NDR but need an electricians advice

wis boz

Well-known member
I switched to a LP furnace and would like to use the blower from the old oil burner in my outbuilding. The electric motor sits on top of the blower but runs only a short time when plugged in and then stops. The motor doesn't heat up but just stops. Unplugging it and then plugging it in again it runs for a bit and then stops. Anyone solve this problem? I have a ceiling fan over my wood burner but would like to use this blower also.
wis boz
 
Just a guess, some of those motors use a centrifigal switch that cuts out the start winding and switches it over to the run windings. Its probably not working so the motor is running on the start winding which heats up under load and cause a thermal cutout to shut it down.
 
Mike:
That sounds right. I just ran a direct line from the motor to an outlet evidently removing that switch. Anyway I can remedy that?
wis boz
 
You might be able to if you can get at the windings and the switch. You'll have to remove the bell housing at each end of the motor. then pull the whole assembly out of the housing. The switch contacts are probably welded together. You can try burnishing them but eventually they will probably weld again.
 
Hey Boz..does it have a belt and pulley or is it a direct drive? I picked up a small squirrel cage direct drive with a 110 plug/wire at a garage sale for about 2 bucks and have been using that for about 10 years to blow across the top of my wood burner. Seema like every garage/yard sale has one for next to nothing.
 
Mike:
Evidently that switch is inside. I don't know what I'm looking at but I'll give it a try. The motor was part of the blower system but maybe switch to another motor?? I'll take it apart, maybe it will be a learning session? Thanks!
wis boz
 
Lee:
Its pulley and belt drive--thanks anyway. Man, the snow is gone here and it is 50 degrees here in Southern Wisconsin today---unreal.
wis boz
 
Boz, I have found with woodburners you want a "slow blow"..just enough to keep the air moving around. I made a Rube Goldburg contraption I use once in a while..I took 4" duct pipe, a register boot and my little squirrel cage fan..set the boot on the wood burner and ran the pipe to the intake side of the cage and let it draw heat off the stove instead of blowing across it....worked about as good as blowing across it.
 
Boz the switch is inside the motor. The motor uses 2 windings a start winding which draws 6 times the running current this gives the motor the umph to start turning. then it switches over to the run winding after it starts to spin. The switch assembly will have a hole in it which the shaft comes thru. If you have a similar motor you might be able to swap the switches.
 
Mike:
I think it's too complicated for me. We have a Precision Drive company here that worked on my RV generator I'll take it in to them or just stay with the overhead fan as Lee Harder suggests. I appreciate your help however. Happy Holidays!
wis boz
 
Boz, good luck. You can always pickup a small squirrel cage motor assembly. Grainger has a very good selection of motors, resonably priced as a replacement. Hope it works out. Happy Holidays to you and your family.
 
Wis Boz,

the other idea related to squirrel cages is to just get a new one.

I have gotten 2 of them from a local HVAC company who was just throwing them in the trash. Talk with a few of them. Most of them are dumping 2-5 a week in the trash. In most furnaces, it is the plates or exchangers that dump out, not the blower but the whole thing is ripped out and a new one is put in.

The guys I talked with would not even take beer, they just wanted to decrease the space in the dumpster so they could dump more...Try it. You might be surprised. Heck, they even tore it off the unit for me on the first one and actually delievered the 2nd one.
 
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