Garn Blower Motor

[hedge wood]

So whats everyone using for a replacement blower motor on the Garn. Mine is starting to fail again. My Garn is 10 years old and five years ago mine went out and I replaced it with the same Dayton motor. Looks like the one Garn is selling has no name on it in the picture and is twice the price as the Dayton motor I have found.

 

[TCaldwell]

It’s more money but quieter, you might be able to source elsewhere but I don’t know about the cost.
These motors on the business end have a insulated bearing seal and are good to a specific heat class.
I’d take it to a motor shop, possibly it could be rebuilt reasonably or for a spare.

 

[hedge wood]

So you are thinking the current motor that the factory is selling now is better than the Dayton motor they were using 10 years ago when my Garn was built. When you read the heat specs the one they are selling is rated higher than the Dayton motor is. Just like every thing just trying to figure out is twice the price is worth it and will there's last twice as long. I burn 15-20 cord a year so the fan gets a fair amount of hours on it.

 

[Grigg]

I believe the current motor for the 2000 is a US Motors ASB634 or similar.
Might not hurt to call Garn to see if they recommend a larger/better/different motor for your particular situation, given that you haven't had good service with the original and it's exact replacement.

 

[TCaldwell]

I don’t know if it’s better, but it’s quieter. Honestly 5 years isn’t along time however It would boil down to run hrs.
Another thing would be to find out why your motor failed, if it was heat, Is the refractory gasket intact?

 

[hedge wood]

I run 15-20 cord a year threw the Garn. I guess I should put a hour meter on the fan motor. So when your talking refractory gasket are you talking the motor mounting gasket or another one? So how many hours are you guys getting on your motors? Is there one person at Garn you guys ask for when your having issues?

 

[eauzonedan]

Keith Kelly always picked up on the parts line I never stumped him. A real Garn rock star!

 

[TCaldwell]

Back to the Garn.
They have a technical service bulletin dated Feb 20 2019 that came inserted in the paper manual with my unit. Bulletin not yet on the website but that's the link if it is.
They are now suggesting you can use the bottom of the tank for hot water supply and return to the upper fitting, this is opposite of how they originally intended you to plumb them.
Sounds like the newer models now have a 2" female pipe fitting for both ports and they supply a piece of 1.5" pipe a few feet long that can be inserted and screwed in to either port you choose to be the hot water return.

They say a number of owners have tried reverse flow in the past. I think they must have used the 1.5" pipe (welded in) as the suction, they now/still want you to have 2" suction wherever it is.
Benefits of the reversed flow are increased useable thermal storage and reduce or eliminate pump suction boiling.

They don't list any downside to using the lower tank fitting as the hot water supply so long as it is 2".

Any thoughts on, or experience with, this?

I run 15-20 cord a year threw the Garn. I guess I should put a hour meter on the fan motor. So when your talking refractory gasket are you talking the motor mounting gasket or another one? So how many hours are you guys getting on your motors? Is there one person at Garn you guys ask for when your having issues?

Sorry, referring to the motor mount gasket, if the center of that erodes too much there isn’t much thermal protection for the onboard bearing.

 

[hedge wood]

Sorry, referring to the motor mount gasket, if the center of that erodes too much there isn’t much thermal protection for the onboard bearing.

Last time the motor went out the motor mount gasket was still in good shape. I suspect it is fine this time to. Grigg thanks for the heads up on the US motors found them on line and it sure looks like the motor Garn is currently using. I ordered one the other day from a motor company in St Louis Mo for about half what Garn wants. We will see if the Us motors last better that the Dayton have. Two motors in 10 years is not what I call normal service. I may a hour meter on it.

 

[hedge wood]

Just a quick up date I ordered the Us motors ASB634 motor and it come and shaft and mounting was right the the direction of the motor couldn't be changed. Called wholesaler and he said that motor is built now so the direction can't be changed. Ended up ordering a Baldor motor VL3506 he said that motor should stand up well to heat and run time. We will see. I put a jump start capacitor on the old Dayton motor and that is helping to get it up and running when I start the burn cycle. New motor should be here this week.

 

[hedge wood]

Baldor motor showed up Thursday evening and I installed it Friday. The Baldor is a much heavier and better built motor that the Dayton was and is a lot quieter than the Dayton ever was even when it was new. Now we will see how the Baldor motor holds up.