On Mon, 15 Aug 2016 09:34:37 -0700 (PDT), Uncle Monster
wrote:
On Monday, August 15, 2016 at 10:07:13 AM UTC-5, trader_4 wrote:
On Sunday, August 14, 2016 at 10:19:57 PM UTC-4, wrote:
If you get a chance or inclination some time, it would be a good idea to install a hard wired surge arrester on your air handler/furnace to protect that expensive ECM blower motor. ECM's are more efficient but dang they're delicate!
o_O
[8~{} Uncle AC Monster
I don't mean to go off-topic, but, what should I look for in buying such a surge arrestor for my (mini split) AC?
What words should I look for?
Do they come as part of a circuit breaker, or are they something that goes in-line with the wire, but after the main panel?
I used an Intermatic ig1240rc3 at the panel for whole house protection.
You install a new breaker and wire it to that. That should protect
everything that's only connected to AC, ie not also connected to cable,
telephone, etc., from incoming surges. Putting additional surge
protection right at a furnace with electronics and ECM motor can't hurt.
When I was still working, the ECM motors for consumer AC systems were just coming down in price enough that they were showing up in mid grade equipment so most of what we were installing surge protection on were the older PSC, Permanent Split Capacitor Motor units. The protection still kept the capacitors from getting blow out of them. Of course there were the vulnerable electronic control boards in the heat pumps that also needed protection. The most damage we repaired due to lightning and power surges was out in the rural areas. I wonder if it is the density of ground paths in the cities that protects a lot of equipment in those areas? o_O
[8~{} Uncle Damaged Monster
When the fancy motor crapped out in my trane TWE (a few months out of
warranty) I went back with a high efficiency standard motor (4 speed).
The tech said the motor and the card was bad. We replaced the whole
system last year and I saved the whole blower unit. I am not sure what
I am going to do with it but it was too good to throw away. I may use
it for an attic fan or something. It did occur to me that I could have
made my own variable speed air handler with that motor, a timer chip
and a few relays. The actual operation was pretty simple.
I am going with simple these days. I chucked the solid state
programmable thermostat and put a T-87 in ... wife ready.
http://gfretwell.com/ftp/Girls%20thermostat.jpg