How dirty is your outdoor coil? Tranes are generally easy on fan motors... unless proper maintenance is not being done.
AOP is Ask Our Pro's. This is still not DIY, as we will not walk you though the process of replacing any part of you system and or functional parts of the system.
I will gladly give you my 'professional' insight. If your system parts warranty was out two years ago, the aftermarket replacement motor would still have been the decision. Motor horsepower is nothing but a manufacturers numbers game. What's important is amp draw, do not use one in that's numerically lower than the original (the amp draw of OEM can be found on the data sticker with the model and serial numbers) and the rpm. A new capacitor is always recommended with a new motor.
The slightly more powerful fan motor is not a big issue. I've had OEM replacement motors that were upsized from the original.
It should have been matched with the correct run capacitor for the motor.
A new good quality capacitor is normally installed along with the new motor.
It will typically save the contractor from the potential of coming back in several weeks when the old one fails.
A failing run capacitor can cause the motor to overheat and shut off on internal overload. The overload has a finite amount of failure cycles. Eventually it will fail and never reset.
BTW, the same is true for the compressor.
I remember one customer, lets call him Greg.
He had replaced his condenser fan motor, miswired it at the contactor and smoked the motor, contactor and furnace control board.
Still no joy after replacing his motor and capacitor with another he had purchased, the contactor and furnace controller I supplied.
His second replacement motor overheated an hour after I left. It was a motor that was nominally the same hp but used less amperage.
I came back the next day and installed a third motor he supplied, his system ran fine afterwards.
Total cost of repairs and parts for him. 2.5x my normal price of motor and run capacitor including labor.
He paid a stiff tuition. I felt sorry for the guy.
That being said the generic motors work just fine. A slightly more powerful motor will work just fine as long as it is properly installed, some of the generic motors will work in a range of applications of between 1/6 and 3/4 hp. Many supply houses don't give a warranty on electrical parts because it's easy to mess them up. Many companies will warranty their parts and labor for between 90 days to 1 year.
Last edited by allan38; 10-07-2011 at 08:32 PM.
“I am for doing good to the poor, but...I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. I observed...that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer.”
― Benjamin Franklin
Sorry for obviously ticking off at least one of you. Certainly wasnt my intent. Since I am brand new here and out of work for almost 2 years, I was merely looking for some assistance. Thanks to those of you who helped. For those you that are offended, (the one of you that I see) your demeanor speaks for itself. You must be the repairman of choice with such an attitude.
............. and?????????
catch a man a fish , feed him for a day.
teach a man to fish , ruin a good business opportunity.
One more thing. AO Smith is not "generic." It is both an OEM motor for some manufacturers, and an "aftermarket" motor for many, many applications.
"Generic" is not a good term for aftermarket motors. They are often just as good an an OE motor.
That said, many manufacturers spec out a motor that is built and supplied ONLY to them. So, if you want the right motor for the application, you have to go to the manufacturer for that motor. Carrier uses a blower motor in their rooftop units that has a longer shaft than a standard NEMA motor, and if you want the correct fit without modifying the mounting, then, yes, you go to Carrier.
I would call a company than handles Trane and get the correct motor, and a fan too, because I don't know if you are still using the correct fan.
That's the best advice I can give you.
[Avatar photo from a Florida training accident. Everyone walked away.] 2 Tim 3:16-17
Been my experience that it's always best to go back with a factory motor when dealing with Trane condensers, package units also. Hard to say why your ao smith failed but you would be better off.
I'm not tolerating Political Correctness anymore, from now on it's tell it like it is.
Thanks guys - I really appreciate the help. Too bad there's always one who blemishes such a high caliber group.
He was just trying to follow the DIY rules; don't hold it against him...
Capacitors can hold a real voltage shock; I never like to see a novice messing around with electrical circuits... you may be okay doing it, however, from here we don't know that...
We want to be helpful... I usually tend to overdo it.
it would be easy to say that if the system was working good for 2 yrs on the generic motor--it will work the same with a replaced motor--motors are easy and you try to replace with the standard --but sometimes this is impossible--so u improvise--is the capacitor compatible--well it worked fine before motor broke down--so it will work good with replaced motor--capacitors are a standard--they usually are a 370 or 440---use one to big and motor will bind down--so what i'm saying just replace the motor by manufacuters specs and if you like u can switch capacitors has preventitive maint.and your done thats all folks
my thinking is a 1/4 hp motor is a 1/4 hp motor regardless of brand or size...........
unless you have a study of facts and a certified evaluation of the tests ..........
otherwise im baffled that you would assume an emmerson 1/4 hp motor is
more /less powerful than a 1/4 hp motor of another brand !
It seems odd to me one 1/4hp can pull more amps than another. But since amps is a good indicator of the amount of work being done, that is what i go by. So if i have to step up my hp to match a factory OEM then i will. That is just one of my observations through my time.
example.. dead head a fan, the amps drop because no air is being moved.
Put too big of a fan and the motor over amps because its trying to move too much air.
Wow, this thread went down in a hurry. Your replacement A.O. Smith should have worked fine, horsepower notwithstanding. Match the amperage, NEMA frame size, shaft length, rotation, air over and continuous duty cycle designation and the freakin capacitor. And like Jeremy said AN AXIAL FAN BLADE HAS TO BE PROPERLY POSITIONED IN THE SHROUD. Period!
Always but always replace the freakin capacitor when changing a motor.
The picture in my avatar is of the Houston Ship Channel and was taken from my backyard. I like to sit outside and slap mosquitos while watching countless supertankers, barges and cargo ships of every shape and size carry all sorts of deadly toxins to and fro. It's really beautiful at times.....just don't eat the three eyed fish....
do you have some numbers to match that info.? a link or study would be fine...
my thinking is a 1/4 hp motor is a 1/4 hp motor regardless of brand or size...........
unless you have a study of facts and a certified evaluation of the tests ..........
otherwise im baffled that you would assume an emmerson 1/4 hp motor is
more /less powerful than a 1/4 hp motor of another brand !
Not true, have ran in to more than a few cases where OEM motors had to be replaced with a "heavier" AOsmith or like motor. Manufactures do play with HP ratings. However, since you have the specs off of the old OEM motoe, use them to let a parts house or sevice company match up the data to get you the right motor. In some cases the original fan capacitor may be correct. I never replave a motor without a new capacitor, but thats just me. If the caps. you have now are leaking, then they need to be replaced. new caps may be all you need to get your unit back up and running with the AOsmith motor you have now.
Bad information is worse than no information at all.
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Originally Posted by jmgregware
and????????? 
ur motor
