Heat Pump Fan Motor Install Question

I am a newbe, an aspiring DIY'er, getting ready to replace my fan motor for the first time (exterior) Carrier Split System Heat Pump: Model 38BYC).

I think I figured out the answers to most of my questions about what I have to do, but 1 question remains:

Q1. How is the (~~1/2") conduit which protects the 3 wires coming from the fan motor "sealed" and/or connected to the motor to keep "nature" out of the conduit?

I haven't received my new motor yet, so perhaps the answer will be more evident upon inspection.

Thank you very much for any guidance you can provide to me!

Bill

Reply to
Bill
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If it's the fan motor on the outdoor unit, it's usually just an open metal or plastic pipe of some sort and the wires should slide easily through the pipe. ^_^

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

TDD, Thank you for resolving my concern about that. I was thinking maybe should be "sealed", but then I observe what I would call "exposed" wiring all over the inside of the unit.

Here is one last question (I hope) if you have a chance:

Q: I am assuming that I only should remove the smaller round "grill" that the fan is attached to and not the entire square top of the cooling unit.

The 4th picture (out of 4) on my website is a picture of the whole unit

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case there is any doubt what I am talking about.

Thank you from central Indiana, Bill

Reply to
Bill

From the looks of the picture you may not have to remove the whole top, just the grill. Make sure you know where the wires go and if you get a universal replacement motor with the rotation direction plug which is usually a white soft plastic barrel shaped bi-pin plug and socket about

1/2" diameter by 1 1/2" long that can unplugged and plugged back in to reverse the wires thus spin of the fan blade. You can make a temporary electrical connection without the fan blade to determine the proper shaft rotation before mounting the fan blade and tying up the wires. There a probably four long wires not including those to the rotation selector plug and those wires for a single speed motor are usually one black, one white, one brown and one brown with a white stripe. The white and brown with white stripe are usually connected together inside the motor as the white is the neutral power connection which should also be connected to one side of the fan motor run capacitor. A common value for condenser fan motor run capacitors is 5mfd 370vac. If you are getting the capacitor separately from a supplier and don't mind spending a few more dollars, get a capacitor rated at 440vac instead of the lower voltage. It's not rocket surgery but if you have a problem, you can usually find a helpful fellow or two around the supply house. If the fan died and put a lot of stress on your compressor, it could be damaged and that's not your usual DIY replacement job. You should call a pro who does it for a living and has all the required experience, licenses and certifications. ^_^

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

I don't think I ordered a "universal" replacement motor. I expect to receive an induction motor with Black, Yellow and Brown wires that the electrical supplier jugdged to be compatible with my old one, along with a new capacitor, of course.

I paid a pro to identify the problem with the unit. I am familiar enough with capacitors and electricity to know how to avoid hurting myself. I did my "homework" and I can read the necessary part of my wiring diagram, so I expect I may be okay. I will compare it with the existing wiring just to make sure.

Thanks again, Bill

You can make a temporary

Reply to
Bill

You don't think?? Did you provide the Carrier distributor with the model and serial numbers so they can get the exact OEM replacement? They should have had it on the shelf.

You paid a "pro" to identify the problem? and you didn't pay him to correct the problem? Now you will have to pay him again to come out to check the refrigerant (FREON) charge balance after you get done screwing around with the fan.

If you had really done you "homework", you wouldn't be in here asking these questions because you were too cheap to pay a "pro" for the repairs. Do you have the tools to do the job? Do you have a meter to verify that the power to the unit is de-energized *BEFORE* you stick your fingers in it? What are you going to do it the fan blade doesn't want to come loose from the motor shaft??

BTW... no legitmate company will install any parts/equipment that was not purchased through their company strictly because of warranty and liability issues. Electrical parts are *NOT* returnable. When you screw up, it will cost you twice to 3 times more to have it fixed than it would have than if you had the pro to do it in the first place.

Are you sure your not a landlord or an EE??

Reply to
Steve

Steve wrote: > You paid a "pro" to identify the problem? and you didn't pay him to correct the problem? Now you will have to pay him again to come out to check the refrigerant (FREON) charge balance after you get done screwing around with the fan.

Sorry Steve, if I don't reply to your whole post.

He already checked the freon. I paid him to diagnose the problem, and I got his estimate to fix it. I didn't like it, and he was inflexible, so I told him I would try to replace the motor myself. That's the way it's supposed to work right? I mean, a person shouldn't be able to force whatever price they want on others, should they?

My cost for the part was $150. His repair fee, not including the $90 diagnostic fee was $725. I'll decided to try the repair myself TYVM! I learned a lot in preparation too. Way more than if I have just told him to "fix it". Don't get angry, someone might help you work something out someday.

No, I'm a math teacher who took all of his shop classes and didn't lose my interest in any of the crafts since then. Thank you for your welcome!

Bill

Steve wrote:

Reply to
Bill

So, to you, signing a check means doing your homework? I considered coming here to post a question part of my homework. Do you have to be a pro to post in this newsgroup?

Do you

I have enough tools. I have some wet and dry for the old rotor. If getting the blade loose gives me troube, I'll improvise. I have penetrating oil and more time than a pro would have. I could probably build my own tool to help remove the blade if I needed to, could you? Share how you would design one in your garage if you're so smart.

Bill

Reply to
Bill

Easy enough to turn another fan blade puller on the lathe, and drill/tap on the bridgeport mill.

Reply to
Steve

Sorry, but its impossible to correctly balance the refrigerant charge if the fan is not operating correctly, and moving the correct amount of air through the coils.

$725 is a bit high for the service call/diagnostics, and an OEM carrier fan motor... I would have been around $600 plus tax.

Reply to
Steve

Can't you think of something much easier than copying someone else's tool? Does your garage really have a Bridgeport mill? If so, Why remove the cover? A piece of wood would be easier to work. Don't you think wood is up to the task? Pretend you lost your blade puller. What's the simplest solution you can come up with on your own? Here's a great chance to demonstrate how well you can think out of the box.

Reply to
Bill

OK... lets pretend I'm not a certified master tech, contractor and company owner, retired military, and journeyman machinist that majored in mechanical engineering with a minor in environmental science... You came in here asking questions that you already knew the answers to... trolling as it were. In all the years of being in this NG, guys like you come and go after asking the same tiresome questions because they are either cheap assed landlords, or EEs that are trying to reinvent the wheel without understanding the physics of what makes it work, and home owners that can't understand why their system still doesn't work even though they got a new thermostat from walmart. DIY condenser fan motor replacement can be found easy enough with google or youtube.

This news group was created for the techs and owners to discuss design and technical issues, not for home owners et al. Try alt.homerepair.

Reply to
Steve

You came in here

That's Definitely Not True.

trolling as it

That's not me either. I am more the "problem-solving" type of person, and though I'm choosing not to describe my credentials like you have, I have the papers to substantiate it.

You're not even willing to describe how you would pull a blade in the field without a blade puller, and you're telling me to go away? You should re-read your original post to me! It did not cast you in the most favorable light... You're "all that" as a problem solver--what's your solution mister? Think of it as a "design/technical" problem. It's in the category readers here are adept at, no?

Bill

and home owners that can't

Reply to
Bill

Mr. Dufas, You were closer in guessing what I was going to recieve than I was. Indeed, there are 4 wires : one black, one yellow, one brown and one brown with a white stripe. Evidently they made this change for safety reasons. The brown wire as well as the the brown and white wire go to the capacitor. Black goes to hot as before and Yellow goes to Common. Although I haven't opened the unit's electrical box today, it is this last connection which mainly concerns me. Can you suggest where to make this connection? I am not too lazy to try to decide for myself, but your reply may give me more confidence. I expect to possibly find a wire nut connected to Common from the power supply in the unit's electrical panel, and I would make the connection there. Is that right?

Bill

Reply to
Bill

. Try alt.homerepair.

I will check it out. Thanks.

Reply to
Bill

I'm old enough to like Usenet. I think it is characterized by it's community--something I appreciate more and more as time goes on.

With all due respect, with all of the cheap servers and low cost software going around, I would the techs and owners would create a more formal mechanisms for closed discussions if that was their preference.

To be honest, this is the first time I have ever visited a Usenet newsgroup with a "bouncer". On your suggestion, I visited alt.homerepair. Have you visited it? --LOL!

Which technical/applied books does the group generally suggest on the topic of AC for the interested? I have some grasp of the basics of refrigeration from physics.

Thank you, Bill

Reply to
Bill

Most HVAC condensor fans are 230 volts. No common wire.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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.

Mr. Dufas, You were closer in guessing what I was going to recieve than I was. Indeed, there are 4 wires : one black, one yellow, one brown and one brown with a white stripe. Evidently they made this change for safety reasons. The brown wire as well as the the brown and white wire go to the capacitor. Black goes to hot as before and Yellow goes to Common. Although I haven't opened the unit's electrical box today, it is this last connection which mainly concerns me. Can you suggest where to make this connection? I am not too lazy to try to decide for myself, but your reply may give me more confidence. I expect to possibly find a wire nut connected to Common from the power supply in the unit's electrical panel, and I would make the connection there. Is that right?

Bill

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Oh silly me, that's what I get for posting while tired. The darn motor is a 240vac motor so technically both wires are hot. On the contactor you may see a black and a white or yellow in your case. The contactor will have 1/4" Faston tabs for the flat push on connectors like the tabs on the capacitors. The black wire to black and yellow to the light colored wire which will have a jumper going to one side of the run capacitors for both the fan motor and compressor. Often there is a dual capacitor with three terminals with markings like "C" for common, "F or Fan" for the brown wire and "Herm" for the compressor. The brown/white wire from the fan motor can be taped up if the dual capacitor is used and the "C" terminal will have a jumper back to the switched side of the contactor's light colored wire. Oh, the contactor is inside the control compartment on the side of the condensing unit where you will see the flexible power conduit attached to the bottom of it. If you got a new capacitor with your new fan motor hook the brown and brown/white to the terminals on the new capacitor and leave the "F" terminal on the dual capacitor in the control box unconnected. Anyway, there should be a safety switch or disconnect next to the condensing unit to turn off the power to the unit before you try to work on it. If not, find the circuit breaker and kill the power to the condensing unit. Be safe. ^_^

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

From looking at my diagram, the motors only appears to be only 230v at start up. Excludingthe capacitor, that leaves two wires: Black and Yellow. Black is "Hot". Just what, then, are you going to call the other wire--do you prefer the term "neutral"?

Bill

Reply to
Bill

From what you wrote, I believe that I need to connect the motors yellow wire back to the switched side of the contactor, no?

Thank you for the lesson!

Bill

Reply to
Bill

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