York Blower Motor Not Running; Error LED Blinking

[jay]

I had a complete York AC/Heating System installed in my house in 2007. Recently air stopped coming out of the vents even when the fan is set to On via the thermostat unit. I went in the attic and opened the air handler unit (Model AHP60D2CH21A) and saw that the squirrel fan's blades are not rotating. Actually they rotate slowly for a few moments, then gives up and then tries to start repeatedly. It even rotates in the wrong direction once in a while! The motor is not binding as it turns freely. The error LED on the blower relay circuit board is blinking. I think it is blinking the error code 1 (limit switch currently open, not in lockout). It blinks slowly on and off forever without a change in interval. Does this correspond to error code 1?

What component is likely to be bad?

1) Motor 2) Starter capacitor 3) Some type of safety switch / thermocouple 4) Circuit board

What things can I check with a volt meter? Thx.

[clare]

ASSuming it is an induction motor, most likely a bad starting cap.

[Mark]

I hope for the OPs sake it is a standard induction motor.

If it is a new variable speed electronically commuted motor, then he is about to give back some of the "savings" .

Mark

[hrhofmann]

How many eads are going into the motor. If only 2, than the motor is a simple 120V motor and you can check it with your voltmeter, one lead is neutral and one is the hot lead. The voltage should go off and on as someone else turns the fan "on" button on the thermostat off and on. Ifmore than 2 wires, maybe a startng capacitor has gone open, or as another poster said, yu have bought the farm and need a new control board..

[jay]

After a bit of web surfing, I found out that it is a GE ECM X13 Motor. Even found a service guide for it!

motor cost $800 in 2010.

[trader4]

That would be the first furnace I've seen that doesn't have a safety switch on the blower door. I would think they are required.

I think you mean one goes to hot, the other to neutral. There is only one phase here.

No. It appears the motor speed is selected via 24VAC applied between the desired speed terminal and the common connection. You say you have the service manual for the motor, so you could verify that. I'd disconnect all the 24V wires from the motor. Hook up some temporary wires or jumpers between 24V from the furnace transformer and Hi terminal and common terminal. Make sure you have 120V on the line terminals at the motor and 24V between Hi and common. If the motor doesn't run, it's kaput. You could repeat the test with the other speeds.

That would depend on the design of what you have. Usually it's straightforward and not that difficult. That motor is one of the high eff ones, so it's going to cost more, but should still be a lot less than $800. If they want to hose you, it's possible another similar motor could be used.

[trader4]

ot in lockout).

If the motor is kaput, since the replacement looks like it won't be cheap, I'd take it to a local electric motor repair shop and see what they say. Possible they could fix it for you for a lot less.

[clare]

Is this a direct drive unit? or an older belt drive?

Belt drive is simple. Direct drive not so simple, but usually not terribly difficult. You WILL need the correct motor.

[clare]

That's an ECM - very possible there is a control board issue. I believe the control board is in the motor on that one. The servicing guide gives you all the test procedures and warnings.

[clare]

I've seen quite a few that do not have a safety switch. Likely has something to do with how easy (or hard) it is to get your hands into the blower.

[MarkK]

to the OP

If all those links you provided ARE for your motor, then it IS an ECM motor.

You are the victum of government beurcorcrates instead of engineers making engineering decisions. Any small savings you may have enjoyed from the slightly better efficency are about to be given up in higher repair costs.

If I were you, if the motor is a standard form factor I would see if it could be replaced with a standard PSC motor and maybe an external relay to control it. A standard PSC motor and relay doesn't have high power electronics and will stand up to lightning and power surges and will save you money.

Mark

[clare]

Upon checking that guide - it is a sealed motor and cannot be easily tested.

HOWEVER - You only mentioned the 115 volt connections. What about the low voltage control connection??? There should be a 24 volt AC connection to terminal C and terminal 1 ( or c and 2, 3,4, or 5 depending on the programming of the motor.

It should have 115 volts on the high voltage connections AT ALL TIMES. If putting 24 volts AC across C and 1 makes it run you have a control problem - possibly as simple as a bad control transformer. If putting power from c-1 does not start the motoer, and from c-2 (or any of the other numbered terminals) makes it run you have an integrated motor control problem and the motor will require replacement (or just let it run at the wrong speed).

[jay]

It turns out to be an ECM 230VAC 1 HP motor. Motor's L1 goes to 120VAC (1st phase). Motor's L2 goes to 120VAC (2nd phase). To run the motor, it needs 24 VAC between COM and any one of the following: LO, LO-MED, MED, MED-HI, HI. All the proper voltages were present at the final connectors to the motor, so it appears to be a bad motor. I called York (bought out by Johnson Controls) and their customer service told me it was still under warranty based on air handler's serial number, but only a qualified service tech could exchange it for a new motor : ( A Genteq replacement motor (original was a GE) is available to me for $465 from a local dealer. I guess it will be cheaper for me to pay for a qualified service tech's labor to avoid the cost of the motor.