ( Probably seized up, with dust/crud; same as indoor mobile fans. I find alot of them, in dumpsters; clean the bearings, and AWAY WE GO. Got many of them). Thanks, for the education. !
hey i appreicate the video even though i watched it after i already replaced mine lmao. what causes a motor to go bad anyway? my motor was hanging up starting. just wondering if they go bad if ran too much or if they are just a long term wear part. thanks
This one was neglect for sure. You saw how dirty it was. They never changed the filters and overheated it I’m sure. Always keep your filters changed in a regular basis! Cheers
My old motor has a brown wire running up to a box mounted on the wall next to the furnace. Does it go to a contactor ? should I delete it when installing a universal motor ? My replacement motor is three speeds. Can you show how to wire a three speed switch so I can slow or speed up the blower motor speed ? This is an old GE unit from apx 1979 that still runs great so it doesn't have a circuit board. Thank you.
I did mine A FEW years ago but now thinking could the capacitor been the cuilprit of it not working ? It was hot to the touch soo that made me think it was motor ..
Hi, love your video's and subscribed. Hope you can help with my older Carrier furnace will run its heat cycle and when the blower fan stops, the blower will start up again for a few seconds and then stop again until heat is needed again. Was told it might be the fan limit switch.
Yes, clogged filter, blocked vents or returns, clogged blower wheel, maybe a capacitor. Does it have any codes? For full tech support check out our subscription on Patreon.com/diyhvacguy where for $25/mo you’ll have full access to tech support and help with all things hvac related. Hope you can get it sorted out. Dave
I have been watching your video’s, and have a question. On my motorhome I installed a soft start on each a/c unit. Works great I can run one on 30 amps now. My question is can I install one on my house a/c? Would it allow it to start easier? Or would it not pay?
I’ll do some research on this. I believe they are coming out with a wired soft start for residential ac so I’m curious to see how that works! Stay tuned! Cheers
2 minutes and 48 seconds into the video I just cleaned my blower out from first being installed in February of 1984, could have knitted a dog sweater with what I pulled out of the fan
The blower fan in my air handler is going up and down in speed. It'll go up to full speed for a few to several seconds, then drop down to a really low speed for a good while, and the it might jump back up. But since last night it doesn't seem to be blowing any air at all, and I hear a noise like a rumbling coming from inside, it sounds almost like its trying to turn but can't. Don't think its the capacitor because it'll still go up to full speed sometimes, just not for very long. Is this a failing blower motor?
It sounds like a failing blower motor. If you turn the power off you can spin the fan manually and if it has some resistance the motor is on its way out.
If you need more help diagnosing this, check out our Patreon page at Patreon.com/diyhvacguy where you can get remote one on one assistance with any hvac problem! Cheers
Yes they can be used in the burner side no problem. Obviously you don’t want anything that close to the flame but in that area where all the factory wiring is, is totally fine 👍🏼
The gas isn’t really needed since you are only messing with the fan but it’s always a safe practice. I typically just turn the switch off but I’m sure everyone will say to turn the breaker off just to be on the safe side 👍🏽
So, been trying to find an "easy" understanding of what's going on with my central air. When there is power to the unit, the blower runs constantly. Thats whether it's calling for heat, AC, or nothing at all. It is most definitely not the thermostat (we have replaced the thermostat and even just disconnected it, and its the same deal). The only way to turn the fan off is with the emergency kill switch. Any thoughts?
There is a BLOWER RELAY on the circuit board. That blower relay has a very tiny electrical arc on the CONTACTS of the relay. Over time.... these small minute little arcs can cause the blower relay on the circuit board to STAY CLOSED. . With the heat and air in the OFF POSITION......AND THE FAN IN " AUTO " . That is most likely the culprit. If you give the blower relay on the circuit board at this time. And the blower stops. Then that's about a 95 % chance that is your problem. Blower relay is usually black and about the size of 2 regular DICE put together.
I have the same issue on a new universal motor i put in on a Rheem motor won't shut off at all unless braker is off this is a 12 year old unit no board on furnace did anyone resolved this issue?
I used this video to replace my blower motor and capacitor today. It was very helpful. However, the fan still doesn’t work. Any suggestions as to what to check next? It looks and sounds like everything is working but the blower motor won’t turn on.
Oh yeah, this what happens when people think they can watch a video like this and then they automatically became an HVAC technician. There is a shortage of techs because the job is touch and the working conditions suck most of the time. Hopefully no one gets electrocuted or gets their hand sliced open doing this work!
@@jdere31760what a ridiculous response. This mindset is why no one wants to hire HVAC techs (aka scam artists / fear mongers). If you turn off the power and discharge the cap, aka have a bare minimum of common sense, this is completely safe. And “cut their hands”?? Give me a break. No one should open a can or cut a steak if that’s your concern here.
@@jtfoog5220 Have you ever tried replacing a blower motor on a furnace or air handler? The sheet metal is very sharp. I have struggled with more than a few of them to pull them out of a unit. BTW, it's not cutting a steak or opening up a can..... key board warrior. Regarding "caps", they are dangerous to handle and who said everyone has common sense? I'm giving my opinion. I'm trying to make the point that the DIY HVAC guy has liability by posting these videos and not explaining all the risks.
Hey great job! Just subscribed to your channel I do have a question My carrier furnace the fumes coming outoff the 3"pipe outside the house are very strong it will actually hurt your eyes if are close enough to that area I replaced the inducer motor the whole assembly I olso checked the the pipe was clear or clean Furnace is about 18 year old The condense water the comes out the furnace is like brown color What would you recommend Or what do you thing is happening in there Thanks in advance for you help
You should have a technician come out and do a combustion analysis and see if there is an issue with the gas/air ratio. Sounds like it’s sending a lot of unburnt fumes out the vent.
Do those universal motors come as a 2 speed, or are they usually single? Curious, can a 2 speed furnace be changed to only run on one speed? For instance if parts are not readily available.
@@caru3257 Thanks, was just curious. I have a two speed furnace, no cooling. Generally runs at low speed for 10 minutes, unless really cold out and needs to run for longer heat cycle.
It’s in the video description, right under the video, there is a more button with 3 dots. Alternatively, here is a link :) : www.amazon.com/shop/thediyhvacguy?ref=ac_inf_tb_vh
You missed a whole lot here. What about matching HP and RPM. Many of these motors are multiple speed but you never mentioned any of that. Then what about motor direction. Some designs require the motor to run clockwise while others need it to run counter clockwise but you skipped that as well.
I was looking for a lightweight blower for my deck. ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxgioZQl3J5wPGAeDINzbieKbT5qomSEx3 There are some huge trees around my house and the leaves and pods drop all over my deck. Having to move furniture around to sweep has become too big a chore. This blower was the answer. It is light enough for this 70yr old lady and powerful enough to blow all the tree droppings off my rather large deck. Thank you B&D. Be aware the cord is not included. I use a 3 prong outdoor cord 25' cord for my 12' x 20' deck. The cord retainer works very well, but don't try to pass the plug through it. That is NOT how it works. You just have to loop the cord and it works great. One of my best purchases. Very happy.
Love your efforts, really! However, look like a Pro on your put back together with dirt on the board, et al, just does not show well i.e., if he is skipping a simple vac out, what other corners being cut here. Know you are smart enough to get this and TYVM.
This video was filmed in a super gross apartment, and at 9:00pm I might add. I was not inclined to spend any more time then needed. I simply couldn’t put that blower wheel back in the way it was though.
My apologies guys, I meant to say we tested the capacitor and it was GOOD. It tested fine with my multimeter on microfarad setting. Sorry for any confusion :) cheers
Yea. I was about to say. Most times a hum like that is a bad cap. Easy way to tell if its a bad cap usually is spin the blower wheel with your hand and hit the switch to make it hum like u did before if it takes off running it’s usually a bad cap.
You did the right thing..... I've never replaced a blower motor without a new capacitor.
Hi HVAC guy, What does a company charge for this? Thanks
@@jessezuniga1280 $1800 - $2500 on Long Island
Single-handedly, you are making HVAC available for those who can follow simple steps and learn.
Bravo!
Thank you :) I do my best
Or burn your house down trying 👍🏻👍🏻
@@scott5654 He showed every step needed. Why the hell does every HVAC service tech think that people are incapable of following wiring diagrams, simple instructions, and sound advice?
Thumbs up, thumbs up, hashtag I'm an expert.
Personally, these days, I wouldn't trust a certified hvac technician to put air in a bicycle tire. Maybe just my area and there are some that actually do a good job (or what they show themselves doing on UA-cam) but the cons outweigh the pros. Actually goes with every certified businesses these days. If it ain't theirs, fuck it. Don't know if it's lazy, job security or not giving a shit but.... No. I guess in bigger cities where there's code to have this done they might do a better job but here with no codes they are crap
I came in here to endow you with my TREMENDOUS gratitude for sharing your talents with the interwebs. I, nearly 60 year-old/about to be homeless lady) just fixed the central air system in the house I'm staying in, and may have earned myself a few more months of shelter by doing so. Yes I'm sobbing with gratitude for the help this and other videos provided. You can't even know. ❤ ❤ ❤
Peace and blessings, Lala! You are the one in a million! Good fortune will smile upon you!
It was a super handy video. Thanks to you, your encouraging words of "these things are all pretty much the same design", I pulled out my blower motor assembly out of an Aire-Flo furnace and cleaned the crap out it, and recorded the existing motors specs just in case. Thanks for the help.
After watching your videos I feel confident in replacing parts on my furnace. No one makes videos like you do. Thanks!!
Very nice video . I've commented before. I'll have something to say here. Years and years ago, when I worked residential. Anyone with a service agreement got visited twice a year. Once in the spring and once in the fall. Our service manager would tell us if we needed to pull the blower assy. That was part of the service agreement. Every blower got pulled out and cleaned and motor lubricated once per year. While the blower assembly was out we always changed the filter and thoroughly vacuumed and cleaned the entire blower compartment. . A service agreement was 159.00 back then for 2 visits per year. Times were good back then. Retired now.
Thanks for throwing this out there, it is good information for me.
Good video. Just had the AC guy tell me the blower motor was out and had to wait until Monday to get it replaced. I watched this video, found the motor and put it in. Only got hung up for a bit on the wiring because it was different than what I originally had. My old motor handled the cap connection a little differently. But we are up and running. Family is happy and the temps in the house are dropping. Phoenix 110+ today.
You literally saved me $1000. Can’t thank you enough! I have heat again!!
I've done this twice on my 1970s-era blower. Both times it was the front bearing worn egg-shaped from the weight of the squirrel cage. My blower seems to have more substantial sheetmetal in its construction and, therefore, more weight out on the end of the shaft. The first time I wasn't able to locate a motor but had a new motor with the same sized end bells, so I just swapped them onto the old motor. The second time I ended up with a 4 speed universal motor.
In my case I was able to find new bearings... brass sleeves in a body of plastic material
I just replaced a genteq 2.3 1hp motor with an evergreen vs 1hp motor and control board. It was about $450 for the motor and $150 for the control board. Versus $800+ for the official replacement motor. And $1,400+ was the total estimate including labor. So I saved $800 buying the evergreen and i still have a pretty high tec efficient motor. And i didn't have to mess with a capacitor and wiring was fairly easy
Question. Why didn't you thoroughly clean that circuit board when you had it detached? Compressed air usually does the trick.
This was a rental property and they kind of do the minimum. I could let the blower wheel slide though. It was super nasty.
@@diyhvacguy *couldn't
@@diyhvacguy Shouldn't matter if they are on time with their rent etc.
Yea, you could have taken that circuit board outside and gave it a good hosing with the garden hose! Service is dead
@@diyhvacguy ...rental property. Yup, same as up here in Alberta. The ' owners ' just dont actually GIVE A DAMM. Eavestrough falling off, for 3 or more years; sheds full of mattresses/boxsprings/frames. Washer/dryers/stoves, etc in yard, under trees. NO ONE CARES, anymore = GREEDY FOR PROFIT. No surprise, to me at all, that the furnace is a dirty disgrace....
All right little mister electrician, I know how good you work but everybody else needs to too. Keep posting these great videos. Have a wonderful night.
A good mechanic never fears competition.
I get it. The new motor came with NO connector pins, so you used the pins from the old motor. Very helpful.
I'm getting lots of tips from you, thank you very much. once my furnace breaks down, I might fix it More videos, please..
I’ll keep ‘em coming! If you are interested in support with your HVAC system from sizing equipment to repairs, and warranty info, make sure and check out our membership over at Patreon.com/diyhvacguy Cheers
Nice work . I wish I could see those wires like I could when I was 50.
Really appreciate your videos! Question about replacement motor specs - I need to replace a 1/2hp - 1100 rpm / 3spd - blower motor with an FLA of 10.3 amps. It's difficult to find a replacement motor matching the amperage of the OEM motor. Are there any issues with replacing with a lower FLA motor?
I know this sounds crazy, but I recommend having an extra capacitor AND motor in your workshop ready to go in case these go bad. They ALWAYS go bad when it's crappy weather. And they always seem to go out after work hours!
Yessir The capacitor and blower always seems to go "stinko" when it's a -20*F blizzard outside at 3:00 a.m.
This is exactly what i have to do, thx so much 👍🏼. I changed my filter but going to start using pleated ones.
Excellent...I learn a lot from your top quality videos!
this vid takes the mystery out and replaces it with confidence to tackle this project. BTW, in addition to rinsing the fin wheel, I would have vacuumed the housing and motherboard, etc.
U can Write “ Blower side “ or Better yet. Take a standard screwdriver & scratch an “ X “ into the steel. Toooo many times I’ve marked on something to wash it off While cleaning with degreasers etc.
Scratch it with a screwdriver , knife whatever your most comfortable with.
Brilliant! Thanks so much!
Thanks!
Thanks so much! 🙏🏻
This is all well and good as long as you're existing system is pretty old. Most of the newer ones have motors with a buncha computer shit on em. The blower motor for my A/C went out last summer and the hvac company wanted $1200 just to replace the motor. I found one at Graingers and replaced it myself in about 15 minutes. Still cost almost $400 just for the motor. Unfortunately the "universal " motors won't work in most of the newer systems.
exactly why I prefer the less sophisticated furnaces. Of course if it’s under warranty it’s free :)
Well, 15 minutes is a gross exaggeration. I mean, I’ve only changed four or 5000 of those blower motors, and I am not as good as you having only done the one that you own. It takes more than 15 minutes just remove the blower assembly and reinstall it.
I’ve been experiencing issues with my HVAC filters bending and creating air gaps, allowing dust into the house. I've already tried switching back to more restrictive filters, but the problem persists. Could a dirty blower be causing increased suction or airflow issues, making my filters bend? Would cleaning the blower help resolve this?
Nice video David, keep up the good work!
Thanks ☺️🤗 love you pops
Saw the title and was hoping this would be converting an ECM blower motor to a universal motor with a capacitor.
Would love to see a video on that.
Had a Goldman ECM motor die last year and was told the motor was backordered for several months. So it had to be converted.
What did you end up doing? ECM motor died in my oil furnace and I'd love to be able to swap it.
Converted it to a standard fan with a capacitor.
@@hkgonra Did you do the conversion yourself?
I did not, I called in a much more experienced HVAC guy. He was actually an electrical engineer in Ukraine but came here and got into HVAC. Nice guy to have on speed dial. LOL @@theelmokiller
Good video.! Sometimes the motor is hard to get off, if so a little oil and light sand paper on the shaft should help.
Thanks. my 1992 Rheem central air is still running due to yearly oiling and one recent disassembly and scrub brush cleaning . An old HVAC repair man once told me to buy the cheap filters because they put less strain on the motor when pulling air.
I agree 100% with that
I've always used standard pleated filters. The blue fiberglass filters that you can read a newspaper through are no more than BUG CATCHERS. LOL
double stack the mesh style and never use the pleated filters.
You can get better airflow by using the thinner cheaper filters
The strain on the motor from trying to pull air through a denser filter isn’t something that happens with squirrel cage blowers (or any centrifugal fan) since they’ll just keep spinning existing air around inside the blower housing.
A dirty filter doesn't fill your unit with dirt like that. They were either running this without a filter or using one of those garbage cheap nylon filters that doesn't keep any dust out. What a dirty filter will do is over stress your blower motor and burn it out early.
How about the rotation of the motor in conjunction with the blower wheel.
Question, I have a 2.5 ton whole house heat pump that's 21 years old. It runs good with no issues. Is it coming to the end of life or should I just leave it alone until it dies? I've replaced control module and both fan motors in the past 7 years. This is a self contained system not the split unit.
The last thing you want is to be fixing it in the middle of summer, so my advice would be to replace. If you need some help locating the right equipment and finding a good price, email me at diyhvacguy@gmail.com Cheers
@@diyhvacguy even if it still operates good?
@@marrowsteven Run it until it dies! The new equipment is built like JUNK!!!! As long as you have back-up resistance heat for winter, you'll be able to limp through the cold until spring when you can decide to replace or repair. My heart is old, still works fine, but I never thought of replacing it!
awesome video!
But I have a question... I have 2 units in my house, one for the 75% of the house and the secondary one just for the bedrooms. I am thinking about replacing the motor on the secondary one to make it more quiet in the bedrooms at night. does this make sense? would it hurt anything? i am ok with not using 100% of its capacity as a result. I already have the motor out. 1/2hp 1050rpm R047 S. Any help is appreciated!
Can you explain which speed is for which half of the system and does it matter? Thanks for the video.
Depends on resistance to airflow. Too little and the heater will overheat . . . and so on
I had an X-13 (mounted vertically) go wacky last weekend. It would NOT shut off, even with the COM & all 24v signal wires removed. I'm guessing its orientation causes condensation to well on the module.
I ended up installing a DPDT relay for the L1 & L2, and it is activated by the Green fan wire. I can hear the relay kick on now and then the fan starts.
I suppose I should leave a note as to why! You know, just in case you work on it in the future. LOL
so are there universals for old electric mobile home blowers such as Coleman, Intertherm etc
There very well could be.
Yes absolutely.
I would bypass everything and test the motor directly. Those motors do not die usually with so many things in the path to the motor to go bad.
What size are the 3 screws that attach the belly band mount to the side of the blower cage
Do you have a video on how to clean the blower motor fan? I've been searching and can't seem to find one. Thank you!
Great video. Very informative and easy to follow.
what information do i need to buy a blower motor replacement for air handler? Do I just need HP, RMP and Voltage?
electrostatic dust bunnies on the control board may short board components if humidity is an issue in Salt Lake city. I thinking compressed air or perhaps 99.9% alcohol cleaning of board prior to reinstallation may be a good idea.
Many of the cheaper motors or "universal" types are built with bushings vs. true ball bearings on their main shafts. The number one reason most motors stop working is due to failed bearings/bushings and a ball bearing style typically is higher quality and will last longer than a bushing design. This would have much to do with what type of job is intended, long lasting quality or Chinese. Same goes with a capacitor...USA or Chinese, one lasts longer.
Great video on the process with one exception. Would have been a good idea to clean off the main board and interior of the air handler of all that built up dirt and dust. That amount of filth would indicate NO filter was used for a long time.
@@Kevin-mp5of Generally that is untrue however, there are millions of imported products that are just as good as USA or better but most of the time they aren't going to include electric motors or other mechanical devices. I have seen lots of hand tools from imports that are dandy and other things. Not to mention "made in USA" has been pimped out to include imported parts and imported assembly can bear the name if it meets a certain percentage of parts and assembly here in the USA so just because it says USA doesn't mean it really is a USA quality product. Brand loyalty is a thing of the past and it appear the brands are responsible for that some.
I had a Heil Furnace/AC that once it was about 10 years old I could hear from the attic a barely audible bearing whine when the fan was on. I had pretty good hearing despite loud stereo music and concerts in my youth. I found that the USA made motor actually had oiling ports, so then and every few years after that when I heard it again, I would pull the motor/fan out and oil it with a few drops of Zoom brand oil from an HVAC supplies shop. I understand now they are made sealed and you can't lubricate them. I would also visually inspect the heat exchanger for rust and cracks and clean out an dust and lint inside the unit. The only thing I couldn't get to, to clean, was the A style evaporator coil which I was just sure was coated with crud. Even though I knew my furnace was probably good for another 20 years, the system wasn't cooling well and I let them talk me into a new Lennox a couple of years ago, saying my condenser fan was bad-drawing too many amps(all it needed was a new cap I now know) and my compressor was testing weak -drawing too many amps-maybe true, maybe not. They also claimed the parts were obsolete now. I actually believed all that, because the condenser unit was the second one for that system-first one, the compressor conked out. Also the system was 25 yrs old, and R22 is sky high expensive. They left me overnight with a temp "replacement motor". When they took it all out the next day, the evaporator was very clean. I don't know why it wasn't cooling well but I have the feeling I got "took." Now this new Lennox sweats a lot and collects water in the pan, and now I see that HFC 410A is now being banned anyway! Great. I'll say one thing, after I have educated myself with all of these YT videos, the next time they better be pretty damn good to fool me, if that's what they are doing.
@@freespirit1975 Always be aware of confident artists and those who only know the classroom facts. The experienced tech who is there to represent you first is the one to hire.
@@freespirit1975 You did good in that case. Family shops tend to be better however, not less money.
@@Garth2011 "there are millions of imported products that are just as good as USA or better" No, there are not. The only times they are better than American made are when there is no similar product made in america. Slave labour and 12 year old chinese kids do not take any pride in their work and the chinese QC is mostly nonexistent.
Hey, shoulda vacuumed up, BEFORE dis-mantling the unit . Cleanliness, makes for better health; both for you, and THE MOVING PARTS in that furnace, like motor bearings. ( Probably seized up, with dust/crud; same as indoor mobile fans. I find alot of them, in dumpsters; clean the bearings, and AWAY WE GO. Got many of them). Thanks, for the education. !
Did u offer to clean the furnace
Another Great job 👏👏👏
Great video with excellent step by step instructions!!!
hey i appreicate the video even though i watched it after i already replaced mine lmao. what causes a motor to go bad anyway? my motor was hanging up starting. just wondering if they go bad if ran too much or if they are just a long term wear part. thanks
This one was neglect for sure. You saw how dirty it was. They never changed the filters and overheated it I’m sure. Always keep your filters changed in a regular basis! Cheers
@@diyhvacguy is using too high of a filter level a stressor?
Maybe I missed it but where can you get a universal blower motor?
My old motor has a brown wire running up to a box mounted on the wall next to the furnace. Does it go to a contactor ? should I delete it when installing a universal motor ? My replacement motor is three speeds. Can you show how to wire a three speed switch so I can slow or speed up the blower motor speed ? This is an old GE unit from apx 1979 that still runs great so it doesn't have a circuit board. Thank you.
If you’d like technical support check us out on Patreon.com/diyhvacguy Due to demand, I can’t answer tech questions on here without more info. Cheers
@@diyhvacguy
, It’s not due to demand, you gave up the answer when you asked him to pay for your answer.
And this is exactly why you shouldn’t do things yourself.
My system has a 3A circuit board. The old fan (now dead) was a 6.1A. Can I install a motor with a higher A?
Would this be the same procedure for an oil furnace?
Yes
Why is the wire gauge so much thinner on the new motor?
I noticed that you tap the capacitor contacts in order to discharge voltage and to prevent potential shock and should have said so.
I'm confused. You said the capacitor was bad, and the motor shaft appears to spin freely, so what was wrong with the motor?
My apologies, I meant to say the capacitor was GOOD 😂 I have a habit of mixing my words while on camera. Sorry for any confusion.
@@diyhvacguy No worries.
Like battery pack screw driver, is it Milwaukee?
I did mine A FEW years ago but now thinking could the capacitor been the cuilprit of it not working ? It was hot to the touch soo that made me think it was motor ..
Hi, love your video's and subscribed. Hope you can help with my older Carrier furnace will run its heat cycle and when the blower fan stops, the blower will start up again for a few seconds and then stop again until heat is needed again. Was told it might be the fan limit switch.
Yes, clogged filter, blocked vents or returns, clogged blower wheel, maybe a capacitor. Does it have any codes?
For full tech support check out our subscription on Patreon.com/diyhvacguy where for $25/mo you’ll have full access to tech support and help with all things hvac related. Hope you can get it sorted out. Dave
Why didn't you clean/vacuum the board?
It was a rental that was beat up and it was very late when I did this replacement. I was ready to go home! HHa
@@diyhvacguy Ha Ha, I can relate! Was just curious.
@@diyhvacguy That's really not a customer inspiring reply... Regardless who the customer is, you are still getting paid to do a respectable job.
I have been watching your video’s, and have a question. On my motorhome I installed a soft start on each a/c unit. Works great I can run one on 30 amps now. My question is can I install one on my house a/c? Would it allow it to start easier? Or would it not pay?
I’ll do some research on this. I believe they are coming out with a wired soft start for residential ac so I’m curious to see how that works! Stay tuned! Cheers
Are the capacitors polar sensitive?
No, these little ones with the two brown wires don’t matter which wire goes to which terminal. The ones with a dedicated c terminal do matter though.
Hey I just changed out my motor and I don’t have a connection for the white cord on my motor. What should I do?
Where did you find the motor. Mine is obsolete
2 minutes and 48 seconds into the video I just cleaned my blower out from first being installed in February of 1984, could have knitted a dog sweater with what I pulled out of the fan
🤣
Hi my friend how I get heat exchanger for my unit carrier
The blower fan in my air handler is going up and down in speed. It'll go up to full speed for a few to several seconds, then drop down to a really low speed for a good while, and the it might jump back up. But since last night it doesn't seem to be blowing any air at all, and I hear a noise like a rumbling coming from inside, it sounds almost like its trying to turn but can't. Don't think its the capacitor because it'll still go up to full speed sometimes, just not for very long. Is this a failing blower motor?
It sounds like a failing blower motor. If you turn the power off you can spin the fan manually and if it has some resistance the motor is on its way out.
If you need more help diagnosing this, check out our Patreon page at Patreon.com/diyhvacguy where you can get remote one on one assistance with any hvac problem! Cheers
hey man my Blower is making a lot of noise when AC is turned on. would replacing to this blower motor helps?
Where did you get motor at?
Thank you for the useful, informative videos. Are the Wago Lever Nuts heat rated to use inside the furnace or only for the blower housing?
Yes they can be used in the burner side no problem. Obviously you don’t want anything that close to the flame but in that area where all the factory wiring is, is totally fine 👍🏼
Very educational video, thank you
Hello my blower has five wires a black a red a blue a white a little yellow and a gray what does a gray one do
So my ? Is power off to CBRK and what about the gas do I have to turn it off to or not while replacing D motor.
The gas isn’t really needed since you are only messing with the fan but it’s always a safe practice. I typically just turn the switch off but I’m sure everyone will say to turn the breaker off just to be on the safe side 👍🏽
@@diyhvacguy thnk u🤙
DIY gas piping connection which covers the whole cover plate =p
Friend is going through this right now. Cap tested OK. New one didn't work. I thought it was the relay on the circuit board.....
Nice work
@diyhvacguy could you discuss heatpumps and whether it's possible to convert a fairly new high efficiency gas furnace/AC to a heat pump?
I’ll do some brainstorming on this! Cheers
If you live in a cold northern climate, stick with the gas furnace. You'll be glad you did.
So, been trying to find an "easy" understanding of what's going on with my central air. When there is power to the unit, the blower runs constantly. Thats whether it's calling for heat, AC, or nothing at all. It is most definitely not the thermostat (we have replaced the thermostat and even just disconnected it, and its the same deal). The only way to turn the fan off is with the emergency kill switch.
Any thoughts?
So the heat and air work but it’s just always blowing air regardless? If you want to email me at diyhvacguy@gmail.com I can try to help you out
There is a BLOWER RELAY on the circuit board. That blower relay has a very tiny electrical arc on the CONTACTS of the relay. Over time.... these small minute little arcs can cause the blower relay on the circuit board to STAY CLOSED. . With the heat and air in the OFF POSITION......AND THE FAN IN " AUTO " . That is most likely the culprit. If you give the blower relay on the circuit board at this time. And the blower stops. Then that's about a 95 % chance that is your problem. Blower relay is usually black and about the size of 2 regular DICE put together.
I have the same issue on a new universal motor i put in on a Rheem motor won't shut off at all unless braker is off this is a 12 year old unit no board on furnace did anyone resolved this issue?
@@geudirosario-nu5qi is it an electric furnace ??
I used this video to replace my blower motor and capacitor today. It was very helpful. However, the fan still doesn’t work. Any suggestions as to what to check next? It looks and sounds like everything is working but the blower motor won’t turn on.
Oh yeah, this what happens when people think they can watch a video like this and then they automatically became an HVAC technician. There is a shortage of techs because the job is touch and the working conditions suck most of the time. Hopefully no one gets electrocuted or gets their hand sliced open doing this work!
@@jdere31760what a ridiculous response. This mindset is why no one wants to hire HVAC techs (aka scam artists / fear mongers). If you turn off the power and discharge the cap, aka have a bare minimum of common sense, this is completely safe. And “cut their hands”?? Give me a break. No one should open a can or cut a steak if that’s your concern here.
@@jtfoog5220 Have you ever tried replacing a blower motor on a furnace or air handler? The sheet metal is very sharp. I have struggled with more than a few of them to pull them out of a unit. BTW, it's not cutting a steak or opening up a can..... key board warrior. Regarding "caps", they are dangerous to handle and who said everyone has common sense? I'm giving my opinion. I'm trying to make the point that the DIY HVAC guy has liability by posting these videos and not explaining all the risks.
@@jdere31760 he has 0 liability. What a European mindset, lol. Yes I’ve changed blower motors / caps before.
Hey great job!
Just subscribed to your channel
I do have a question
My carrier furnace the fumes coming outoff the 3"pipe outside the house are very strong it will actually hurt your eyes if are close enough to that area
I replaced the inducer motor the whole assembly
I olso checked the the pipe was clear or clean
Furnace is about 18 year old
The condense water the comes out the furnace is like brown color
What would you recommend
Or what do you thing is happening in there
Thanks in advance for you help
You should have a technician come out and do a combustion analysis and see if there is an issue with the gas/air ratio. Sounds like it’s sending a lot of unburnt fumes out the vent.
They’re called products of combustion, they’re not supposed to be pleasant.
Good video , thanks for sharing , God bless !
Do a video on a Trane 90 percent downflow furnace for all the guys that have never dealt with one of them
I’ll for sure do that next time I run into one.
Great video thank you
Do those universal motors come as a 2 speed, or are they usually single? Curious, can a 2 speed furnace be changed to only run on one speed? For instance if parts are not readily available.
It may not work. Furnace starts the fan on heating and t-stat starts the fan on cooling. There may be a way to do it but I don’t give DIY advice.
@@caru3257 Thanks, was just curious. I have a two speed furnace, no cooling. Generally runs at low speed for 10 minutes, unless really cold out and needs to run for longer heat cycle.
Good job! So simple!
You're right....keep your filter changed. Keeps the dirt and fuzz out of the unit.
Link for the universal motor and the bracket please ....
Good video. Very helpful.
Where do I find your Amazon list at?
It’s in the video description, right under the video, there is a more button with 3 dots.
Alternatively, here is a link :) : www.amazon.com/shop/thediyhvacguy?ref=ac_inf_tb_vh
Thanks for sharing, Dave
Great video, thank you for sharing. God bless!
You missed a whole lot here. What about matching HP and RPM. Many of these motors are multiple speed but you never mentioned any of that. Then what about motor direction. Some designs require the motor to run clockwise while others need it to run counter clockwise but you skipped that as well.
Thank you
why didnt you replace the capacitor instead?
I checked the capacitor and it wasn’t out of spec. The motor was definitely bad.
@@diyhvacguy you stated in the video that the capacitor was bad
@@craigkohler2641 correct, that happened at 0:36 . Dave, did you misspeak in the video?
I think if you just clean the dust out of the motor it would be fine. HA HA ! Love the video's.
Thanks so much!
Great video!
I was looking for a lightweight blower for my deck. ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxgioZQl3J5wPGAeDINzbieKbT5qomSEx3 There are some huge trees around my house and the leaves and pods drop all over my deck. Having to move furniture around to sweep has become too big a chore. This blower was the answer. It is light enough for this 70yr old lady and powerful enough to blow all the tree droppings off my rather large deck. Thank you B&D. Be aware the cord is not included. I use a 3 prong outdoor cord 25' cord for my 12' x 20' deck. The cord retainer works very well, but don't try to pass the plug through it. That is NOT how it works. You just have to loop the cord and it works great. One of my best purchases. Very happy.
Great video. Thanks
Love your efforts, really! However, look like a Pro on your put back together with dirt on the board, et al, just does not show well i.e., if he is skipping a simple vac out, what other corners being cut here. Know you are smart enough to get this and TYVM.
This video was filmed in a super gross apartment, and at 9:00pm I might add. I was not inclined to spend any more time then needed. I simply couldn’t put that blower wheel back in the way it was though.
@@diyhvacguy Yep, been there, done that; working overtime will do that and TYVM.
You are awesome !
Is there a "universal" motor replacement for a two stage motor with the capacitor on the back of the motor? These motors are crazy expensive!
Not sure on this. I picked this one up at the local Johnstone supply, so they made sure it would work for this furnace.
you should have addressed the dust build up which can cause furnace issues
3 IN 1 would have got you right.