Blower Motor Voltage?

[Rural Pundit]

I recently tried to make me a Shop Dust Filter out of a Box Fan. It was a dismal failure due to lack of enough static pressure.

However, my Dad had quite a few spare furnaces laying around with, I assume, working blower fans in them.

If I gut all the heating elements out them and use them strictly as a blower:

A: Are blower motors in residential furnace typically wired for 120V?
B: If its a 2 speed fan, can I wire up for high speed and put a variable speed controller on it?

I would mount this in the attic above my shop and make a plywood supply and return plenum, with a filter attachment in the ceiling below the return plenum.

 

[jlv03]

Most adjustable (not necessarily variable) speed blower motors are Permanent Split Capacitor (PSC) motors. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_motor#Permanent-split_capacitor_motor

There are some companies that make a variable speed drives for PSC for HVAC applications, but that might be more cost than you want on a dust filter project. If you just want selectivity of the speed just wire out a control switch to turn on different motor taps.

 

[fitter30]

All depends if it's gas or electric. Gas 120vac, elec 240vac. Direct drive usually multi speed just need a 3 or 4 position switch.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PF4JMSM/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Rural Pundit]

Thanks, I could live with just a single speed blower.

What about the typical motor voltage? 120 or 240?

 

[Rural Pundit]

All depends if it's gas or electric. Gas 120vac, elec 240vac. Direct drive usually multi speed just need a 3 or 4 position switch.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PF4JMSM/?tag=atomicindus08-20

So, if I want to make one blower only, and run on 110, I would need to gut a gas furnace, not electric?

 

[Bert_]

So, if I want to make one blower only, and run on 110, I would need to gut a gas furnace, not electric?

Yes. Gas furnaces are 120v, the only thing that runs on the electric is the fan and controls.

Electric furnaces use a lot more power so they use 240 for everything.

 

[Jim greengo]

I would just wire a 3w 15a switch up to power the motor.
That way you could switch it between high and low.
You wire a single pole switch in line before the 3w for your on and off.
A 2g metal box with an old work cover bolted to fan housing would probably be the easiest way to mount things.

 

[nadogail]

I have liked the idea of reusing blowers for a long time but didn't know about the back pressure issue.