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HVAC blower noisy only when AC is on?
We just closed on a house and our home inspector couldn't test the AC units during the inspection due to being too cold at 35F (house has two HVAC units) .
After getting the keys, we start moving in and the temp outside starts going up, so we start using the AC in both the upstairs and downstairs HVAC units. Upstairs unit is a Train installed in 2017 and appears to be running like a top. Downstairs unit is Carrier unit (58MCB080), original to the house from 2007 and has a pretty horribly annoying noise when the AC kicks on (but runs quiet in fan only mode). Both units seem to cool the house with no issues at all... other than the Carrier making the noise.
I took the cover off the blower unit at the air return and the bearings in the blower motor appear to be fine as the squirrel cage moves like butter (takes about 30 seconds to stop moving after turning off unit power). Squirrel cage doesn't seem to move side to side, not seem rusty/worn.
There are no weird noises in fan only mode until the AC kicks on. My conventional wisdom says that the motor would be noisy in both fan/AC modes and the cage would drag a bit if the bearings are going bad. Is that not typically the case with HVAC blowers?
To be 100% clear, the noise is inside the house and not outside at the compressor/condenser unit. The noise is coming directly from the blower motor at the bottom of the unit only when the AC kicks on.
I took a video of the noise, but can't post it yet due to being new here.
Does that sound like a dying blower motor?
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Doesn’t sound like a failing motor. What kind of noise is it?
Unfortunately that unit is covered in a class action lawsuit for faulty heat exchangers.
http://www.hipspro.com/pubs/Furnace-...led_notice.pdf
“I haven’t failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” - Thomas Edison
“It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.” - Vince Lombardi
"In this house we obey the laws of thermodynamics" - Homer Simpson
Local 486 Instructor & Service Technician
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Fan only mode sounds what I was consider absolutely normal, a very small hum from the motors and no noticeable noise from the vents. When the AC kicks on, I'd say it sounds like the drone of a gas engine.... not exactly what I consider metallic or even high pitched.
youtu.be/vuGPbvGVTGI
just put https in front of that URL to view the clip.
and THANKS for the heads up on the Class action lawsuit!
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Somewhat normal sound. Get the blower assembly checked for dirt buildup.
DO NOT use those Filtrete filters. Get cheap fiberglass filters or basic pleated. The furnace isn’t there to filter the air in the home.
ABSOLUTELY get the furnace checked before the heating season. They can be a danger to your health with the amount of carbon monoxide they put out when they fail.
“I haven’t failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” - Thomas Edison
“It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.” - Vince Lombardi
"In this house we obey the laws of thermodynamics" - Homer Simpson
Local 486 Instructor & Service Technician
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Post Likes - 2 Likes, 0 Dislikes
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Man, I'd hate to think that noise is "normal"... It's not obvious from the video, but it's probably 2-3 as loud as any other HVAC units I've ever had any of my homes.
I'm definitely going to get both units serviced, as I think the 2017 Train unit has a transferrable warranty.
Thanks rider77
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Originally Posted by
joeadkins
Man, I'd hate to think that noise is "normal"...
It's not obvious from the video, but it's probably 2-3 as loud as any other HVAC units I've ever had any of my homes.
I'm definitely going to get both units serviced, as I think the 2017 Train unit has a transferrable warranty.
Thanks rider77
I don't know why anyone would ever think because they bought a Trane, all is good. It is garbage like the rest. Forget about the brands when it comes to HVAC.
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Originally Posted by
Adlerberts-Protege
I don't know why anyone would ever think because they bought a Trane, all is good. It is garbage like the rest. Forget about the brands when it comes to HVAC.
You won't get a disagreement from me! In my current house (selling soon) we have a Payne furnace/AC and my last house in Iowa, we had Goodman. I only mentioned the brand Trane because it has a warranty... which anyone would admit comes with a bit of value (versus no warranty), right?
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Originally Posted by
joeadkins
You won't get a disagreement from me! In my current house (selling soon) we have a Payne furnace/AC and my last house in Iowa, we had Goodman. I only mentioned the brand Trane because it has a warranty... which anyone would admit comes with a bit of value (versus no warranty), right?
The warranty is only as good as the company that honors it. Original installer or not.
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Possibly your running at a different blower speed when running fan ON vs when running with A/C. Can you tell if there is a difference in blower speeds between them?
“Upstairs unit is a Train installed in 2017 and appears to be running like a top”
BTW the Train will have a 5 years compressor and parts and coil warranty instead of 10 years as your not the original registered owner, thinking if you can prove install date, if not then they usually go by built date, so that warranty can easily be finished ( unless you purchased a extended parts warranty from the factory ) So sometime next year that’s it.
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I always thought a warranty meant something. What it really means is that this son of a bytch is going to break.
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Post Likes - 1 Likes, 0 Dislikes
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Originally Posted by
Bazooka Joe
Possibly your running at a different blower speed when running fan ON vs when running with A/C. Can you tell if there is a difference in blower speeds between them?
“Upstairs unit is a Train installed in 2017 and appears to be running like a top”
BTW the Train will have a 5 years compressor and parts and coil warranty instead of 10 years as your not the original registered owner, thinking if you can prove install date, if not then they usually go by built date, so that warranty can easily be finished ( unless you purchased a extended parts warranty from the factory ) So sometime next year that’s it.
If the equipment was registered he can call Trane and pay $99 to get the registration transferred over to him and have the full 10 year warranty.
But he only has 60 days from the closing date of the house
Sent from my motorola one 5G UW using Tapatalk
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Originally Posted by
shellkamp
If the equipment was registered he can call Trane and pay $99 to get the registration transferred over to him and have the full 10 year warranty.
But he only has 60 days from the closing date of the house
Sent from my motorola one 5G UW using Tapatalk
Yes I remember reading something about the 60 days limit,..Thankx for mentioning,…
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The Carrier had the same warranty, originally, as the Trane. Your only difference is that these units are 10 years apart, according to your info.
True, carrier does not, as far as I know, allow warranty transfers and in my opinion that is petty of them!!!
As for the noise, and I did not listen to the video, there very well could be a noise only in cooling vs fan only due to a higher RPM/speed.
The Food Stamp Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is proud to be distributing the greatest amount of free meals and stamps EVER.
Meanwhile, the National Park Service, administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, asks us to "Please Do Not Feed the Animals". Their stated reason for this policy "... the animals become dependent on handouts and will not learn to take care of themselves."
from an excerpt by Paul Jacob in Sun City, AZ
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Noise could be from several issues.
As mentioned, filter at cause restrictions that make PSC motors over rev... many ECM equipped systems have fan only speeds far lower than ac fan speeds. Also, when the ac is cooling, the evaporator becomes soaked in moisture, this is an additional friction pressure change, and if the motor is on edge for balance, the higher friction could cause motor noise.
Try operating the unit with the filter removed. This will reduce the negative static pressure, and may alter the sounds.
If it helps, you most likely have inadequate filtration, and or ductwork to support the company set in the air handler.
Call a service company to perform a T.E.S.P. static pressure and ductwork evaluation of the install...
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I ended up lowering the speed of the motor from high to medium high and the "noise" went away. I'm thinking perhaps it was a vibration in the motor mounts and sheet metal somehow. Anyway, lowering the speed of the blower worked like a champ.
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Originally Posted by
joeadkins
I ended up lowering the speed of the motor from high to medium high and the "noise" went away. I'm thinking perhaps it was a vibration in the motor mounts and sheet metal somehow. Anyway, lowering the speed of the blower worked like a champ.
So how’s the static pressure now that you’ve changed it?
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You have a warranty use it!
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Originally Posted by
pecmsg
You have a warranty use it!
Warranty is on the second unit in the house.... Not the one that was making the noise.
As for static pressure, no negative effects. Still cools great and really don't notice much difference at all with airflow from registers.
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Originally Posted by
joeadkins
Warranty is on the second unit in the house.... Not the one that was making the noise.
As for static pressure, no negative effects. Still cools great and really don't notice much difference at all with airflow from registers.
If you believe so fine!