Replies

1. 
   Sphere | Jul 10, 2007 03:43am | #1

   1/6 hp oughtta be pretty cheap. You'd think.

   try Graingers.

    

1. 
   mrfixitusa | Jul 10, 2007 04:30am | #2

   Thanks for the info about Graingers.I went to their website and called them and they have a store right here where I'm at.I have never heard of them.I'll go there tomorrow.Thanks again !^^^^^^

    

   a Smith & Wesson beats four Aces

2. 
   DanH | Jul 10, 2007 04:51am | #3

   I assume this is a single-speed, belt-driven job?

   Pretty much any motor that physically fits will do the job. The trick may be finding one that small, depending on where you live.

   Pull the motor and take it to some place that sells them. Northern Hydraulics and Farm and Home sell them here. Match up the motor in terms of physical size (not much larger, at least), shaft diameter and approx length, and mounting arrangement (after making note of how much play there is in your mounting hardware). Get the same HP or larger, keeping in mind that larger HP will cost more and consume more electricity but not give you any more performance. If there's a choice between "fan duty" and non "fan duty" motors, take the "fan duty" unit -- usually it's cheaper anyway.

   Don't worry about amp rating and RPM -- those values follow from the basic parameters, and a minor variation is of no consequence.

   If you can't find a big box place that sells motors, you'll have to go to your local motor shop or HVAC distributor and pay about 50% more. (But you'll likely get a closer match.)

   I'm guessing around $50, depending on where you find it.

   If the fan is direct drive (unlikely on a 60s unit) or multi-speed (similarly unlikely) then you're probably going to have to go straight to the motor shop, and you'll be looking at about double the cost.

   So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
1. 
   mrfixitusa | Jul 10, 2007 05:02am | #4

   Dan,Thanks for all your info.Interestingly, the motor is direct drive and only has two wires going to it.The wires plugs in to the motor.I just talked to a friend and he said I'll probably end up buying a 1/4 HP motor tomorrow as they are more common.I could kick myself when I pulled the blower out of the furnace and saw how dirty it was.I should have cleaned it four years ago when I bought this house.The squirrel cage fan blades were very dirty and the motor had thick coating of dirt, cat hair, etc.I took the sheetmetal blower and squirrel cage fan to a car wash and used the power washer to blast it clean.If I buy a motor tomorrow and it is variable speed, should I wire it up so that it runs on the fastest speed?Thanks again.-^^^^^^

    

   a Smith & Wesson beats four Aces

1. 
   rich1 | Jul 10, 2007 07:05am | #6

   Like was said, match the speed.

   You could kill the furnace if you don't.

   If there is a fan/limit control with a dial that shows temperature, it should probably be about 150f with the fan and the burners on.  

   If it has been at least four years, it wouldn't hurt to have a tech look at it.

   Edited 7/10/2007 12:06 am ET by rich1

1. 
   DanH | Jul 10, 2007 01:46pm | #7

   Yeah, I did zoom by the speed, assuming it was a belt-drive model and standard speed. +/- 10% or so is no big deal, but you obviously don't want 2x.
   So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin

2. 
   DanH | Jul 10, 2007 01:48pm | #8

   (And, I think it goes without saying that this whole unit ought to be tossed, and replaced with something modern. A 1960s furnace is getting efficiencies in the 65% range. A third of the heating money is going up the chimney.)
   So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin

3. 
   mrfixitusa | Jul 10, 2007 02:43pm | #10

   Thanks Rich and everyone else.I will get the furnace running and then have a my buddy who is aservice tech check it out.I wanted to let everyone know something I found out recently about home warranties.I took a class to renew my real estate license two weeks ago called "Home Warranties".I plan to sell this house in the next few months and I will provide a home warranty for the Buyer.They told us in the class that the home warranty company will warranty an old furnace "if it is in good working order".They told us in the class that the home warranty will not pay for a repair if damage is caused by dirt and the malfunction is the result of lack of proper service and maintenance.I'm guessing my motor replacement would not have been covered by a home warranty company because of how dirty the motor and blower housing.You need to be able to show the home warranty company that you have had regular maintenance performed in order to have the furnace covered by the warranty.You would need tobe able to show them maintenance records.Anyway, Thanks again to everyone for their advice.^^^^^^

    

   a Smith & Wesson beats four Aces

1. 
   peteshlagor | Jul 10, 2007 03:50pm | #11

   And a home warranty will give you $350 for a broken heat exchanger.

   The damn things are only sales tools.  The company(s) behind them are out to screw the claimant however they can.

   Not that you asked my opinion or anything...

    

2. 
   mrfixitusa | Jul 10, 2007 05:01pm | #12

   That's funny.....any yes you're right. A lot of the class was spent explaining what things aren't covered and why.For example, a home warranty will not pay for something which results from "rust".So if the heat exchanger is defective due to rust, they will not pay for it.Something else they told us is anyone anywhere can purchase a home warranty for a home.It doesn't have to be when a home sells.I thought that was interesting.Anyway, I think heating and A/C techs need to be promoting their services and telling people that their home warranty won't be honored if the furnace has not been serviced properly.^^^^^^

    

   a Smith & Wesson beats four Aces

3. 
   mrfixitusa | Jul 10, 2007 05:05pm | #13

   I purchased a new electric motor this morning for $116Seems pretty high to me.I'm getting sick and tired of paying high prices for everything.I'm getting mad as hell and am not going to take it much longer.^^^^^^

    

   a Smith & Wesson beats four Aces

4. 
   DanH | Jul 10, 2007 06:01pm | #14

   Based on it being a direct-drive motor, that price was in the right ballpark. You probably could have saved $20 or so if you shopped around, but would your time have been worth the $20?

   So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin

2. 
   BillHartmann | Jul 10, 2007 06:21pm | #15

   "1050 RPM - 4 Speed""Interestingly, the motor is direct drive and only has two wires going to it.The wires plugs in to the motor."Motors of that type have a terminal block (probably Fastons) and the wires are connected according to what speed is needed.If it is heating only then there only one speed is used and NOT the hightest speed.If there is AC then typically a 3rd lead is run for higher speed on AC..
   .
   A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

2. 
   BillHartmann | Jul 10, 2007 06:25pm | #16

   "Get the same HP or larger, keeping in mind that larger HP will cost more and consume more electricity but not give you any more performance."Except for minor difference in efficiencies you won't use any more power with a large HP motor.The HP motor is the max HP that the motor can deliver and still meet the specs (such as speed and temp rise).The actual power that is being delivered depends on the load. IE the fan and speed. Those are not being changed..
   .
   A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

1. 
   DanH | Jul 10, 2007 06:30pm | #17

   That's what I thought until I looked at the actual numbers. Electric motors in general are quite efficient under varying load, but the rule doesn't hold for fractional-horse induction units.
   So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin

2. 
   mrfixitusa | Jul 10, 2007 06:32pm | #18

   The new motor has four wires:WhiteBlackRedBlueThe white is the neutral? The wiring to the motor looks like an appliance wire. Both wires are together and both are black.You connect the black wire from the motor to run it at high speed and I think that's what I'll do for now and have a heating and A/C tech come look at this in a few days to see if I've done things properly.Do you see any problem with me hooking up the motor today to run it at high speed?I apprecate Dan H or anyone elses input also.Thanks again everyone.^^^^^^

    

   a Smith & Wesson beats four Aces

3. 
   mrfixitusa | Jul 10, 2007 06:38pm | #19

   I'm looking at the wire and the connector which plugged into the old motor.The end of the wiring going into the motor is a Westinghouse plastic plug in type of device.It has five female terminals similar to looking at the "five" side of a dice.The motor has five male ends and speed is adjusted manually according to how the wire gets plugged into the motor.You change speeds by turning the plug 90 degrees and plugging it in a different way.Seems kind of odd to me.I just wish I had noticed how it was plugged in when I took it apart.Oh well.^^^^^^

    

   a Smith & Wesson beats four Aces

4. 
   mrfixitusa | Jul 10, 2007 06:40pm | #20

   In looking at it again I can tell it was set up to run at medium speed.I'll run it at medium speed and see how things go.Thanks again.^^^^^^

    

   a Smith & Wesson beats four Aces

3. 
   WayneL5 | Jul 10, 2007 05:20am | #5

   Try to match the old speed fairly closely.  If you go much slower you risk not pulling the heat away from the heat exchanger fast enough and it can overheat.  If you draw too much air the air will be cooler and won't feel as comfortable, it will feel more like a draft, and you'll increase the noise of the air in the duct.  You don't need a multispeed motor, just match the one speed it was set on.

   Look on the motor nameplate for the frame size.  All motors with the same frame size have similar dimensions and nearly always can physically fit without any fussing.  Take all the nameplate data to the store, or better yet, the whole motor.

   Motors can be rewound, but for one that small it will be cheaper to buy a new motor.

1. 
   mrfixitusa | Jul 10, 2007 02:27pm | #9

   Thanks for the information about fan speed. I'll take the motor in and see what they recommend.Thanks again !^^^^^^

    

   a Smith & Wesson beats four Aces