Need help selecting replacement furnace blower motor

mrnedburns · 05-12-2012, 11:43 PM

Hello, my blower motor on my old Bryant died today. It had been laboring for a year and finally gave up. I'm looking for a replacement motor online and could use some help.

Original motor:
GE 5KCP39LG
115V
1/2HP
60HZ
7.9AMP
4 SPEED
1075RPM
BELLY BAND MOUNT

When the shaft is pointed away from me it spins counter clock wise.

I've tried to find a cross reference chart but am not having any luck. So far I've found three motors at emotorstore.com that look like they'll do the trick:

FASCO D902
FASCO D701
FASCO D806

The prices of those vary from 80 - 160 bucks which makes me think there is something about them that I don't understand. Could someone with blower motor experience let le know which route I should go for a new motor and capacitor?

Thanks!

NB

Doc Holliday · 05-12-2012, 11:50 PM

Four speed means:

High
Medium high
Medium low
Low.

One of those will be "parked" on the control board, unused. Look on the old motor and follow each wire to where they are on the board before removing the wires. Write them down. You'll have high on cool, medium high on fan, medium low on heat and low would be parked or some configuration close to that sort.

The hp (1/2) and the rpm (1075) will have to match. Each motor will state on it what size capacitor you need. You can simply go to Grainger and buy that and probably the motor as well.

Are you certain it's not only the capacitor that's bad?

Doc Holliday · 05-12-2012, 11:56 PM

Try here as well.

http://www.americanhvacparts.com/

mrnedburns · 05-13-2012, 12:21 AM

Thank you for the quickly replies! I'm nearly certain the motor has failed. It needs a push to get moving and even then, it whines incredibly loud and won't keep speed long at all. The capacitor isn't visibly bad (no bulge or discoloration) but I'm no pro.

I have a Grainger not too far away. It sounds like you recommend going there rather than ordering from emotorstore.com. Ill give Grainger a try. Voltage, HP, RPM, and physical size are the big things, then? Sounds like a 3 or 4 speed will work if one of the speeds isn't used.

I took several pictures of the wiring before I disassembled anything. I think between those pictures, the wiring diagram on the old motor, and whatever comes with the new one I should be OK. Don't be surprised to see me posting wire diagram help in a few days though

.

joecaption · 05-13-2012, 12:31 AM

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/hva...Z1z13me8?xi=xi

REP · 05-13-2012, 01:13 AM

Take the old mtr with you to Graingers to make sure you get the right replacement.If there is a wiring differance the counter person should be able to help with that.

Doc Holliday · 05-13-2012, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrnedburns

Thank you for the quickly replies! I'm nearly certain the motor has failed. It needs a push to get moving and even then, it whines incredibly loud and won't keep speed long at all. The capacitor isn't visibly bad (no bulge or discoloration) but I'm no pro.

I have a Grainger not too far away. It sounds like you recommend going there rather than ordering from emotorstore.com. Ill give Grainger a try. Voltage, HP, RPM, and physical size are the big things, then? Sounds like a 3 or 4 speed will work if one of the speeds isn't used.

I took several pictures of the wiring before I disassembled anything. I think between those pictures, the wiring diagram on the old motor, and whatever comes with the new one I should be OK. Don't be surprised to see me posting wire diagram help in a few days though

.

Not a problem, that's why we're here.

You'd need a digital meter that tests UF/mfd (microfarads) to test that capacitor. No bulge or looking good doesn't really mean much. It actually sounds like it's the cap. Might want to think first about simply buying a new cap for that old motor and replacing the cap as it's a bunch cheaper than buying a meter to test anything or buying a motor. You never know, you may get lucky.

Doc Holliday · 05-13-2012, 01:17 AM

Those caps can look perfectly good yet become weak which makes it difficult for the motor to run at full speed and eventually to start at all. Very common.

biggles · 05-13-2012, 07:38 AM

if you free spin the squirrel and it brakes or rumbles in either direction the bearings are dried out. if it works with other spare speed wires then it is the CAP

Ravenworks · 05-13-2012, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc Holliday

Are you certain it's not only the capacitor that's bad?

I just went through this,thought it was the motor after testing and replacing the cap the motor took right off.

mrnedburns · 05-14-2012, 02:18 PM

I stopped by Grainger and picked up a new capacitor for my original motor, a new Dayton motor, and a new capacitor for the Dayton. I'm going to reassemble the system with my old motor and new capacitor to see if it was just the capacitor. If that's the case I'll return the Dayton and matching cap. If it still has problems I'll install the Dayton, it's capacitor, and have a shiny new capacitor to keep on a shelf next to a dead GE motor :|.

Thanks for the advice, all. I'll update with the progress.

mrnedburns · 05-15-2012, 08:26 AM

The old motor still had trouble even with a new capacitor. I ended up replacing both and now it is whisper quiet and quite chilly in here.

Thanks for pointing me to Grainger and for the capacitor advice. $130 total repair cost, and my wife is impressed with the handyman skills. Win win.

Have a nice day.