"Regular" motor Replacement for A GE ECM X13 Motor


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Old 12-16-12, 08:04 AM
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"Regular" motor Replacement for A GE ECM X13 Motor

Hello, I am a Newbie here. I have searched the archives for my answers before actually posting them because I couldn't find what I needed to know. I'm working on a self-contained AC/heat pump unit with an inside fan motor. It's a GE ECM 5SME39HX L015 (not sure what the L number is either) It has the symptoms of a bad module on the back of the motor. Slow, erratic starting, oscillating. All of the mechanicals and freon on the unit have been checked and are good. The module or a complete motor is very expensive. I would like to replace the motor with a "regular" capacitor start/run type of motor. I know from the elect drawings I'll need a contactor for the 230v (ECM motor 'hot' all the time) with the 24v "speed" control powering the coil of the contactor instead. There are 2 "speed" wires coming from the control board and one from the t'stat (N/C). Of the two from the board, one "speed" (High) comes from the defrost cycle part. and the other must be the run "speed" (Med.) NOW my question. I can't tell what fan speeds these two connections are so I can get an idea on what RPM "range" to look for in a single speed replacement motor. Thanks for any help or insight on this and leads for the "regular" motor I will need.
 
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Old 12-16-12, 09:25 AM
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Let me get this straight.
You want to remove a two speed condenser fan motor and replace it with a single speed fan motor.
You will not be using the defrost control board anymore ? or if you are how do you know it's working correctly ?

I'm not sure I'd handle the repair like that. Anyway.....with that aside you'll need to get the fan motor part number and either look it up or have it looked up and find out what motor it would be subbed with. Then you could determine the speeds from the subbed motor.

I ran your motor part number at Graingers. It comes up with 34 possible replacements.

HVAC Motors - Motors - Grainger Industrial Supply
 
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Old 12-16-12, 03:19 PM
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For proper operation you should install the oem motor as it does run on certain speeds in different modes. It also is more energy efficient than a psc motor. Can you do what you are asking? Sure... you lose all the delays and such as the control board determines when the motor should run, but you can do it if you want.
 
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Old 12-16-12, 09:06 PM
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Thanks for the reply hvactechfw. The way I see it, from the schematic, only two modes/speeds are being used now. A high speed for the defrost cycle and medium speed for 'normal' running. Low speed comes from the T'stat that's not connected. Everything the control board does now will still be done with the use of, at the most, two contactors. One for the high speed 24vac 'signal' going to the coil of a contactor and another for the medium speed 24vac 'signal' going to the other coil. In other words the board will still control the 'regular' motor the same way it does the ECM, same delays and what ever else it does, but only with a one speed motor. The board will stay connected and not changed in anyway. As for energy efficient, the price of a ECMotor will be recovered in, what?, 10-15 years over the price of a psc motor?
 
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Old 12-16-12, 09:20 PM
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Yes, PJmax, I want to replace a ECMotor with something else. If it has to be a one speed psc motor, OK. The defrost board will still control the psc motor. Only instead of a direct connection to the ECMotor with a 24vac 'signal', I'll connect a contactor that has a 24vac coil and the board will control the contactor to run the 'regular' motor. I've got the ECM physical size and have 'binged' the size and have gotten many 'hits'. No problem finding one that 'fits'. I was just wondering if anybody here could give me an idea of a RPM to work with.
 
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Old 12-17-12, 03:06 AM
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Typically it is going to be 1075 rpm. What is the make and model number of the unit?
 
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Old 12-17-12, 10:38 AM
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It's a Coleman Model # PH?3001 1?21A
^ ^
Maybe a 2 5 The number is worn some.
 
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Old 12-17-12, 03:40 PM
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really need the model number to help more. A partial is not going to cut it.
 
 

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