Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine September 2024

HVACR NewsMagazine September 2024

Tech News

4. Check for abnormal sounds and side-to side bearing play. Because these motors have permanent magnets on the rotor, they won't spin freely like a normal motor, and you will get an “indexing” feel on the shaft as you turn it. 5. Look for signs of overheating, burned spots, etc. 6. Remove the module from the motor and disconnect the plug that connects the motor to the module.

Diagnosing ECM & X13 Motors

Bryan Orr, HVAC School June 18, 2024

First, let's give proper credit. Most of the best practices and tools for diagnosing ECM and X13 motors come from Regal/Genteq and their site, the dtb dealer toolbox and their app, The Dealer Toolbelt (available on the App Store and Google Play). Your best bet is to follow the practices shown there and use their TECInspect diagnostic tool shown below.

Here is the general process to follow when checking an ECM and X13 motor that isn't running. Most of them are very common practices you would follow with any motor: 1. Check for proper line voltage and 24v calls to the proper terminals in the equipment. 2. Check for proper control signal entering the motor from the 24v field wiring or boards. The fan speed selections and programming will vary by manufacturer, but the intent is to see if there is a proper control input signal. That can be a bit challenging and is the primary purpose of the TECInspect tool. 3. Disconnect power and remove the blower housing.