Blower Motor Cleaning and Maintenance

Before we tell you how to clean and maintain a blower motor, it's important to understand what they are and how they work.

The blower motor is a component of the HVAC system. The blower can help clean up debris, prevent water accumulation, improve the plant growth environment, control pests, and germs in the garden, and improve the cleanliness of the garden and the growth quality of plants.

There are two main types of blower motors: single-speed motors and high-efficiency electronic communication motors (ECM), also known as variable-speed motors. Single-speed blowers are standard on many older furnaces and only run at two speeds: on at 100% or off at 0%. Like a normal light switch, it's just on or off, with no settings in between.

On the other hand, variable-speed blowers run continuously with lower output and lower electricity usage. It can adjust speed and air volume to perfectly match the heating and cooling air needs required by the facility. It is similar to a car's gas pedal in that it adjusts the speed as needed. These blowers continuously monitor data from the system and can adjust for dirty filters or clogged vents by increasing airspeed.

Now that we understand how a blower motor works, we can outline its most common components:

Motor - The power source and main component of the blower. It is responsible for driving the shaft. When the motor runs, the fan moves accordingly.

Belt – The motor shaft is connected to the belt, which is directly connected to the fan. When the motor runs and turns the shaft, the fan moves accordingly.

Shaft – The impeller is mounted on the shaft. This assembly uses the torque from the motor to transfer energy to the impeller.

Enclosure – Without an enclosure, the blower is more prone to damage from dust, dirt, oil, and moisture leaking into the wires.

Bearings – Bearings are used to reduce friction between the rotating shaft and the motor to keep the impeller spinning in place.

Capacitors – Capacitors help the motor run and/or start, giving the motor more starting torque and helping the motor run more efficiently. If there is no torque to turn the blower wheel or fan belt, it will not start.

Routine blower motor cleaning and maintenance not only prolong the life of your equipment, but also reduces operating, downtime, and troubleshooting costs. It helps to reduce most of these costs because these problems are caught in advance.

Maintenance programs for blowers can be broken down into three categories: routine maintenance, quarterly maintenance, and annual maintenance. Routine maintenance is the process of developing a plan to inspect components that are considered leading indicators of potential failure.

For blower motors, it is good practice to periodically monitor:

- Monitor and record bearing temperature, lubricant level, and vibration. The lubricant should be clear with no signs of blistering. If air bubbles appear, it is an indication that more lubricant needs to be added to reduce bearing temperature. If bearing vibration increases, this can be a good indicator of impending bearing failure.

- Check the mechanical seal. There should be no visible signs of leakage.

- During the shutdown, check pump packing to ensure adequate lubrication. Then, if the packing looks packed and dry, replace the packing and add lubricant according to the operator's manual.

- This simple solution helps prevent nuisance problems and downtime associated with dirty fan blades, motors, coils, and heat exchangers.

- Make sure all return air regulators are unobstructed. Insufficient airflow can reduce the efficiency of the motor and cause unplanned shutdowns.

- Check fan blades for cracks, missing balance weights, and vibration

- Then inspect the fan and/or fan blades for obvious signs of dirt and debris buildup

- Check and record/graph the motor amplifier readings. This demonstrates motor performance and proper belt tension. Graph results can alert you to issues that may not be visually obvious.

- Then clean the dust on the fan blades and motor.

Dirty fan blades can cause a number of problems, including premature motor failure and a 20% increase in motor operating costs. It can also cause unexpected shutdowns due to insufficient airflow, improper dehumidification in cooling modes, air conditioner compressors due to loss of airflow and dirty coils, and heat exchanger failures (which can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning).

Accurately document performance at least annually. Perform annual insulation resistance (IR) and another appropriate testing, including a thorough visual inspection and voltage and current checks. All values should be recorded and compared annually. The trend of the readings will indicate the condition of the motor

Bearings - check surface temperature with a thermometer. Compare the temperature of the hot bearing to that of a normal operating bearing. Then check the oil ring and observe whether the end play is too large.

Rotor/Stator - Use a feeler gauge to check the air gap between the rotor and stator.

Belt – Check belt tension; there should be approximately 1 inch (2.54 cm) of play in the belt. The pulleys should be firmly in place with little play. Couplings should be tight and not too noisy to operate.

Brushes/Commutator – Check the motor's brushes and commutator for excessive wear, correct type, stiffness, conductivity, and proper fit.

Motor Mounting – Check mounting bolts, steel base plate for deformation, and concrete base for cracks or peeling.

Motor Temperature Control – Restricted ventilation can cause the motor to run at a higher than the desired temperature. Dirt, grime, oil, moisture, etc. can block the ventilation channels. Keep the motor clean and cool.

Bearing Housings - Check for signs of wear, corrosion, cracks, or pits. If worn or out of tolerance, replace the housing.

Bearing Frames and Feet - Check for cracks, roughness, rust, or scale. Machined surfaces shall be free from pitting or erosion.

Bearing Frame – Check all threaded connections for dirt. Then clean and flush the threads as needed. Remove all loose or foreign objects. Next check the lubrication passages to make sure they are not blocked.

Shaft – Check the shaft for any signs of corrosion or wear and for straightness. Note that the maximum total indicator reading (TIR) at the sleeve journal and coupling journal should not exceed 0.002 inches (approximately 51 µm).

The above briefly introduces the cleaning and maintenance of the blower motor. If you want to know more or you want to buy the blower motor and other accessories, please contact us.

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