Personal computing discussed
Moderators: askfranklin, renee, emkubed, Captain Ned
StefanVonS wrote:Fairly common cause of blower motor and condenser fan motors failing to spin up is the capacitor. Super cheap to replace and easy to check. Most meters have a capacitor test function.
The Swamp wrote:It's strange because I can jiggle the float switch or cycle the panel cover kill switch and make the fan spin up again. That's why I'm wondering if it's maybe a relay that's going out, and the power cycle energizes it enough to make the fan restart?
ludi wrote:In theory, fan motors ought to be reliable enough but the Amana in our HVAC died in less than ten and blew out a relay contact at the control board for good measure. And just to be spiteful, Amana (though now owned by Whirlpool) uses a special bracket that is incompatible with the universal replacement motor that fits most other brands.
The Swamp wrote:When I was up in the attic this morning trying to get the fan to kick on, as I was wiggling the kill switch, I could hear something quietly clicking and the fan trying to start up. Finally, after a few tries, it did.
So, relay?
Captain Ned wrote:The Swamp wrote:When I was up in the attic this morning trying to get the fan to kick on, as I was wiggling the kill switch, I could hear something quietly clicking and the fan trying to start up. Finally, after a few tries, it did.
So, relay?
Is the relay up there with the fan, or somewhere else with the control panel?
The Swamp wrote:I'm not sure. I didn't see one near the main board, but I suspect it's near the blower. Maybe attached to the blower itself. I am guessing the clicking is the relay trying to engage, but not quite being able to, if that sounds right.
Captain Ned wrote:The Swamp wrote:I'm not sure. I didn't see one near the main board, but I suspect it's near the blower. Maybe attached to the blower itself. I am guessing the clicking is the relay trying to engage, but not quite being able to, if that sounds right.
It does sound like the relay is the issue. The low-voltage side isn't latching down (thus the rattling/clicking) so the high-voltage/current side of the relay can't get juice to the fan. The next question is if the failure to latch the LV side is in the relay itself or in the associated LV wiring/sense switches.
The Swamp wrote:How long do relays typically last? The one I have now is 14 years old. When they begin to die, do they display these kinds of symptoms?
The Swamp wrote:I was unable to locate anything inside the unit near the blower that looks like a relay. I wonder if the relay is on the control board made by White-Rodgers. I've heard some relays are on the board itself, which means the board will have to be replaced if the relay goes out. I've reached the limits of my Google Foo. Anyone have any ideas?
I did find the capacitor, though. It's the original capacitor, so it's 14 years old, too. I know a dead capacitor will prevent the motor from spinning up. Could a dying capacitor cause the problems I'm seeing?
The Swamp wrote:I got the wrong cap. The parts list shows I need a 5 something, but the cap in there now is a 7.5. I assume that's a big deal?