QA

Quick Answer: What Would Cause The Blower Motor To Draw High Amperage

It is moving too much air, a bearing is running tight, a capacitor is failed or it is the wrong motor in the appliance. The labelled hp is not the only thing needed to be considered when replacing a motor, the current draw must be also considered.

What causes a blower motor to over amp?

Blower motor breakdown can be the result of anything from old age to failed bearings, high amp draw, electrical failure in the windings, dirt accumulation, and more. Otherwise, normal old-age issues, such as bearing failure, cause seizing, which leads to massive electrical failure.

How many amps should a blower motor draw?

Up to 20 Amps or more. Amperage is how much power a device is consuming. The Amps will be labeled on the motor’s name tag.

What will occur if a the capacitor on this blower motor is faulty?

When the capacitor malfunctions or fails, the blower motor cannot start. The faulty capacitor stalls the process of moving heated air through your system. Without a functional capacitor, the blower cannot get the initial jolt it needs to spin.

What happens when a motor over amps?

Motor current will increase in direct proportion to load conditions up to its rated FLA (full-load amps). overload conditions result in increased slip (slowing down) and ultimately stalling.

How do you tell if a blower motor is bad on a furnace?

What Are Signs Your Blower Motor Needs to Be Replaced? Poor or Airflow from Air Vents. This will be the first and most obvious sign your blower motor has a problem. No Airflow At All From Vents. Skyrocketing Energy Bills. Strange Noises When You Turn on the Heat. Overheating Blower / Weird Smells.

What does high amp draw mean?

If it is drawing more than it is rated for its running rating it is working harder than it is rated for. It is moving too much air, a bearing is running tight, a capacitor is failed or it is the wrong motor in the appliance.

How can I tell if capacitor is bad?

Here are some common symptoms of a bad AC capacitor. AC Not Blowing Cold Air. An air conditioner that doesn’t blow cold air is one of the first signs of a problem many homeowners notice. High and Rising Energy Bills. Humming Noise. Old HVAC System. AC Turns Off On Its Own. AC Doesn’t Turn On Immediately. AC Won’t Turn On.

How do I know if my furnace blower capacitor is bad?

Signs & Symptoms of a Bad Capacitor on a Gas Furnace Blower Humming Sounds. The humming sounds created by the blower are indications that the capacitor has electrical problems. No Power. A bad capacitor prevents the blower from functioning completely. Erratic Motor Operation.

How much does a run capacitor cost?

The cost for a run capacitor generally ranges between $8 and $30. This capacitor helps provide power to keep the AC running for longer periods of time.

What causes a motor to draw too many amps?

What Causes a Motor to Draw Higher Amps? Motors require a certain output in watts in order to function, and this is the result of a voltage multiplied by amps. So when voltage falls, resistance scales up in order to supply the difference, and the motor will also draw more current.

What determines current draw?

Divide the watts of a given electrical item by the total number of volts available from the electric outlet to calculate amperage draw. The amount of current flowing through the wire is measured in amperes, or amps. The equivalent of available electricity at the power source is voltage, or volts.

What does amp draw mean?

Amp draw is a measurement of the power being consumed by a blower motor to move the air through your HVAC system. This is found in the nameplate of the motor and is called “full load amps,” designated by the initials FLA. When a motor operates at 100% of its FLA, it’s operating at 100% of its capacity.

What happens if AMP is too high?

As long as the correct voltage is used, a device will draw only the amperage it needs, meaning there will not be “too many amps”. If an incorrect voltage is used — say a higher voltage than the device is rated to accept — then yes, too many amps may be drawn and the device can be damaged.

What causes amps to increase?

Because voltage equals the amperage multiplied by the resistance in a circuit, if the voltage remains constant and the resistance is dropped, the amperage across the circuit must increase. If the circuit’s resistance remains unchanged, the amperage in a circuit can be increased by increasing the voltage.

What happens if you draw too many amps?

What will happen to a voltage source if we draws too much current from it? Usually, the voltage will drop and be less because of the overload. You may burn out the source altogether. Well, an ideal voltage source would just source as much current as needed, all the way out to infinity.

How do I know if my blower motor relay is bad?

If you have a faulty blower motor, you may experience low airflow from the vents, even when the fan is on high. There will be no air coming from the vents if your fan isn’t working due to a bad blower motor resistor. Blown relay circuit fuses or melted relays are more serious signs of a bad blower motor relay.

Do all furnace blower motors have a capacitor?

Capacitors are used in many but not all electric motors including air conditioners, heat pumps, furnace or air conditioner blower fan motors, refrigeration equipment compressors, and well pumps.