Gas and Oil Home Heating Furnaces - blower motor
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taekwondo1
04-01-02, 12:17 PM
watchout...new homeowner here...have a 30+ year old Lennox gas forced air furnace with a 5 year old central A/C system. Live in a cape with master bed on second floor. Heat seems to work ok but now that summer's approaching looking to boost aiflow to second floor. Currently have a belt driven 1/3 hp blower on top of a cage. Question..can I upgrade to a direct drive unit with variable speeds? Does it make sense? I installed individual dampers on the ducts to tweak things out but need to squeeze a little more efficency out of the system...any advice is appreciated.
jonathanisaac
04-01-02, 04:49 PM
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ahasbeen
04-01-02, 08:44 PM
Before you do an upgrade on your blower, which you can do, I would definitely consider replacing the furnace with a newer, high efficiency one. By the time you pay the cost of a new direct drive squirrel cage, install it, reconnect ductwork etc., you've got half the cost of a new furnace. I thinkyou will have a short-term payback. To convert, you must find out the CFM capacity of your existing and get the same size or a little higher CFM. If you have a/c, then the current blower speed probably is "set" to give you comfortable warm air in the heat mode. Therefore the low speed on the new direct drive should be of the same CFM capacity as your existing, and you can boost air flow to medium or high speed for cooling. Want a bandaid? Tighten up (turn clockwise) your motor pulley. This will increase air flow, but you may need a new belt, and an ampmeter will keep you from overloading the motor. Give Lennox its last rites, the new furnace will probably have a built-in direct drive.
taekwondo1
04-02-02, 06:13 AM
Thanks...looks like I'll spring for the new furnace after the summer..appreciate all you help..
PDF
04-02-02, 02:32 PM
good advise.What belt level are you?I took CHOI SHIN DO classes for a year and a half---after 2 bad hamstring pulls--I went back to playing ice/roller hockey.I still use the stretching technics and kicking moves to warm up before a game.
Do your shopping now for a heat system.This is their slow time of year.PDF
Do your shopping now for a heat system.This is their slow time of year.PDF