PTAC Air conditioner Blower fan hitting cover
The blower fan is hitting the cover making a loud noise. If I pull the cover away from the fan, the noise stops. (I'm pulling using a screw on the cover).
To stop the noise I'm thinking I could rig up a 1/4" aluminum flat bar with some washers to effectively pull the cover away from the fan blades. The flat bar would be anchored on either side of the blower fan with sheet metal screws.
This was the HVAC techs idea. I think it could work. It's a temporary fix until we can get a replacement unit (4-6 weeks). These are 40 years old.
Here's what the unit looks like. (This is not the actual unit with the problem - but they are all the same).
Any ideas or suggestions?
Comments
-
check the play on the bearings for the blower. might be easier to get a motor than a new unit.
1 -
I don't see any fan blades for the cover to hit. The PTAC is in a wall sleeve isn't it? Is it pushed in all the way?
0 -
Not a bad temporary fix — also known as a kludge — but it would be wise to find out what has failed or bent or rusted away or otherwise changed from the original intention — since it didn't do that when it was new — and fix that correctly. Might also be a worn or broken mount for the fan or the motor — or both — or less likely sufficiently worn bearings to allow the fan to move…
Br. Jamie, osb
Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
2 -
i mean 40 year old bearings that have never been oiled seems like a very likely culprit.
1 -
The fan blades are behind the metal circle in the pic.
0 -
Pardon my ignorance, but would a replacement motor for this unit (McQuay maybe) still be available?
0 -
How would I get to the fan & motor? How to I get that round circular cover off?
0 -
Put two or three screws into the cover near the center, grab them with vice-grips or something, then give 'em a yank to put a little offset in the metal. Then take the screws out.
1 -
Was this the same unit taken out and cleaned last May?
0 -
Yes they were. I had 4 units removed and washed offsite by the HVAC Tech. This particular unit had some debris in the blower motor so it was making noise. The pressure washer got it out, but may have dented the fan cover. Thats a guess - I couldn't visually see a dent. And the HVAC tech did a great job and was super careful.
0 -
great idea. I feel like 1/8" might do the trick.
0 -
not from whoever the manufacturer is but there is likely a replacement motor that will fit. A motor shop could change the bearings too but that would probably cost what the motor cost.
Look for up down play, my bet is that the shaft is tilted either down or up (depending on if the condenser fan is on the same motor or if it has a separate motor).
0 -
they removed them
they cleaned them
They reinstalled themget a hold of them and make them aware of the noise they have to deal with it
0 -
this is covered in "broken mount" but the motor may be mounted on resilient bushings that have rotted away and allowed the motor to move. especially if it was bouncing around in a truck.
0
Categories
- All Categories
- 87K THE MAIN WALL
- 3.2K A-C, Heat Pumps & Refrigeration
- 57 Biomass
- 425 Carbon Monoxide Awareness
- 116 Chimneys & Flues
- 2.1K Domestic Hot Water
- 5.7K Gas Heating
- 107 Geothermal
- 160 Indoor-Air Quality
- 3.6K Oil Heating
- 70 Pipe Deterioration
- 983 Plumbing
- 6.3K Radiant Heating
- 389 Solar
- 15.4K Strictly Steam
- 3.4K Thermostats and Controls
- 54 Water Quality
- 44 Industry Classes
- 48 Job Opportunities
- 18 Recall Announcements