"Fan On" Not working New Trane installation

[jay3171]

Hello, I just had a the following Trane System installed: A/C M#4TTR4030L1 (XR14) / COIL M#4PXCBU30BS3/ FURNACE M# S8X1B060M3 / THERMOSTAT M# TH4210
The system seems to be heating/cooling to my expectation except that when I select the fan to "On" instead of "Auto", it only runs when the AC/Heat is activated and does not stay on. Also if I have heat / Ac in off position and turn Fan to "On" the fan does not come on as far as i can tell. I do not hear the fan come on nor do I feel anything from the registers. I brought this to the installers attention and after checking it out and checking with his service manager he said that the fan was running but at a lower speed and that this was by design (something about moving air over the coil). I am no expert here but that doesn't sound right. For one thing I dont think that my unit has a variable speed fan so i am not sure why it would be running at a lower speed. I thought that only so called high efficiency units had variable speed fans and this unit is not high efficiency (i also had a high efficiency unit in another home and even though the fan did circulate at a lower speed you col still hear and feel that the fan was running). I did the old toilet paper trick on the return vent and the toilet paper didnt stick (it does stick when the fan is clearly running though), so i dont know what good it would be doing if anything running at such a low level (if it is running at all). Like i said I am no expert but it sounds to me like the thermostat is not properly wired. What they are telling me is inconsistent with every system I have had (homeowner since 2000). I included the model numbers above, any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!!!

[pecmsg]

New install call the installing contractor

[rundawg]

Hello, I just had a the following Trane System installed: FURNACE M# S8X1B060M3

I am no expert here but that doesn't sound right. For one thing I dont think that my unit has a variable speed fan so i am not sure why it would be running at a lower speed.

What they are telling me is inconsistent with every system I have had (homeowner since 2000). I included the model numbers above, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Your furnace has a constant torque ECM motor with 9 speeds. It is not a variable speed ECM motor.

The S8X1 series furnaces will only operate the “Continuous Fan” at the lowest speed (speed #1). This lowest fan speed is set by the manufacturer, and is not field adjustable, even by a tech.

Depending on the static pressure your furnace fan motor is operating under, you might not feel any airflow out of the vents when it is operating in “Continuous Fan” mode.

You are not alone with a request to change (increase) the “Continuous Fan” speed on this model. Many have complained.

[jay3171]

Thanks rundawg, your response addresses my concern in a clear concise fashion.
Incidentally i did the TP test again (correctly this time) and the TP does stick to the return vent, so the installer was correct, the fan is running at a really low speed. The installers seemed to be surprised when they checked the supply vent too so i thought i would run it by another pro to confirm. These guys seemed like good guys but sometimes you just need a second opinion to make sure someone is not BS-ing you (whether the BS is intentional or not)! I hope you and yours are well in these uncertain times, my buddy in VA just got out of the hospital after a bout with COVID! Thanks again, I appreciate your time and professionalism!

[Adlerberts-Protege]

Thanks rundawg, your response addresses my concern in a clear concise fashion.
Incidentally i did the TP test again (correctly this time) and the TP does stick to the return vent, so the installer was correct, the fan is running at a really low speed. The installers seemed to be surprised when they checked the supply vent too so i thought i would run it by another pro to confirm. These guys seemed like good guys but sometimes you just need a second opinion to make sure someone is not BS-ing you (whether the BS is intentional or not)! I hope you and yours are well in these uncertain times, my buddy in VA just got out of the hospital after a bout with COVID! Thanks again, I appreciate your time and professionalism!

It all depends what the continuous fan speed is set at. Some of them run so slow that it's hard to tell. Glad it's set up right. Cheers.

[rundawg]

Thanks rundawg, your response addresses my concern in a clear concise fashion.
I hope you and yours are well in these uncertain times, my buddy in VA just got out of the hospital after a bout with COVID! Thanks again, I appreciate your time and professionalism!

Glad to be of assistance.

Hoping everyone at your end is heathy too.

[BaldLoonie]

The lowest speed on some of the S8X1 furnaces is essential no airflow. Others it could be 200 CFM, which you probably won't feel. There is a way for a dealer to get the blower running at cooling speed for fan on if you want it really blowing. To meet the FER energy requirements, Trane did what they had to in order to get electric usage way down.

[jay3171]

It all depends what the continuous fan speed is set at. Some of them run so slow that it's hard to tell. Glad it's set up right. Cheers.

Thank you Adlerberts. So is it possible to change that continuous fan speed w/o voiding the warranty? Can you please describe so that i can pass on to my installer?

[jay3171]

... There is a way for a dealer to get the blower running at cooling speed for fan on if you want it really blowing.

Thanks BaldLoonie (love the name BTW!). Please describe the process for "getting the blower running at cooling speed" and advise whether that would void my warranty. I know that running the fan w/o the AC running is not advisable under certain circumstances, I mainly use to recircluate air in my home for 30 minutes or so in the evening when my sun facing rooms are hot but the room with the thermostat is at the set temperature. Thanks again!

[ksefan]

I believe with the trane 824 thermostat and enough stat wires they can enable the dehumidifcation and fan speed control.

[pacnw]

Thanks BaldLoonie (love the name BTW!). Please describe the process for "getting the blower running at cooling speed" and advise whether that would void my warranty.!

Can't provide that info, it would violate the DIY rules.

Contact the installing contractor and inform them that there IS a way to increase the speed, but if they don't know how they will have to contact Trane for the info.

[jay3171]

Thank you all for the feedback, stay healthy!

[Mr Bill]

They could have used the "fan on" wire for the common to operate your stat, who knows.