Attic fan not working, has power
#1
04-27-09, 02:45 PM
Attic fan not working, has power
Quick question. My attic fan is not working but has power going to it. I tested the wires going to the fan and got a good 120v reading. The fan will move, though a little tough to turn. Not having much experience with these things I have no clue. Any insight? I should add that there are two wires coming from the fan, a black and a white. They are hooked up to wires running along the attic and into where the attic light is. Most likely a rig job by the previous owner, but there is power none the less.
#2
04-27-09, 02:56 PM
Motor is shot..bearings most likely. You can get new motors for vent fans almost anywhere (HD, Lowes, hardware stores). If its a whole house fan or a mushroom vent fan, you may need to go to a Grainger store or just replace the whole unit.
#3
04-27-09, 03:05 PM
Member
You might not have "power". Chance are that you tested for "voltage". To get "power", you need both voltage and a complete circuit.
Does the fan make any noise at all or move at all when you turn it on? If the motor is shot, you would usually get at least a slight hum.
Chance are that it's a "little tough to turn" only because you're turning the motor as well as the blades.
You could try turning off the breaker, connecting the two wires that connect to the fan to an simple $3 naked-bulb fixture from the home center, and see if it will light the bulb. That would truly tell you if you had "power".
Does the fan make any noise at all or move at all when you turn it on? If the motor is shot, you would usually get at least a slight hum.
Chance are that it's a "little tough to turn" only because you're turning the motor as well as the blades.
You could try turning off the breaker, connecting the two wires that connect to the fan to an simple $3 naked-bulb fixture from the home center, and see if it will light the bulb. That would truly tell you if you had "power".
#4
05-01-09, 03:11 PM
Originally Posted by John Nelson
You might not have "power". Chance are that you tested for "voltage". To get "power", you need both voltage and a complete circuit.
Does the fan make any noise at all or move at all when you turn it on? If the motor is shot, you would usually get at least a slight hum.
Chance are that it's a "little tough to turn" only because you're turning the motor as well as the blades.
You could try turning off the breaker, connecting the two wires that connect to the fan to an simple $3 naked-bulb fixture from the home center, and see if it will light the bulb. That would truly tell you if you had "power".
Does the fan make any noise at all or move at all when you turn it on? If the motor is shot, you would usually get at least a slight hum.
Chance are that it's a "little tough to turn" only because you're turning the motor as well as the blades.
You could try turning off the breaker, connecting the two wires that connect to the fan to an simple $3 naked-bulb fixture from the home center, and see if it will light the bulb. That would truly tell you if you had "power".
#5
05-02-09, 12:08 PM
Member
So I repeat the suggestion in my last paragraph. You assert that "the two wires going directly to the fan definitely have power" but you don't say how you "definitely" determined that.
#6
05-03-09, 12:01 PM
Member
Fan
Is this a belt driven fan/motor combination? If so, the belt tension has probably shot the fan bearings. I had this happen. I installed central heat and air and got rid of the fan.
