Furnace Blower Motor

It is during the autumns or the winters, wherein, the need of a furnace would come handy the most. A furnace blower motor is actually the basic component that powers the flow of air in a furnace. And since the efficacy of the furnace depends on the blower, the possibility of its failure will lead to furnace malfunctioning. First thing that comes to our mind when any sort of device malfunctions is, call for a repairman or a technician. Taking such an action or step can prove expensive, but why go for professional assistance when you have people like us who are here to provide you with the apt information that you may need for such a job.

Now, although a furnace is a device which at the best of times is of immense help in winters. Therefore it's best to keep some furnace troubleshooting tips at hand that might first help you analyze the entire scenario, in case of a furnace blower breakdown or malfunction.

Troubleshooting Tips for a Furnace Blower Motor

• First things first, switch off the main supply to the furnace and wait for the motor to stop spinning.
• When everything stops, try to spin the motor with your bare hands. If it doesn't spin freely, gently oil the parts that connects the ports.
• If things still look tough, check the motor wiring. Check for all the colored wires; red, black, white, at times, green. See if they are connected well.
• After scrutinizing all of this, turn on the power supply. Also, turn on the fan connected at the thermostat to check the condition of the furnace blower motor.
• Move the switch of the fan from an auto position to an 'on' position. Basically, in an auto mode the motor turns on by itself.
• If the motor fails to gain speed, that's when the need of a replacement is warranted.

With this take, it's time for some lucid instructions to fix that buggered furnace blower motor which is troubling you from long.

Replacement Instructions

Required Materials

• Volt-ohm meter
• A screwdriver
• Needle-nose pliers
• 3-in-1 Oil

Repairing Procedure

Step #1: Needless to say, switch off the main power supply to the furnace and remove the motor main cover panel gently. You will have to unscrew all the fasteners and slowly lift the cover panel out of its position.

Step #2: As aforementioned in the troubleshooting paragraph, you will have to locate the spinning wheel and try to spin the same with your hands to check for its free rotary motion.

Step #3: Begin oiling the ports of the machine by using the 3-in-1 oil, and if still the blower refuses to rotate freely, it's time to read the next step.

Step #4: The refusal of the blower to move freely can be due to it being hot. Give the blower motor sometime to cool down and then check for the wire connections.

Step #5: The checking of the wire connections is important because due to a lot of tension and movement in the machine, wires tend to break easily.

Step #6: If you still see everything intact, may be something is wrong with the motor capacitor. This capacitor is a square box-like device bearing two wires and is located adjacent to the blower motor.

Step #7: Check for its working condition too. If you see oil leaking out from the device, this is where the catch is. You will need a capacitor replacement to be done.

Step #8: Use needle-nose pliers to detach all the wires and lead off from the capacitor terminals. Do it gently. Get hold of a volt-ohm meter and tune it to a voltage setting. Use one of its probe to test the terminals of the capacitor.

Step #9: Well, what do you see after placing that probe? I'll tell you. You must see a reading going from zero to maximum capacity. If you see no such reading, the capacitor definitely needs to be replaced with a new one.

Step #10: You can get a replacement piece of a capacitor from any local hardware store. Replace it back to the original place the way it was, and then switch the main supply of the furnace back on. Also set the thermostat in order to start the furnace. In spite of all these steps if still the motor doesn't spin, replace the old one with a new piece from the market.

Make a note that working around a furnace can be hazardous, and if you think you cannot handle this job on your own, don't hesitate to fetch technical help. Prevention is better than cure!