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dead attic fan

We have two attic fans in the roof to take hot air out. Last year one of them quit working. Would it still using electricity?

Reply to
Jud McCranie
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Yes.

Believe it or not, many of those cheapie roof fans (~$100.00 or less) have oilers on the motor. Funny since almost *all* other HVAC motors which are much easier to access have permanent lubrication.

Anyway, it could have burned up completely, or it may sitting up there cycling on overload. I would physically disconnect the wiring or repair it right away if I were you.

HTH, Lefty

Reply to
Lefty

Of all the many!! This has to be the ONE !

Bill in Plano

Reply to
Bill Hall

Jud McCranie wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Depends.

Reply to
Red Green

AND!!! it will use TWICE as much electricity if the switch is OFF

Reply to
Big Bob

I'm just a homeowner, not an electrician. I don't know, which is why I'm asking.

Reply to
Jud McCranie

Mine quit working. I unwired it and when I got a new roof had the roofer put in a passive vent.

Next door neighbors caught fire one night. He was fortunate to have another neighbor coming home late spot the flames and saving the house from burning down or worse.

Reply to
Frank

I thought I would turn the thermostat up enough so that it won't try to cut on. There is a small metal box with a screw, but no indication of which direction is higher/lower. It isn't warm enough yet for the other one to come on. Is there a standard way (clockwise, counterclockwise) that these things work?

Reply to
Jud McCranie

If the oil dries up, the motor may still be using electricity and getting hot. Even if the fan isn't blowing. So, yes. It could possibly be both an electrical and safety (fire) problem.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Jud McCranie wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

With the GAF Master gable power vents I've dealt with, lower temp (goes on sooner) is counterclockwise. And of those I've dealt with 105 is the recommended setting.

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Your type, model and brand probably varies. Google it for the instruction book.

Reply to
Red Green

If it has a fan belt that slipped off, yes.

No smoke - no fire!

Reply to
Oren

It might. It depends on wether the motor is siezed (drawing current but not turning), or burned out (not drawing current).

Reply to
AZ Nomad

In the winter months, I tried to turn it, and it didn't turn freely, seems to have seized. With a little force it started turning freely again, but it hasn't been hot enough to come on yet.

Reply to
Jud McCranie

You should disconnect it. It'll draw current and might even be a fire hazard.

Reply to
AZ Nomad

Hmm, Possible fire hazard. Disconnect power or repair/replace them.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

Respectfully suggest DO NOT IGNORE the situation described. Like there are advantages with most devices there are disadvantages. Which in this case is something of a chance of a fire hazard? . At very least find out which circuit or fuse in your panel feeds that circuit the fans are on and turn it off until the problem has been diagnosed and corrected.

As an example; our bathroom (a much smaller fan) was grinding and jammed up due to lint build up and needing lubrication.

Fortunately it has a separate switch; but one day before I got a chance to remove the fan and clean and and lubricate the motor, somebody, not knowing the problem, left it switched on!

That small fan, not turning, got quite warm. Not hot enough to catch fire but QUITE warm. Up in the bathroom ceiling.

It has now been cleaned, had to put the fan blade through the dishwasher to get the grunge off it, re-lubricated and installed. It still runs slightly rough and one of these days I will have to find a replacement motor or install new bearings.

So; with presumably a bigger (and potentially hotter and out sight motor), please do not ignore! Good luck.

Reply to
stan

Hey Jud , Hows life in the Golden Isles. Yeah it probably still drawing current even though its siezed up. You need to get that taken care of.

Jimmie

Reply to
JIMMIE

OK, but sometimes hot. How did you know where I am?

Reply to
Jud McCranie

I have an AC/DC meter, but I don't know how to test AC. What is the procedure for that?

Anyhow, it seemed to be hot enough for the fan that was working last year to come on, but it would not come on. So I switched off the breaker and disconnected the white and black wires going to the fan and taped them up with electrical tape (or twisted the plastic cover back on).

Reply to
Jud McCranie

Is anyone looking after the still in 'coochee. I stopped by with my wife and daughter a few years ago and found the lock had been jimmied and told the police.

Are you still playing tournament chess.

OK to stay on topic I repaired a couple of power vents but I have been known to do some southern engineering. I replaced one blown motor with a fairly large muffin fan and another after I trashed it I realized the roller bearings that had siezed were the exact same ones used in rollerblades. Replacing the bearing would have been an easy fix. I could have even gotten ceramic replacements.

BTW my telephome number is prime.

Reply to
JIMMIE

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