Trane air handler with ECM motor

[rrrr]

The fan in my air handler is humming. The motor is running cool and under FLA. There's no trash in the fan wheel, and no indication the shaft is loose. Is there something going on with the ECM module?

 

[Ultra...Good]

is this a new issue? just noticing now?

kind of related.....noticed slight hum from fridge. put shoulder into it and gave it a gentle push, sound is gone.

tweeked cabinet from house shifting???????? don't know. no more noise though.

 

[Sleek-Jet]

Try teaching it some words and hopefully it will stop humming.

 

[Ultra...Good]

Try teaching it some words and hopefully it will stop humming.

if I could go back and tell my great great great great grandpappies great great grandpappy one thing and one thing only, don't teach her to talk, just keep her a hummin. that and no matter what her sister says it is a foot of snow, not 5 inches.

 

[Flying_Lavey]

The fan in my air handler is humming. The motor is running cool and under FLA. There's no trash in the fan wheel, and no indication the shaft is loose. Is there something going on with the ECM module?

How is your control voltage? 24VAC or over?

 

[rrrr]

How is your control voltage? 24VAC or over?

It's good. Not a contactor problem. The symptoms I indicated above point to that module.

 

[Flying_Lavey]

It's good. Not a contactor problem. The symptoms I indicated above point to that module.

I've seen low control voltage create an odd hum on ECM control modules before. Not a mechanical him lile contractors make in that situation.

 

[rrrr]

I've seen low control voltage create an odd hum on ECM control modules before. Not a mechanical him lile contractors make in that situation.

That describes what this unit is doing.

 

[Sharky]

What's actually humming? The motor, ECM or something else.

Take a wood dowel and stick it in your ear while touching components to listen for the noise. My HVAC techs will use a long handle screwdriver but I would not recommend this for everybody unless they know what they are doing.

Where I work now, in 25+ years we have only had a problem with just 1 motor on a Trane. The bracket to the case had cracked.

But, boy howdy have we replaced a lot of ECM's and boards including ones that hummed/buzzed/or flat out didn't work.

And Trane is really proud of ECM's and boards.

 

[lbhsbz]

The fan in my air handler is humming. The motor is running cool and under FLA. There's no trash in the fan wheel, and no indication the shaft is loose. Is there something going on with the ECM module?

I call @rrrr with all my electrical questions...give him a shout

 

[rrrr]

I call @rrrr with all my electrical questions...give him a shout

I'm looking for free advice before I have to dismantle the fan to troubleshoot the module.

 

[mjc]

I had one that would start running on a slow speed at random times. Replaced it and problem went away. But they really liked that part.

 

[Wayn-o]

What's actually humming? The motor, ECM or something else.

Take a wood dowel and stick it in your ear while touching components to listen for the noise. My HVAC techs will use a long handle screwdriver but I would not recommend this for everybody unless they know what they are doing.

Where I work now, in 25+ years we have only had a problem with just 1 motor on a Trane. The bracket to the case had cracked.

But, boy howdy have we replaced a lot of ECM's and boards including ones that hummed/buzzed/or flat out didn't work.

And Trane is really proud of ECM's and boards.

The Trane commercials say you cant stop a Trane. I say, try to get one actually started first!

 

[Flying_Lavey]

I'm looking for free advice before I have to dismantle the fan to troubleshoot the module.

BTW, if you weren't aware (I wasn't up until recently since I haven't done residential in so long), you can buy and replace just the control module for the fan motor. Save 1 or 2 hundred $$ that way.

 

[rrrr]

BTW, if you weren't aware (I wasn't up until recently since I haven't done residential in so long), you can buy and replace just the control module for the fan motor. Save 1 or 2 hundred $$ that way.

Thanks for the tip.

I had already checked the price difference between a new motor or replacing a defective module, and posted hoping someone would provide better information about failures than I had. I think it is the module.

 

[dezertrider]

If you go with a new motor get the module too. Its less of a headache with summer coming. Typically both parts fail around the same time

 

[rrrr]

I fixed the problem, replaced the motor. But it was fucking expensive.

I charged myself for the service call to diagnose it. When the motor was picked up at the supply house, I billed a trip charge and another service call to bring it home, plus 4 hours labor, the motor cost plus markup, consumables, overhead, and profit.

The invoice totaled $1,589.00. My HVAC repair self is happy I made good money, but my homeowner self is pissed I was charged so much.

 

[dezertrider]

I fixed the problem, replaced the motor. But it was fucking expensive.

I charged myself for the service call to diagnose it. When the motor was picked up at the supply house, I billed a trip charge and another service call to bring it home, plus 4 hours labor, the motor cost plus markup, consumables, overhead, and profit.

The invoice totaled $1,589.00. My HVAC repair self is happy I made good money, but my homeowner self is pissed I was charged so much.

Did you buy a aftermarket Rescue motor or the factory motor.

 

[Smupser]

is this a new issue? just noticing now?

kind of related.....noticed slight hum from fridge. put shoulder into it and gave it a gentle push, sound is gone.

tweeked cabinet from house shifting???????? don't know. no more noise though.

Same situation here. Maybe I need to try that shoulder technique

 

[Romans9]

I fixed the problem, replaced the motor. But it was fucking expensive.

I charged myself for the service call to diagnose it. When the motor was picked up at the supply house, I billed a trip charge and another service call to bring it home, plus 4 hours labor, the motor cost plus markup, consumables, overhead, and profit.

The invoice totaled $1,589.00. My HVAC repair self is happy I made good money, but my homeowner self is pissed I was charged so much.

I charge my wife for those type of repairs. Since she has no income she has to work them off.

 

[rrrr]

Did you buy a aftermarket Rescue motor or the factory motor.

Rescue motor. There's anecdotal evidence the rescue motors fail at a higher rate, but the comments I've seen were made by service personnel that make hundreds of replacements.

I'll take the chance on a good outcome.

 

[dezertrider]

You will be fine with a rescue motor. We use them all the time with no problems. Technicians like to complain more then praise so any online negative comments are weighted to the negative