Goodman Heat Pump - Blower Motor

I have a frustrating situation that hopefully someone can help me with.

We have a Goodman Heat Pump (about 12 years old) with emergency heat unit on the inside. I am having problems with the blower fan within the air handler. (emergency heat doesn't work, so we're without heat at the moment except for wood stove) The problem began with the fan motor humming and trying to turn with minimal rotation. The fan turns freely by hand, so the bearings seem ok.

I replaced the run capacitor. Applied power and turned on the heat pump....nothing. I put the old cap back on the fan started right up. Install the new cap again and the fan started right up again. Standing there confused, I closed it up and thought everything was ok. The fan will run for approx. 10-15 minutes and then turn off prematurely before the house heats up.

Replacing the capacitor for the blower motor...was hoping that would be it but reveals that it is not.

Looking at the wiring schematic on the panel, I see that there is a BTDR -"Blower Time Delay Relay". When the fan is not running and heat pump is running, I can hear intermittent clicks in this relay and another (sequencer relay) mounted inside. Could these relays be the culprit? Anyway of troubleshooting these relays? Anything else that I can check?

Firstly, there is not a circuit board within the unit. Only a screw terminal strip mounted within the cabinet.

I applied power via breakers to heat pump & fan, the fan started up immediatley. When running, it's very smooth, quiet and working as it should. This only last for max. of 5 minutes. Then, the motor begins slowing down, stops and hums. This will last approx. 3-5 min before all power is shut off to the fan motor by the unit itself. It will sit there for another 5 min or so, power is applied by the unit again and begins trying to start...fan moves very slowly, stops, hums then power shut down again by the unit. This cycle repeats itself until I flip the breakers. Sometimes, the motor will start again.

When the power is shut off to the motor by the unit (hum stops) the cap read 0.00 VAC.

Motor Leads:

Black to BTDR (Blower Time Delay Relay) Relay on Terminal #1

Red to inline splice - unused/capped off

Purple to 30A breaker

(2) Brown to the cap

237 VAC between Black on BTDR and Purple on breaker - This was taken while motor stopped. I can get motor going again and take another reading if required.

Readings:

The cap read 305 VAC while the fan/motor was running smoothly.

The cap read 265 VAC while the fan was stopped/motor humming.

There is 240 VAC continuous at the 30A & 60A breakers in the unit.


Screw Terminals: These are the only wiring connections aside from the thermostat low voltage wiring and wiring to outside unit.


R - Red runs to #4 on transformer

G - Green runs to "H" on BTDR

W1/W2 - Brown runs to "M3" on relay sequencer

W2 - Yellow runs to M3 on relay sequencer

C - Blue runs to "H" on BTDR


Readings:

24.5 VAC between Yellow and Blue

25.5 VAC between Blue & Brown

25.3 VAC between Green & Blue

25.6 VAC between Red & Blue


Hopefully, I have retrieved enough info, if not, please let me know. It's gotta be something very simple I feel. My gut instinct directs me to the relay(s)...I don't know.

Thanks so much for your efforts in helping me out!

 

It does sound like a bad relay. Johnstone has them.

Do you have 240VAC between purple and black (to the motor) with demand?

 

Wow, nice pic, alot better looking than the one on my unit cover.

You mean the black that is spade lugged to the BTDR? I put my meter on that spade lug and the purple at the breaker and got 237VAC....only when the motor was stopped. I can check with the motor running if I can get it running again. Should I take a pic and post where I am checking or of any of the components?

 

If you have 237VAC from the black BTDR spade and the purple at the breaker, (meaning your motor is getting correct voltage) it would seem that your relay is working properly.

 

Which means the motor is shot correct? Just wanting to confirm before I create this expense.

Out of curiosity, when the motor starts and runs great for several minutes then stops as explained in my original post, does this mean that there are internal parts of the motor that are bad and/or about to go out completely?

 

I have a janitrol [goodman] heat pump and I've had to replace the blower motor twice since the unit was installed new about 12 yrs ago. Mine did as you describe, run for a little bit and then shut off. For whatever reason it seemed to run longer when the air handler access panel was removed and me in the crawlspace watching it than it would if I crawled out from under the house

Since there was only one local supplier that carried the motor I needed and they won't sell to diyers, I had to order mine on the internet. Cost a little under $200 for motor, capacitor and shipping. Mine uses a 1/3 hp motor.

 

As Mark has stated, you need a new motor.

 

Sigh Ok, new motor it will be. Yes, same here Mark, mine will do the same thing if I "watch" it. lol

Well, thank you all so much, you've been a big help.