How To Clean A Blower Wheel
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- Опубликовано: 7 июн 2018
- In this video I show how I typically clean a blower wheel and assembly. It's pretty standard stuff for the vets but hopefully some of the new guys may find it helpful. This was a 14 year old Bryant system that has seen better days. The wheel is pretty corrected due to the ocean air but we got it as clean as we could.
We used Viper Heavy Duty Coil Cleaner by Refrigeration Technologies. In the 15:1 mixture I used, it is strong enough to get the job done but safe enough to not kill the grass. This makes it a very versatile cleaner.
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Nice to see took apart,brush wheel first, then wet,apply CC to housing.wheel.I carried small white lithium grease gun apply to shaft of mtr,slides back in easy, tight wires up and re-install, check capacitor/amps .Better performance after done . Good one Brad
Michael Lee Thanks Michael!
yep, testing the Run-Capacitor is well within the 5% tolerance value is good insurance to prevent burning the motor with imbalanced windings.
Replacing the cheap Run-Cap every 5 years is good too
✌️
What sucks is that not all hvac techs take pride in doing things right, you definitely provide good honest service, paying techs like you is well worth what you charge
Thanks. Your clarity is great- easy to follow and learn from. Much appreciated!
Simple job done well, very thorough...Excellent! Thank You!
Great video, I just had a tech do mine, very thorough and meticulous like you. 3 hours including travel time. I will be doing it next time.
What is approximate charge to have service clean a blower?
Great job, thanks for the step by step!
Worth mentioning that you both not lose nor reposition your balancing clips.
Great Video Brad. That’s the same way I clean mine. Love the Viper Coil cleaner. I stock Refrigeration Technology products in my shop now for like last 4-5 months
HVAC Uncensored Thanks brotha! It must be a DMV thing. I've been doing it this way since I started in the trade when I lived in Northern Virginia
I love watching some good "maintenances".
This is so very helpful, thanks!!
Nice video, thanks!
I have had good luck (you may wanna try) with an auto parts cleaning brush (round handle, round head, with stuff bristles about an inch and a half long).
I really like your short but always very informative videos.
+Chuck DeArruda Thanks Chuck! I have a half dozen different brushes in the van but seem to grab a different one every time. 🤣
I wish you lived in my area so I could hire you. I hired people to clean the "ducts" who then only cleaned the registers and took my money. Then I hired other people who actually cleaned the ducts for the money. But my heater is still blowing out dirt! Now I'm thinking that the problem is with the blower wheel. Thanks for showing how this is done.
Thank you for watching!
Nice video and good job. I usually coat the motor shaft with anti seize to prevent rusting. Thanks!
M Croley Great idea! Thanks for watching!
What is best for lubricating motor shaft? I read not to use
WD 40. My outdoor a.c. unit blower sounds terrible at the return inside the home (mobile home. Return is on the floor.) When the air reaches temperature, and the unit shuts off, i can hear the blower slowing down with a metal scratching sound. Very low squeak also. It is absolutely filthy in the blower wheel. The entire floor of the outdoor unit has thick wet gunk. Maybe bearings? Or can dirt n gunk cause the blower to sound like that? Going to clean the whole unit tomorrow and try leveling it out more because it definitely is leaning.
Great vid. I've done at least 100 of these and rarely get away without having to use a puller.
When I first started I was always using the puller but I havent touched it in a long time. I do exactly what this guy did loosen the set screw to let it drop then sand it down and add a little wd40 slides right out. Those pullers are a pain in the ass anyways, for me it's an absolute last resort.
This guy is pretty good so... 😆🤙
Thank you for showing how you clean blower wheel
Andrey Roos Thanks for watching Andrey!
HVAC in SC I just seen this, although it’s 9 months, the WORST blower where I ever saw, was a vets unit, hair galore, the curves were FLAT, From Maplewood nj
Good job man
Nice job.
Homeowner: "bUt I aLwAyS cHaNgE mY fIlTeR eVeRy MoNtH!"
That thing had whole-ass mushrooms growing on it.
I'm not a pro but have done this job several times on my houses. I always used a wire brush and compressed air and didn't have to take it apart. Maybe your approach is more complete but for sure mine was faster. About 10 minutes tops. Compressed air gets most of it off and then the brush gets the rest. Thanks for the videos!
+bunberrier This only takes about 15 - 20 minutes when not videoing the process. Also if you have mold or mildew present brushing off and hitting with compressed air doesnt rid the assembly of spores.
Thanks for watching!
Can you do it without pulling the blower? Thanks!
You just saved me 200 + dollars
Very professional bro. On to the next call.
Wire brush beats Emery cloth every time
👍thats the way its done
Clint Glasgow Thanks for watching Clint!
Great video...
Thanks..
Good job a lot techs might just clean the blower wheel but the housing is also full of dirt.
man that brings back memories! how many of those puppies have I cleaned? I remember one had a couple of dryer sheets inside the wheel and it was almost completely obstructed. Nasty. I used greased lightning and a tooth brush.
I really like Nu-Calgon CalClean for evaporators and fan blades
Well Done
Great video very professional I did hit the thumbs up and the subscribe I do wish you had showed how to clean the motor seeing it kind of helps but great video anyway
I have an antique one of those
Its a new brand of coil cleaner for me. Nice video.
tecnico Thanks for watching tecnico!
I like the stuff that peels off the paint.
I dont
I can write my name in the street w/ the cleaner I use lol
Tim Riley 🤣🤣🤣 I've used a few like that!
Thanks for watching Tim
Need one of you physically taking it out 🤪 mine has a mess of wires in front of it 🤔
Thank you so much for this awesome content!
I like how you kept it professional and didn't say 💦😹👍
Moist
VCG Construction the moist Army is here😸💦
I did this to a 95 Trane a few years ago, I had no idea what I was doing. Mine was filthy.I took some time cleaned down to shiny metal,put it back together, there was a noticeable difference in performance, worked great til burner detereriorated and I couldnt find parts.
Nice video saludos desde argentina
Sergio Mansilla Argentina!! Awesome!! Thank you for watching Sergio!
Wish I saw this $350 ago lol. My guy is good, but he got me this time
Good video. I always enjoy a cleaning of a funky blower/evap/condenser, but what about the grass? if that cleaner kills the grass, you'll have a big brown spot there, and then it'll be a patch of dirt. Some people don't care. Some people who pay a lawn service *$$$$* to treat their lawn every month will scream bloody murder.
Just a thought.
I would clean it in a tub and then dump out the chemicals somewhere.
Cooll Asice As mentioned in the video 5:50 and in the description, this cleaner does not kill grass or destroy property at this mix ratio like many others on the market. That's why I am using it where I'm using it.
Thanks!
I had a not so good start to my relationship with viper heavy D today actually. I bought a brand new bottle and set it in my van by the side doors. Well I got to my next job open the doors, bottle falls out cap flies off and I loose 1/3 of the bottle in the driveway. I'm going to try and call them as I feel like they could improve the cap to be like other coil cleaners I have used before.
Joe Shearer I store all cleaners in a plastic tub because I've had way to many leak over the years. I do agree that the cap could be upgraded. They appear to be glued on when I get them and once opened if you tip it, it can leak for sure.
I'll mention this to them. Thanks Joe!
Got it didn't hear that part, the gardener will feel better lol.
Wow that squirrel cage was dirty! Good job cleaning man! Awesome video!
As for me, I'd not brushed like you. I used to wash it via Karcher. Of course after tearing down!
Could not have done it any better.I like the new logo! What about the sprayer that You suggested like the coil gun. Are You still using it and how is it.
TP Services Thanks Tony! I still have and use it (works great!) but I was recently sent a Refrigeration Technologies coil gun to review so I'll be using it for a few weeks on coil cleans.
I use a power washer with no soap does a great job
People, this is why it is important to keep your air filters changed
Grate
Fantastic video great cleaning job! I'm going to be doing maintenance on my 20 year old attic furnace. I'm not sure if I will be able to do all this myself I will try but if not I'll have to pay for a A/C experience trained technician. One question why didn't you just use the amazing Dawn soap instead of paying for chemicals?
Because the cleaners we use are specifically designed for the job they are used for.
Thanks for this video! Mine looks just like that right now. Is it tricky to get the blower out of the air handler? Any warnings?
There are other videos that show you how to do it. Not rocket science. Just take your time and take pictures to be put things back the way they were.
Thank you. Do you have a video about how to remove and replace this part from the air handler itself. I'm scared to try!
First time i see a fan motor coming out without a fight
Almost all come apart like this with proper prep work.
Can the blower wheel be vacuumed while still in assembled in the furnace housing inside the house or does it have to be removed?
Dig the fast forward audio!
My blades have a lot of rust spots all over the blades. I rinsed and used fan blade cleaner. Lots of dirt came off, but still this rust or rust like stuff will not come off. What should I do?
Nice cleaning video
I never seen these kind of blower before.Can you me what is the purpose of this blower?
+RICH MAN Its the way the systems circulate air through the duct system on all residential and most commercial systems.
Thank you for your video, very informative! I recently had my entire duck system cleaned due to allergies. However one of my furnaces is very old and continues to produce allergies. Considering the ductwork is relatively clean I looked over the blades on the blower wheel and they look filthy. Could this simple dirt because in the allergies that are experienced in the house?
Absolutely! Any biological growth on the blower, the coil, or inside the cabinet can certainly trigger allergies.
Thanks for watching!
Get a Reme halo
Look into a UV Air scrubber
for the blower-housing/wheel cleaning, use and maintain a pressure washer, no chemicals needed. or go old school and use a stiff bristle scrub brush and hose >_>
I hate physical labor myself, but I'd be the number one or two fella you'd want in a panic/emergency/need to get work done situation :))
I have a pressure washer but would never put that bulky thing in my van for this sort of work. Takes up far to much space. Besides, without filming this whole process takes under 20 minutes. It’s stupid simple. Maybe on some large commercial equipment but not these little things but hey, there is always more than one way to go about it.
If there is a car wash near the job, their pressure washer works really well. It sprays hot soapy water at high pressure. It will make quick work of the nastiest of blower assemblies.
yep that too. car-washes all over the now.
I had a blower wheel and housing that was so coated in kitchen grease, nicotine and cigarette smoke that evap cleaner, dawn dish soap and scotch brite pads wouldn't get it back to normal. I finally got out the nuclear option: Nu Brite. 2 applications of that, and every bit of dirt and grease melted off. Blower started faster, moved more and and didn't shake the whole air handler any more after that.
Robert L Kitchen grease and cigarette tar are a royal pains to get clean for sure. That nuclear Nu Brite will eat through anything. My old van had a hole in the back floorboard where I spilled that stuff. lol
Thanks for watching Robert!
Yep, if I bust out the blue bottle, I plan for at least a half an hour of rinsing afterwards. Any little trace of that stuff left will make fins go away in short order.
Robert L - Nu Brite is #1. Everything else is 2nd best. Don't even waste ur time or money with anything else.
I let the wheel soak in detergent while I wash the housing and blow dust from the motor and clean the blower compartment. come back later to the wheel and the shit falls right off!
+dustinnovo I've done that a few times over the years but I find this method works great for me. Wouldn't matter how long this old wheel soaked. Its as clean as it can get at this age.
Thanks for watching Dustin.
I cleaned mine about a year ago ... probably time to do it again. I'd do it more often if it wasn't a pain to get the blower assembly out of my housing. Have to move the controller board away because it's in the way of sliding the blower assembly out. Anyway I took the wheel out of the housing too and then used a pressure washer with a little detergent in it. Just use one of the lower pressure nozzles and it cleans the crap right off easily.
How much would that level of build up effect performance? That’s what my impeller looks like now.
Why dont we have companies like this in CT!
does regular maintenance and cleaning of a blower assembly help with house hold allergens etc ?
I needs a wire wheel with a hex Chuck like yours
www.amazon.com/dp/B00N2TTHNW/?ref=exp_hvacinsc_lv_dp_vv_mat
They come in handy find em at the Harbor Freight
I carry a tank of CO2. Take the blower and housing outside like you did and just blow it all out. Seems to work pretty good for me.
Bill Howard With some light surface dust I do the same thing. With mold or mildew like this we tear down and chemically clean.
Thanks for watching
My only complaint is I see yellow instead of red. ;)
Channel Cat Chaser 🤣🤣🤣 I hear ya. Thanks for watching buddy!
HVAC in SC, I'd appreciate your opinion. Last month my hvac was under water (fresh, not salt) for three days. Is it possible to clean and replace parts to get the heat running again; or do I have to throw the entire unit out and buy a new furnace? My wife and I expect to move out of this house in the spring, and just want to get through the coming winter. Thank you for your perspective.
+agwbcfjc2 My biggest concern would be if the ductwork got wet. If it did the likelyhood of biological growth (mold/mildew). In that instance I would suggest replacing at least the ductwork.
If its just the condenser unit (outdoor unit) that was flooded and its running normally now it may be fine with just a little cleaning.
Thank you for your input. I appreciate it.
🌴😎👍
I usually just take the motor off and leave the wheel in place, take it to the laundry tub and run hot water and green clean spray it while brushing it , quick rinse and she's ready.
+Adam Walker
I have many different ways of cleaning blowers depending on age and how dirty. This is only one example. Over the last 20 years Ive probably used every method possible.
For me, it's just as fast to take out the last 2 screws and remove the wheel from the housing when they really need cleaned.
@@HVACinSC would it be a good idea to use a dermal to get some of the corrosion off and use rust o leum to product from rust and air it out before installing?
No. There would be nothing left after you attempted that. Not to mention you would likely throw the balance of the wheel way off causing more issues and would be terribly labor intensive.
6:15 still strong enough to make you wear gloves. Lol 😊
I wear gloves so I don't touch the nasty shit that builds up on the parts I'm cleaning and they help prevent cuts. Has nothing to do the the cleaner bud. 👍
Was the evap dirty too? 👍 on viper.
Nor-Cal Refrigeration & H.V.A.C It was a little funky but it was a slant coil air handler so it was simple to clean in place. 😎💪
HVAC in SC I like those. I’m going to check out the viper cleaner green one. For my hippies out here. Lol
Could you pressure wash it ? I was thinking it might knock some of the rust off also. ? I’m going to do my own and was thinking of pressure washing it.
I just removed the cage & scraped off each blade, then broke out with the mini leaf blower 😁not as clean but definitw
Ely scouping better air
Thanks for watching
thats what im talking about
How much would you charge for this? Trying to get an idea what to expect localy?
Do blowers get as dirty if they have a media filter in front of them? I'm assuming this is a 1" filter on this system?
Really nicely done video BTW. I wondered what this process looked like.
Nate the House Whisperer Thanks Nate!
Yes this system uses a standard 1" filters.
With a media filter, the dirt that does collect is very fine partials and usually very simple to clean.
The only time I see those applications get chunky and bad is when airflow is inadequate causing the wheel and housing to reach dew point and grow funky stuff. Those get nasty!
HVAC in SC Hadn’t thought about dew point from low airflow. Thanks for teaching me a new thing!
What is an average cost to clean the blower wheel if it has to be removed from the unit
how much time does the company you work for allow for a standard maintenance?
+Blue Collar We have 4 different maintenance options. Our lowest maintenance option takes about 45 minutes. Our highest maintenance option takes about 2.5 hours on average.
that's a pretty good system.
Blue Collar Its worked pretty well so far. We've been doing it this way for just over a year now.
Great informative video but if i want the wheel to gleam, ill put in a new one. I just pull the assembly apart and hose it down and put it back together.
I give my customers all their opinions and only do what they want to pay for.
Thanks for watching.
The fan is mounted backwards, If it sucks air from the center.
🤣 Fan is mounted correctly Boss. 👍
Personally I think since you did have everything apart you could of made the extra effort to use a brush of sorts to make sure everything is clean. Not just rely on the chemical and if it didn't take off everything oh well. I understand time is money but there is thing called doing things to your best ability, that's just me. I'm in the heating and cooling field too and see it everyday.. I did give you a thumbs up cause you where very professional, thanks for sharing. Rick from Swansea Illinois.
Richard Mitchell As I explained and showed in the video it was as clean as possible minus getting a sander out. 😆
Its 14 years old 5 miles from the ocean. If you're unfamiliar with what happens to equipment on the ocean, it rusts out and all the brushing in the world won't change that.. Thanks for the opinion bud
I understand just looked like it needed a little more TLC. I do want you to know that you do more than most do and I understand about the rust. Thanks for your great videos and keep up the great work, hope I did not offend you I just see so much poor craftsmanship in my area. Rick from Swansea Illinois.
Contracter wants $250 to do this to replacement.Im tempted to do it again but its in a rental unit now might take me too long.
You are paying for mainly labor and labor aint cheap in this or any other industry.
This is a much newer unit,I think its worth having a contractor come in do it right and efficiently, hold them accountable for work and get insight into why unit should even need this procedure.
How much should this cost to have done by an HVAC company?
make sure the balance weight don't come off or you will have a shakey furnace
Can you compressed air to clean the motor or do you have to use nitrogen?
Compressed air works fine too
I have to admit that none of the equipment I work on is in salt air, so I am not familiar with the impact of that air on blower wheels. That said, this process did produce what I would call a moderately cleaner wheel. When I clean a wheel, I use the self service car wash bay, and I get a wheel that looks basically brand new. I'm sure that in some localities, there is not a self serve car wash in many miles, and a home power washer might do just as well. For context, the equipment I service is in commercial spaces, and often has not been touched in over a decade. I get sent out because the store complained of poor cooling, and I sometimes find the vanes 100% full of who knows what. Using a cup brush to clean the motor shaft IS a good idea, too.
+Art Houston No customer is going to pay our labor rate to drive to and from a carwash. Maybe doing that on your personal ststem is one thing but far from cost effictive for a business.
Also it is absolutely impossible to make a 14 year old blower wheel on the ocean front to look brand new unless you install a brand new wheel. 😁
Thanks for watching.
I think you misunderstood. I'm talking about my customer's commercial equipment. And yes, they DO pay my labor rate.
Art Houston Cool. We clean all equipment on site. Both residential and commercial.
Are you supposed to oil the motor or anything before you reassemble?
These motors have sealed bearing and can't be oiled
Holy crap why would you go so far into tearing it apart and cleaning like your gonna eat off it! It’s just going to get filthy again! Blowing it off with an air compressor does a hell of a job and doesn’t cost the customer an extra hour!! I’ve done tons and never was disappointed with an air compressor cleaning!
Air compressor ain't getting off this stuff bud. Kinda why you see me using a brush and cleaner... because it dont just wipe off.
The reason this is done is to improve indoor air quality. It happens to be sorta important to some people to not breathe this stuff in and they appreciate you not blowing that stuff all through the house in an attempt to half ass a job rather than taking the time to do it right.
That's why
@@HVACinSC Hmmm - if the particles cannot be removed from a surface without physically scrubbing with a wire brush how is it that we are concerned that normal air flow will remove the particles and distribute in the living space? Serious question BTW.
Thats not the concern and not why blower wheels need cleaned. They need cleaned because dirt builds up in the scoops drastically reducing airflow which decreases performance and increases electric consumption.
I want to but that brush attachment you got on the drill. Can you send a link on eBay?
+Daniel L I dont use ebay but you can find the ones I use in the Amazon link in the description of the video.
mine was so filthy i removed the motor and took the squirrel cage to the carwash since it was close,, the high pressure water spun the thing and it was clean in 30 seconds.
Hopefully you removed the motor or you will be replacing it soon. 😆
Ever had the customer complain about using thier garden hose and water?
+Jeff Poore Never had anyone complain about using their water and I bring my own water hose.
This is great , but what about removing it video ?
As much as I`ve learned from this video, You didn`t show me how to take that darned thing out of the handler.
Because every manufacturer does it differently.
You got more dirt on the housing by putting it in the dirt than was on the housing to begin with. Is washing it with cleaner really necessary?
You tell me. Sounds like you're the pro. 🤔😆👍
or yiu can use Dawn dish detergent
Sure! You can use just water too, but purpose built cleaners are far superior.
Where you at in SC?
+timrob0420 Myrtle Beach area
@@HVACinSC nice, I'm from that area. I'm a HVAC tech up in Seattle right now though. If I ever move back home maybe I could give you a shout for some work.
Nice. I’m from Myrtle beach also but live in Richmond, VA doing hvac.
Won't kill grass?
David Nope. Not in a 15:1 mix
How long does this typically take?
Usually around 30-45 minutes
I sold them new wheel lol
chad sanders I'm a service tech, not a sales tech. lol
Where in SC are you based out of man?
Coastal SC near Myrtle Beach
Heres how I clean a blower wheel. Order a new wheel. I'm done in 20 minutes and it's cheaper for the customer.
+Jeff Peterson This only takes about 20 minutes and is way cheaper than a replacement wheel around here but if that works for you thats all that matters.
Thanks for watching