how to change fan speed on a trane furnace

With a one-gallon-per-hour burner nozzle that saves me AT-LEAST 30% on fuel oil plus another 20-30 min of blower run time or at least 30-50% run time savings. However, I like the continually run the fan to even out air temperature in the house. When the R-G circuit is made, the blower motor operates on heating speed. Roughly 400 CFM is needed for every 1 ton (12,000 BTU/HR) of Heat Removal Capacity in Air Conditioning Systems. Know your limits. The manual document include instructions and informations on how to troubleshoot the system. Ilook forward to responding to many more! To adjust the dip switches, turn the power off and take a flat head screw driver to lightly push the dip switches to the on/off desired position for each numbered switch. So How Do We Adjust Fan Speed? I have a Trane XV90 propane furnace with a variable speed blower. If the pressure switch is functioning properly . Then, carefully switch it to the setting of your choice and push it back into the control board. Various advertisements for variable speed high efficiency furnaces call them "more energy efficiency" (note also the difference between a variable speed blower and a high efficiency furnace, they're separate, for instance you can have a variable speed blower on a low efficiency furnace). Options are, for example, 4 minutes at 80%, or 30 seconds at 50%. Invention prototypes are another of his many accomplishments. I'm also going to go through and make sure there are no visible leaks or damage to them. 1 to 1.5 hours | Install the new motor, adjust it (multispeed and variable speed blowers only), run and test the furnace Installing a blower wheel with the motor shouldn't affect installation time, since the old wheel typically has to be removed to replace the motor. All rights reserved. The fan speed is controlled on the control board for the furnace. It is a Trane S8X1 single stage furnace and air handler, paired with an XR16 3 ton AC unit. Here are common Trane AC repairs not listed in the guide and their repair cost for parts and labor: Leaking coil and refrigerant: $1,150-$1,750 Thermostatic expansion valve (TXV): $275-$450 Compressor and refrigerant (after ten years, typically): $1,150-$1,600 Failed solder connection on refrigerant lines and refrigerant: $875-$1,220 Allow the filter to completely dry before returning it to the device. If you want to solve the air noise problem, move the return air filters out of their hallway locations back to the upstream side of the return air duct at the furnace. If you have an HVACR relatedquestion, drop it in the comment section of one of theYouTube videos at theAC Service Tech YouTube Channel and I will do my best to respond. Connect Y2 on thermostat to BK on furnace, and Y2 on the Condensing unit Cut R-BK jumper at Furnace Install R - O jumper at Furnace Connect W2 on thermostat to W2 on furnace (or alternatively, jumper W1 to W2 at furnace and confirm that dip switches are set correctly for Stage Delay if furnace is desired to automatically control heating stages) Variable Speed Blower Motor (Genteq ECM 3.0, 4 pin connector). I'd go with logging temperature differential (inside temp - outside temp) vs. energy consumption every day for a month with the blower on high and then for a month with the blower on low. Questions of a Do It Yourself nature should be submitted to our "DoItYourself.com Community Forums". . By pressing "submit", I understand that I am providing express consent for Trane Residential to contact me about this request or similar topics. One thing I found consistently was that making changes on the RS-485 hydro heat control board and W1-W3 jumpering had notable effects (more CFM's at my test register) while messing with the mainboard DIP switches had little to no effect. Sign up for our email newsletter to learn helpful HVAC tips and tricks before your purchase your system. Remember that CFM stands for Cubic Feet Per Minute. These are not switched off but are live all the time. In terms of heat pumps, running the external blower faster may reduce i2r copper losses and hysteresis iron eddy current losses. There are two types of fan motors found in furnaces: 1.) A MERV rating speaks to the filters ability to capture large particles. Remove both of these wires and wire nut them together. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? Cockroaches and waterbugs coming in through the vents was my big clue there. Does a summoned creature play immediately after being summoned by a ready action? It shouldn't take more than a few minutes a day to record the data anyway. Using a hammer, lightly tap out the blower motor shaft (fig.6.7) to loosen the blower motor from the fan shroud (fig.6.8). It allows three constant fan speeds as well as an automatic fan speed and a variable burn rate and compressor and fan speed. Since hot air is much lighter . I understand that the higher speed is probably for cooling (for which we have a separate duct system and handler), but is it the case that the speed can be switched to a higher fan speed? The same is true when changing the air duct filter. American Standard air handler troubleshooting Remove two screws from each bracket leg holding the motor. Select Climate from the blue menu on the left side of the page. Typical setups include these wire colors with associated blower speeds. I thought of a way to prevent the nasty smell been coming through the vents, keep the cockroaches and rats out, and heat the house without having to go down and repair the ductwork, all at the same time: seal up the foundation vents with insulation and replace the thermostat with a remote bulb thermostat locating the sensor under the house. The installation instructions for this furnace are needed in order to be able to know how to set these dip switches. 3.5 x 400 = 1400 CFM. Press Apply to save and exit. Remember that a heat pump in heating mode will need to run with roughly the same airflow speed as during AC mode even though it may not be comfortable for the building occupant. In order for the filter to work properly, the right size is crucial. I have another question about my new Trane XV95 Furnace. But I guess my question is, can the air flow problem really be a simple as upping the blower speed? Can a furnace with a variable speed blower be used in a multistory house? Put the air handler back. You can verify the actual CFM by measuring the TESP of the system and comparing it to the manufacturer's airflow data sheet. The installation guide clearly describes how to set airflow for heating mode and cooling mode. The wires that are used will determine the speed settings that the motor will run at. This control board is out of a variable speed furnace with a modulating gas valve that has a variable speed inducer motor. I have a Carrier furnace/heat pump with an expensive control thermostat that talks directly to the heat pump. The heat exchanger can be overheated and burned out if the blower does not remove enough heat. The system also accounts for blocked vents and dirty furnace filters, and adjusts fan speed as needed to compensate. I do know that my entire furnace runs safely on a 15amp breaker with the blower on high, the burner running, the humidifier running, and the water pump to empty the humidifier running. HVAC filters help remove dust, dander, and harmful particles from the air inside your home. With heating oil at $4.50/gal I can assure you without measuring anything that running my blower on low is NOT more efficient from a $$ perspective. That will give you the most reliable results for your particular system. Copyright 1995-document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. If the ohm meter comes back with an open line reading, the switch is bad and needs replaced. If you do, you may not have enough air flow over the heat exchanger, resulting in overheating and eventually a shorter exchanger life span. One fan is inside the house, and one is outside the home. Mine. Step 3: Find the furnace draft inducer. As a side note, lowering furnace (heating) blower speed should apparently only be done if it doesn't reduce the "heat rise" (difference in temperature between the intake and supply air, if I understand it, also known as the "delta T") past the manufacturer recommended value for that furnace. The MERV scale rates filters from 1 to 16. Which thermostat wires control the furnace fan? The arrow should face the direction the air is flowing. Disconnect between goals and daily tasksIs it me, or the industry? I'm also a little concerned that this furnace might be a little undersized for our house (if I understand correctly, its a 100 BTU unit). My heat is running cold! Slowing the blower speed reduced the noise but I take it you would still like it to be more silent. If the terminals are present at the motor module (ECM X-13) you can switch speeds at the blower motor location. Any takers? Its a common occurrence in the heat of the summer or the cold of the winter one room doesnt get as warm or as cool as the others. allows the furnace's circulator blower to operate at a slightly lower speed (85% of desired speed) during a combined thermostat call for cooling and dehumidistat call for dehumidification. (Variable & Multi-Speed Types), In this HVAC training article, we will be discussing how to adjust the fan speeds on an indoor, In order to measure air flow you could use a flow capture hood, a rotating vane anemometer, or a, I hope this helps you understand how to adjust the airflow speed on ECM Blower Motors! Select your preferred wire with the warm temperature and connect it to the 'heat' port. Thanks for all your continued support! Your R value shouldn't change, and daily average wind speed and precipitation should have a minimal effect on the convection coefficient. The wires are several different colors. enjoys making jams and jellies during fruit season along with cooking meals. Website operating problems contact Webmaster. The factory may only set two or three of these colors as actual speeds. The low pitched whine stops when fan is in high speed. Western VA. Nov 28, 2009. For 240v units, both the L and N are hots. We have a Trane XL80 furnace manual in pdf version that you can download for free. Available from Trane Dealers in select locations. If the instructions are not with the furnace, you can look up the model number of the unit and search for the installation manual via a google search. When you open the panel, it kills the power to the furnace. 3 of the wires will likely terminate with just a twist on cap. Radiant floor heat web sites are mysteriously silent on this simple and cheap modification of pre-exisiting systems to accomplish the same goal. On this control board, there are multiple adjustments for the airflow speeds. Does Nest utilize all the benefits of a communicating furnace, Low speed furnace fan blower motor will not shut off, How to calculate efficiency of old Westinghouse furnace VS new variable speed Furnace. (Variable & Multi-Speed Types) In this HVAC training article, we will be discussing how to adjust the fan speeds on an indoor ECM variable speed blower motor and an ECM constant torque/multi-speed blower motor. ASE Certified Master Auto Technician Yes you can change it, how to do it is in the manual, yes there can be downsides, no it probably won't fix your air balancing issues. Copyright There are also red and brown furnace speed wires. But the 'real' one will be the one connected with a twist on cap to the fan motor. Adjusting the Airflow Speed on ECM Blower Fan Motors! How does a furnace work? But, in looking up the manual for this furnace (TUD1B100A9361), it looks like there are 4 blower speeds. It was working a week ago but just recently when it runs it blows out cold air. Thanks for the reply. Locate your thermostat on the page and click System Mode. Recently I did a blower speed adjustment on the 2nd floor air. In this case, to adjust the blower speeds, move the dip switches (in the red section of the control board) to the positions shown in the manufacturer's installation instructions. . video below! Based on some randomly googled comments here: http://www.inspectorsjournal.com/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8998& seems to agree it decreases efficiency but may increase comfort [ex: cold spots or noise level] :). However, during the time period while the compressor is not engaged I need to circulate more air on the second floor or it becomes stale. If you have not read that yet, I would encourage you to do so! To recap: The service technician might be able to increase (or decrease) the blower speed, but that would probably lower the AC's cooling efficiency. They do this by coupling a sophisticated, programmable thermostat to a variable-speed motor. Make sure power is off when doing any adjustment. The A/C will run according to the thermostat settings. This trick only works on gas furnace systems with a multi-speed blower. I know that it has been done. No need for direct trane replacment motor. The most important factor is temperature differential - the difference between the inside temperature and outside temperature. Oil Furnaces may have a temp rise of 50-60F. In this HVAC training article, we will be discussing how to adjust the fan speeds on an indoor ECM variable speed blower motor and an ECM constant torque/multi-speed blower motor. Website operating I assume you are speaking about dip switch settings. Heat exchange takes time. Where To Find R-22 & R410A Leaks on AC Units! (Heat transfer wasn't one of my favorite classes in college - I focused more on dynamic systems, sorry.). I think I had it on my hard drive, and the hard drive crashed on us last winter. Here are some of them: Better circulation of heated and cooled air. 10 Reasons a Blower Fan Won't Start in a Furnace, AC or Heat Pump. Air Filter - Be sure to check the air filter and replace if necessary. ago. The remaining colored wires will be default speeds. The video will also explain other safety measures, as well as some for a demonstration which I will show. Helm is an accomplished DIY craftsman. HVAC system for small church has twin Trane XR90 units installed in 2009 to replace a unit with a much larger single blower. This will allow you to access the control board. Craig is a licensed Teacher of HVACR, Sheet Metal, and Building Maintenance in the State of New Jersey of the USA. Does lowering the blower speed of a forced-air furnace lower its efficiency? The manometer tells you the CFM number. The air handler houses the fan and fan motor and is usually located in the basement or attic. I think that when it is in enhanced mode the fan only runs at 50%, you can try changing your dip switches to see. I'm not sure exactly the formula I'd use to normalize the results, but I'm pretty confident I could come up with some correlation if I had the data to play with. He also builds custom tools for metal working. Electric Furnace Sequencer Replacement Instructions for Home Repair Blower fan will not run: A failing sequencer may have a burnt contact and is unable to switch the fan and heating coils ON. The company offers a variety of furnaces to suits the needs of every home. I'll edit my answer and include the exact parameters I'd record every day for a thorough study. Pollen, dust, clothing and carpet fibers, hair spray, mold spores, Pollen, dust, clothing and carpet fibers, hair, mold spores, legionella, pet dander, Pollen, dust, clothing and carpet fibers, hair spray, mold spores, bacteria, pet dander, cooking oil, most tobacco smoke, smog, Air filters are the first defense against the pollutants in your air, but building a complete air filtration system can help support an even higher quality of indoor air. The constant air turn over at a lower set point keeps the house comfortable. The blower fan on this blower has four speeds. Published: 05/19/2021 Author: Craig Migliaccio, About the Author: Craig is the owner of AC Service Tech LLC and the Author of the book Refrigerant Charging and Service Procedures for Air Conditioning. Privacy Policy. Once you have located the panel, remove it. During the awake hours I Hold the fan speed at either low or medium. A MERV 16 filters particles at a level near that or a HEPA. The main difference is that the fan ON setting means that the fan is set to run as long as the furnace is switched ON. It had been set on the higher speed, but that was too harsh, so I lowered it to the slower speed. We have been heating the crawl space in our house for several winters because the ductwork was all torn up from rats. The hot air will rise and heat the floor from beneath, a DIY form of radiant floor heating. These blower motor versions can be found in furnaces, air handlers, and packaged units. Click On under Emergency Heat. It is about 1300-1400 sq feet, but then the basement was finished at some point, more or less doubling the square footage. What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? Is it suspicious or odd to stand by the gate of a GA airport watching the planes? Step 3: Adjust the Pulley on the Blower Drive Motor ECM blower motors do not require an external capacitor to operate. To understand how this works, let's look at the wiring on your furnace's blower. The arrow should face the direction the air is flowing. If there isnt one in your home, turn it off at the breaker box. Certified Welder But I'm reasonably sure it uses less to run on high vs low then it uses to run on low vs OFF. Air Conditioner + Furnace Matched Systems, Air Conditioner + Air Handler Matched Systems, Does Your Air Conditioner Smell? Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. And I'd guess you're not supposed to push it too close to the limits as things may change slightly over time (filter will get dirtier, blades dirtier). A continuous green light means the IFC circuit board needs replacing. problems contact webmaster@doityourself.com. If you are a homeowner looking to repair your own appliance, understand that the voltages can be lethal, the fuels are highly flammable and high pressures are used. Also related, with for instance a variable speed furnace, since it runs continuously and reduces "cold spots" you might find you can set it at a lower degree setting than the off/on kind. You could also use the Temp Rise Formula which you can learn about in our "HVAC Temp Rise Formula used to Measure Airflow CFM" video. How to change the fan motor speed on a gas furnace grayfurnaceman 148K subscribers Subscribe 190K views 10 years ago Furnace blowers A description of how to change motor speeds with a. suggestions. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commissions at no cost to you. How to change blower speed on furnace - Trane XB 2018 Ryan W 794 subscribers Subscribe 185 44K views 4 years ago A quick description on how to change the blower speed on your furnace. you will get the better dehumidification with the lower setting. Slowly flashing shows your furnace is on and does not need heat. Sometimes you have to add more ducts to achieve the proper pressure and velocity. Well, it does make sense that lowering the blower speed would reduce its electrical consumption. Anyone? She has experience researching and creating a wide range of home improvement and garden projects, and especially enjoys learning about fireplaces and exterior design. Most homes are best served by a filter with a MERV rating of 8 to 13, but refer to your system's user manual or with a Trane employee for guidance. The constant torque/multispeed motor will have the smallest module. Check out our free Quizzes to test your knowledge here! #3. The heat exchanger warms up the incoming air and a blower or air handler sends the warm air throughout the home. Fortunately, theres a simple fix if you look at your furnaces Integrated Furnace Control (IFC) board. If you remove the common and place it on another terminal, it can burn out your motor not how you want the new furnace season to begin. -The "System Type" is the CFM per ton to be adjusted between low, normal and high. Proper duct sizing can resolve the issue you are having. Since I first posted this thread, my installer called Trane to get an answer to my original question. Step 3. The S8X1 blower has 9 speeds. DoItYourself.com, founded in 1995, is the leading independent home improvement and repair website. That said the contractor has no real incentive to get it right. The house has a 3 ton trane xl20i and an xv80 (4 ton max). Tools that we use: www.amazon.com/shop/acservicetech. Be sure to check out our previous article on ", If you want to learn about refrigerants and how they work in a system, check out our. To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience. Once you cut the power, you can remove the cover of your furnace to get access to the control board. Step 2: Remove the panel cover of the furnace. Locate the wire for the new speed setting ("medium" or "low"), remove the wire nut from its end and use wire strippers to strip 1/2-inch of insulation from the end of the wire. Why is there a voltage on my HDMI and coaxial cables? Can I retrofit a 2-speed or variable speed blower on a Payne PG8UAA forced air furnace? I'm in the process of re-wiring my blower to run on high with the furnace. You will need to look at what the programmed speed designations are for M1/M2/M3/M4/M5 on the wiring diagram of the HVAC unit. Switch the power back on and test it. All information is provided "AS IS." Most require that you open a box (2 screws?) Has anyone done this and can anyone give me a reason why I shouldn't do this? Air filters are measured by Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values (MERV). New XV80 Trane furnace makes noise when blower runs at low speed. Related: a two stage furnace works by actually shooting less gas out, which might improve its efficiency. I was reading the Trane XL824 thermostat installation and setup manual. Again, this can usually be found in the upper-left corner. I just had a Trane system installed last week and I've been very happy with it! If the blower motor hums, check the blower fan to ensure that it spins freely. H.R. Not every AC or furnace filter will have an arrow printed on the frame, but when it does the arrow indicates the direction the filter must face. These blower motor versions can be found in furnaces, air handlers, and packaged units. I could imagine possibly fewer "warm up cycles" (which also include having to power on the fan) might save something (as well as lower fan speed=less electricity)but as others have noted, while its running (esp. If your home has multiple HVAC systems, there will likely be at least one air filter for each unit. Why is my furnace blower running at low speed? We welcome your comments and suggestions. Example: Rated Btu Input = 60,000 / 10,000 = 6 x 150 = 900 cfm of required furnace airflow. The furnace operates for two minutes or so before it shuts down. This will help prevent injury and. Why do many companies reject expired SSL certificates as bugs in bug bounties? Match the positions to the desired pictures within the manufacturer's installation literature. To begin, turn off the power to your furnace. He is committed to outdoor cooking in a Bar-B-Q pit he welded together several years ago. Bundle Packs are a great way to save and get faster shipping! During "Fan On", the fan runs at 50% of whatever the maximum speed of the fan is. If you have a plug instead (ECM Broad Ocean) you can only make the adjustment at the control board or at the plug terminals at the end of the wiring. I would think adjusting the heating element would save more energy than reducing the blower's electric consumption, but I didn't do a study on it myself. The induction motor begins running. The automatic feature rarely kicks in once at set point. If the Delta T continues to rise, this is due to low indoor airflow. Can this be adjusted When one of the taps is powered with 24v, the motor will turn on and run at the selected speed. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. 01 - Trane Furnace Control Board. BS in Industrial Technology, If you know what you are doing, it is very simple to adjust the speed of, Before you begin this process it is a good idea to make sure that no power is going to the fan. I have also measured that on low speed my furnace requires AT-LEAST 1 hour of constant running to raise my home temp by 6 deg F. On high speed it takes 30-40 min. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. Then switch the jumper to your desired speed. After understanding what speed each tap is programmed for, we can make proper airflow adjustments. The question is would the trade-off be in favor of less blower energy consumption and more loss through exhaust, or more blower energy consumption and less loss through exhaust.