Enviro blower motor?

[tomasulo]

hello. I have an Enviro EF3-Bi pellet stove. Tonight while running, the stove stated making a buzzing/humming sound. When I came to the living room, I realized it was the fan. The fan was blowing no air. The fan speed knob was not on full tonhigj, but When I adjusted the knob to the highest setting, the fan started blowing air again. When I turned it to a lower position, the fan went off again and started humming but no air. I put the 2-3 drops of 3:1 oil in the motor a month ago, when prepping the stove for the season. The stove is about 8 years old. Does this sound like a full fan motor that needs replacement or something else? Any help would be appreciated. If it's something I can order and do myself, i would rather that than a hefty bill from the stove centre. Thanks for your help!

 

[Keifer2669]

Not sure about your stove. But my enviro empress last year the convection blower(looks like a squirrel cage) wouldn't turn on low speed. Only when it was turned up, from what I figured out it was because the bushing on one side was dry and wouldn't spin freely, so low speeds wasn't enough voltage to turn blower but higher speeds had enough voltage to get spinning. There are not oil ports on it so I took rubber bushing off and greased it. With all that said, you say you put some oil in so not sure if same type fan. But maybe same type prob. How freely do the blades spin by hand?

 

[Lake Girl]

If you go to the Eviro website, you can download technical manuals that can help you troubleshoot. My guess potentiometer on the knobs as it still runs on high. Manual C-11145 was the ef3 annual I downloaded. There is a pellet service manual that covers most issues for most models.
C-12145 under miscellaneous.

 

[Lake Girl]

Keifer, you may have a point but I know some of the Enviro blowers can be oiled. When my fan bearings went last year, you could hear the difference.

 

[tomasulo]

Thanks folks! I opened up the side cover last night to inspect the convection blower motor. As "Keifer2669" suggests, I try the fan speed on high (full), and it works fine, as soon as I turn the fan speed knob down a bit, I can see the impeller pretty much stop and make a vibration/grinding noise. As he suggested, I feel that on lower than full blast settings, there is not enough voltage to spin the impeller. There are two oil spots that I put in 2-3 drops of 3:1 oil last night, but that changed nothing. Would you guys think that the full convection blower needs replacement? I don't think just buying the convection impeller would change anything? The brushes are likely seizing up in the motor? Any more suggestions would be appreciated, so I know what to order. Thanks

 

[tomasulo]

Further to the questions I just asked in the last reply....I did turn off the fan last night to see how freely the impeller blades moved. I had no problem spinning them.

 

[Lake Girl]

Potentiometer on the board that controls the fan does "wear" out. They can be replaced by computer shops or send the board to a pellet board repair service. Search top right. Some members have replaced their own but you have to have a steady hand for soldering. You could put in a new board and still send the old for repair so you have a back up.

If the fan bearings were shot, you would be able to hear the difference when spinning ... at least that was our experience.

See www.pelletblowers.com Many Harman have had the pots wear out...

 

[tomasulo]

Thanks! I looked online and see where you can order a fan contoller, just a small box with two wires and knob. If I replaced this, would that make a difference? You speak of a "potentiometer", if this wears out, what causes that to make the fan motor not run properly? Is the fan controller not allowing enough voltage thru to run it on lower speeds? Just trying to get my head around it..lol thanks.

 

[Lake Girl]

Try Wikipedia for the explanation of how they work ... adjusts the electrical signal. Hopefully others can get into the technical as I try to avoid all things electrical if possible Just have seen enough threads where pots have worn out...

Fan controller sounds like what you need...

Search for EF 3 room blower only runs on high posted by member Don2222 ...