blower wheels

[tinman97030]

I am new in service, mostly commercial, RTUs. I have found a good brush for cleaning many different things. I use a wall paper smoothing brush, the bristles are soft enough I can even brush coils with out damaging the fins. I also brush off the interior walls where dirt collects, such as RA plenum, SA plenum, compressors, burners and more. The brush is almost a foot wide and lasts me for a month or so. They cost around 2.50 at ACE Hardware.

[zarathos]

I use the same approach as sparky05, I use a black nylon tube or bottle brush, mark the squirrel cage tine with a Sharpie, and start cleaning until I come back around to the mark, being careful not to dislodge the balancing weights. Take a small portable 1 gallon vac and clean out the loose debris and then give the wheel a good spin to remove remaining loose debris before reinstalling blowers. Works really well, and doesn't take that long to do.

[ar_hvac_man]

Many of my calls are in BFE with no water spigot. When I have water thats what I use when I dont I use my refrigerator condenser brush. Works well but not as good as plain old water.

[koolkahuna]

On large commercial contracts of multiple identical units (or same model residentials such as cono's or townhouses with furnaces), I have a spare blower wheel for each particular unit ready to switch out. Then in the comfort of my shop, I (or better yet an apprentice) clean the wheel in the following manner:
1) Blow off assembly with nitro/CO2.
2) Clean thoroughly with chemical/ water with denture type toothbrush. Fits like it was made for it.
As jpsmith1cms says, go easy so you don't knock off the balancing weights close to the outer edges of the wheel.
3) When and only if PERFECTLY CLEAN, spray blower wheel and housing, NOT motor, with dry teflon spray.

Then on the next maintenance the small amount of dust film can easily be blown off with nitro or hp air/co2..
Works best on new oilfree blowers but if you clean old one properly, saves you a ton of work plus you have an emergency spare on hand.
If you spend an hour cleaning one and you charge $x/hr, a new one may pay for itself in a couple visits...depends on who is benefitting from this-your bottom line or customer or both.

[koolkahuna]

Denture brush pics

http://images.google.com/m/search?si...=denture+brush

[koolkahuna]

As a footnote I came up with this idea from a friend who used to work on photocopiers. He would spray the glass for the document scanner with silicone spray and polish it so the paper would slide smoothly across without causing a paper jam.
When I managed an apartment building I would polish the hard to reach windows with car wax and this would keep them virtually dustfree. A quick swipe with a towel over the end of a long broom would have them perfect in under a minute. Anyways, I tried a few other things before finding dry teflon spray as the best. It goes on wet and dries without affecting the balance or causing other problems. I do however let it dry completely before putting it back into service. No odor complaints or dirt sticking to it etc.

[sparky05]

I use the same approach as sparky05, I use a black nylon tube or bottle brush, mark the squirrel cage tine with a Sharpie, and start cleaning until I come back around to the mark, being careful not to dislodge the balancing weights. Take a small portable 1 gallon vac and clean out the loose debris and then give the wheel a good spin to remove remaining loose debris before reinstalling blowers. Works really well, and doesn't take that long to do.

Where do you get your brushes, mine last for aprox. 20 cleanings and then they need to be replaced and they are not cheep.

[akelesis]

i use the same brush i use for cleaning the burners and or boilers with. they work great. and sometimes if i feel like a good person and i have time i add detergent to the mix. and run warm water in with it over a sink or a bath tub. usually my pms r during the winter so i dont have a choice of going outside with the hose.

heres a link to a similar brush i use
www.schaeferbrush.com/FlueProducts.html

[jimmyed]

I use coil cleaner and let it soak for a good while. stiff brush and hose them off. If its too bad just sell them another one.

[zarathos]

Where do you get your brushes, mine last for aprox. 20 cleanings and then they need to be replaced and they are not cheep.

I usually go to St. Louis Boiler Supply, they have the brushes for cleaning boiler sight glasses, and sometimes if I'm feeling thrifty, I've gone to Harbor Freight and bought a multi-pack of brushes. http://www.harborfreight.com/9-piece...set-90631.html

[akelesis]

ya thats the types of brushes i use. usually they are soft and have big brissels. works great. running it under warm water really helps.

i just hate it when i am at a customers house and i clean the blower but the a coil is also plugged. the customers usually refuses me to clean it so i tend to tag the customer for 45 days...... thats what they get for not changing the filters (excess temp limit) causing it to work off the high limit! and of course the kicker for it check the amps on the blower motor and of course its over amping! note your work Some customers just dont care.