Inducer blower motor not starting...

[zkling]

Putting on my HVAC hat the other day to help someone out... Going from memory so please bear with me. Furnace wouldn't start, narrowed it down to the draft inducer. When the furnace is turned on the inducer blower motor gets very hot to the touch and does not move at all. Checked the cap on the side and it was way out of spec listed on side case. Verified voltage is going directly to the motor. Could not get to the blower wheel to give it a spin and test motor OK, ordered a cap to start there. What are the chances it is just the cap? Been doing a little reading and seems that bearing issues are common on inducer motors. This one would require lots of sealed dis assembly to get to the blower wheel or even shaft to verify that it is free. :

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Motor is probably cooked,Pull the housing off and look for birds in the squirrel cage inside.Thats a common problem around here.
What brand of furnace is it and where are you located?

 

[domain]

ya probably not the cap. if it freewheels it may just need cap but you dont know that

 

[zkling]

Unfortunately what I was thinking too. Can't recall the make or even rough age (~10 year old) of the unit. Hence my "from memory" comment above, yea I know sorry, it would be a big help. I really doubt it is an animal obstruction, as the furnace is buried in the house, lots of pipe, turns, etc. Everything is very clean. If the cap doesn't work guess I'll have to pull the assembly. Everything is liquid gasketed and it is not going to be easy. The cap was just right there on the side and since it was not in spec, was hoping that was the issue. 8/10 times in my experience with main blower motors it has been just the cap. But on those I could always verify by giving the cage a spin and then applying power. This I can't get to, even the other side of the shaft has a dang cover over it

 

[Rookie2]

Blow your shop vac thru it if you get it off. The only one I've worked on had a low speed fault (bearings) causing a shut down and LED flashing. No repairs just replace.

I am not an HVAC expert !

 

[Jack Olsen]

I would try the capacitor replacement before you take anything else apart.

 

[zkling]

Well, looks like it was just the cap, possibly in addition to sitting for a while. New cap make it start right up. Cycled it a few times, never failed to start, hesitate or made any funny noises. Warned them it might be the blower motor down the road, hope not.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

 

[Brian_WK]

I see you solved the problem Congratz!

Throw this out there as well. If you remove the intake pipe (hopefully installer didn't glue it) Remove pressure switch sensing tubes to prevent pressure switch damage. Put your shop vac on **** on the exhaust pipe and turn it on it will spin the inducer motor the correct direction and clear the pipe of obstructions debris if it isn't solidly stuck. I had a wasps nest that the 5hp shop vac would not clear until I broke it up with a fish tape. This method cleared 3 mouse nests from a furnace that was installed on a farm that sat for 3 years unused and the exhaust pipe exited a foot off the ground. Didn't get the 4th that had wrapped around the inducer wheel and burnt out the motor before I had got there.

Brian

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

I see you solved the problem Congratz!

Throw this out there as well. If you remove the intake pipe (hopefully installer didn't glue it) Remove pressure switch sensing tubes to prevent pressure switch damage. Put your shop vac on **** on the exhaust pipe and turn it on it will spin the inducer motor the correct direction and clear the pipe of obstructions debris if it isn't solidly stuck. I had a wasps nest that the 5hp shop vac would not clear until I broke it up with a fish tape. This method cleared 3 mouse nests from a furnace that was installed on a farm that sat for 3 years unused and the exhaust pipe exited a foot off the ground. Didn't get the 4th that had wrapped around the inducer wheel and burnt out the motor before I had got there.

Brian