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Default Swamp Cooler Problem (periodic shutoff)

I live in Colorado, and am having problems with my evaporative cooler.
After running for about an hour or so, the fan always shuts off, even
though the water pump continues to run. This applies for all settings
(high cool, low cool, high vent, low vent). After resting for an hour
or more it will work as normal.

The fact that the water pump is still running seems to tell me that the
problem is not electrical. Any ideas? is this normal for swamp
coolers?

Any help is much appreciated!

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Default Swamp Cooler Problem (periodic shutoff)

My garage cooler does that once and a while. It has electronic controls with
a remote control. I just unplug it for a while and it seems to reset.

AZCRAIG

www.vintagetrailersforsale.com


wrote in message
ps.com...
I live in Colorado, and am having problems with my evaporative cooler.
After running for about an hour or so, the fan always shuts off, even
though the water pump continues to run. This applies for all settings
(high cool, low cool, high vent, low vent). After resting for an hour
or more it will work as normal.

The fact that the water pump is still running seems to tell me that the
problem is not electrical. Any ideas? is this normal for swamp
coolers?

Any help is much appreciated!



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Default Swamp Cooler Problem (periodic shutoff)


George E. Cawthon wrote:
Tim Killian wrote:
wrote:
I live in Colorado, and am having problems with my evaporative cooler.
After running for about an hour or so, the fan always shuts off, even
though the water pump continues to run. This applies for all settings
(high cool, low cool, high vent, low vent). After resting for an hour
or more it will work as normal.

The fact that the water pump is still running seems to tell me that the
problem is not electrical. Any ideas? is this normal for swamp
coolers?

Any help is much appreciated!


Most coolers have an adjustable pulley on the motor shaft. A good
installer is supposed to set the pulley diameter adjustment so the motor
runs at it's rated current. It sounds like your motor is overloaded and
that is tripping the built-in thermal cutoff. Have somebody who knows
what they're doing go up there and adjust the pulley for the proper
loading.


Yes the motor is overloaded, that's why it gets
hot and shuts off. But if it has been working ok
before, it has nothing to do with the pulley.



I live in New Mexico and have a similar problem. Just this season, when
the fan is on "high" (I only have 2 settings), it will all of the
sudden slow down to low (for 5-30 seconds) and then speed back up again
to high. This has never happened before and I have lived in the house
for 3 summers. I do the maintenance myself, but I didn't notice
anything untoward when I was setting up the cooler this spring. It
sounds like it might be the motor and/or bearings? But how do I find
out? And is it easy to replace the motor? Thanks!!

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Default Swamp Cooler Problem (periodic shutoff)

The most common reason for the motor to periodocly shut off like this is
that it is over heating and the thermol protection system kicks in to
protect the motor.

The most common cause for a motor to over heat; is the belt is simply to
tight. You could have worn pillow bushings, but if they are causing that
much pull on the motor you would hear a god awful noise from them.

To test your belt tension grasp the belt between your thumb and forefinger
and apply light up & down pressure (approximatly 3 lbs). The belt should
only move about 3/4 to 1 inch.

To adjust the belt varies, usually you will find a bolt that holds the
motor mounting bracket. It is usually in a cresent shaped slot. Loosen
this bolt "a little" and move the motor toward the pulley slightly. If
you move it too much, just redo it until you can only move the belt as
above. If the belt is too loose, the worse that can happen is the belt
might slip a little.

To learn more service and repair information on evaporative coolers, visit:
www.easycoolercare.com

Larry Galpin
The Cooler Doctor


Service, Repair & Enhance the Performance of Your Cooler Yourself and Save
$100s Every Year!
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Default Swamp Cooler Problem (periodic shutoff)

replying to coolerdoctor, Edification1 wrote:
Hello CoolerDoctor,
I am having about the same problems since getting a new unit on the roof.
Everything is new except for a plug with wires for the pump to plug into.
Basically, I have a switch (hi-low cool /hi-low vent/ pump only) located in
our house, with a new 12/3 line hooked to it, that electrical line runs up
into the attic to a junction/splice box where another new 12/3 electrical line
finishes the run up to the motor/pump. I believe it is wired correctly, since
the installer just copied what was already there and I never had any issues
with the old unit shorting out/overheating. I have not checked the tension on
the belt yet, so I will do that tonight to see if that fixes the issue, but
other than that I am at a loss as to why it keeps shutting down. It's weird,
in either of the high settings it will just stop, when on the low settings it
stops then tries to start again going through various speeds to get back to
low. Could it be the old plug that is hooked up to the 12/3 line or could it
be the splice in the attic? I just don't know and would love some electrical
help in this matter.

Sincerely
Edi

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Default Swamp Cooler Problem (periodic shutoff)

On Thu, 31 May 2018 15:44:02 GMT, Edification1
m wrote:

replying to coolerdoctor, Edification1 wrote:
Hello CoolerDoctor,
I am having about the same problems since getting a new unit on the roof.
Everything is new except for a plug with wires for the pump to plug into.
Basically, I have a switch (hi-low cool /hi-low vent/ pump only) located in
our house, with a new 12/3 line hooked to it, that electrical line runs up
into the attic to a junction/splice box where another new 12/3 electrical line
finishes the run up to the motor/pump. I believe it is wired correctly, since
the installer just copied what was already there and I never had any issues
with the old unit shorting out/overheating. I have not checked the tension on
the belt yet, so I will do that tonight to see if that fixes the issue, but
other than that I am at a loss as to why it keeps shutting down. It's weird,
in either of the high settings it will just stop, when on the low settings it
stops then tries to start again going through various speeds to get back to
low. Could it be the old plug that is hooked up to the 12/3 line or could it
be the splice in the attic? I just don't know and would love some electrical
help in this matter.

Sincerely
Edi


Check the water level in the pan. Is there to little water, the pump
float drops and shuts off the unit? Is there restricted water flow?

You will not see this as Home Groaners Hub censored me in 2006 and has
me blacklisted.


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Default Swamp Cooler Problem (periodic shutoff)

On Thursday, May 31, 2018 at 11:44:06 AM UTC-4, Edification1 wrote:
replying to coolerdoctor, Edification1 wrote:
Hello CoolerDoctor,
I am having about the same problems since getting a new unit on the roof.
Everything is new except for a plug with wires for the pump to plug into.
Basically, I have a switch (hi-low cool /hi-low vent/ pump only) located in
our house, with a new 12/3 line hooked to it, that electrical line runs up
into the attic to a junction/splice box where another new 12/3 electrical line
finishes the run up to the motor/pump. I believe it is wired correctly, since
the installer just copied what was already there and I never had any issues
with the old unit shorting out/overheating. I have not checked the tension on
the belt yet, so I will do that tonight to see if that fixes the issue, but
other than that I am at a loss as to why it keeps shutting down. It's weird,
in either of the high settings it will just stop, when on the low settings it
stops then tries to start again going through various speeds to get back to
low. Could it be the old plug that is hooked up to the 12/3 line or could it
be the splice in the attic? I just don't know and would love some electrical
help in this matter.

Sincerely
Edi

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for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...ff-119607-.htm



"Everything is new except for a plug with wires for the pump to plug into. "

You can't plug a plug into a plug. Seems this is easy to diagnose with
a volt meter when it's having the problem. If it's a new unit, who installed
it and why not just call them?
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Default Swamp Cooler Problem (periodic shutoff)

replying to trader_4, Edification1 wrote:
The plug (no cord, just the outlet and the wires) is female, and it is wired
to the 12/3 line, the pump has a power cord that plugs into it. The motor is
hard wired directly to the 12/3 line, (no power cord on the motor)They were in
charge of installing the swamp cooler, pump, and waterline. They want to
charge me 300 hundred more dollars to do wiring. It worked just fine with the
old motor, wired exactly the same as it is now.

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On Thursday, May 31, 2018 at 8:14:11 PM UTC-4, Edification1 wrote:
replying to trader_4, Edification1 wrote:
The plug (no cord, just the outlet and the wires) is female, and it is wired
to the 12/3 line,


That's called a receptacle.



the pump has a power cord that plugs into it. The motor is
hard wired directly to the 12/3 line, (no power cord on the motor)They were in
charge of installing the swamp cooler, pump, and waterline. They want to
charge me 300 hundred more dollars to do wiring.


Why, was there something wrong with the existing wiring and circuit? Normally you would not change the wiring, just the equipment. And if it's new gear that they installed recently, what's the warranty? Seems they should come fix it.



It worked just fine with the
old motor, wired exactly the same as it is now.

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Default Swamp Cooler Problem (periodic shutoff)

replying to trader_4, Edification1 wrote:
Everything worked fine before all the new stuff was installed, that's all I
know. When they mounted the swamp cooler on the roof, the motor position
changed by about two feet. The original wiring wasn't long enough to make the
run, so the installers attached a two foot piece of 12/3 wire to complete the
circuit. That is why I initially thought it was all the wiring splices that
was causing the short circuit, hence the new line. But I adjusted my belt
last night, loosened it alittle bit, and now it works fine in both low
settings, but on high it shuts off after 10 minutes. Any advice, other than
having them come out and possibly mess things up worse? I am trying to sell
my house asap, already have a closing date and all that so looking for some
fast answers that can be applied before this Monday.

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Default Swamp Cooler Problem (periodic shutoff)

On Fri, 01 Jun 2018 13:44:01 GMT, Edification1
m wrote:

replying to trader_4, Edification1 wrote:
Everything worked fine before all the new stuff was installed, that's all I
know. When they mounted the swamp cooler on the roof, the motor position
changed by about two feet. The original wiring wasn't long enough to make the
run, so the installers attached a two foot piece of 12/3 wire to complete the
circuit. That is why I initially thought it was all the wiring splices that
was causing the short circuit, hence the new line. But I adjusted my belt
last night, loosened it alittle bit, and now it works fine in both low
settings, but on high it shuts off after 10 minutes. Any advice, other than
having them come out and possibly mess things up worse? I am trying to sell
my house asap, already have a closing date and all that so looking for some
fast answers that can be applied before this Monday.


From your description it seems that the motor is overheating. When
you disconnect the belt from the motor does the large fan pulley move
freely and smoothly? What about the shaft on the motor?

It is possible that there is a defective bearing in one or the other.

I would call the installer and have them resolve the issue as the unit
is new.


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Default Swamp Cooler Problem (periodic shutoff)

On Friday, June 1, 2018 at 9:44:05 AM UTC-4, Edification1 wrote:
replying to trader_4, Edification1 wrote:
Everything worked fine before all the new stuff was installed, that's all I
know. When they mounted the swamp cooler on the roof, the motor position
changed by about two feet. The original wiring wasn't long enough to make the
run, so the installers attached a two foot piece of 12/3 wire to complete the
circuit. That is why I initially thought it was all the wiring splices that
was causing the short circuit, hence the new line. But I adjusted my belt
last night, loosened it alittle bit, and now it works fine in both low
settings, but on high it shuts off after 10 minutes. Any advice, other than
having them come out and possibly mess things up worse? I am trying to sell
my house asap, already have a closing date and all that so looking for some
fast answers that can be applied before this Monday.

--


I have the feeling that there must be more to this story. If you just
had this installed, you have a closing on Monday to sell the place, you
don't have the skills to diagnose it yourself, why haven't you called
the company that recently installed it? Sounds to me like this is one
that fell off the back of a truck and was installed by some hack on
the cheap or something. I can see someone who has the skills maybe
wanting to poke around first to find out what's wrong, but that doesn't
appear to be the case here.

Did this come as one brand new unit? If so, then we can assume the motor
is correctly sized for the blower. So, if it were me, like I said in
my first reply, I'd take voltage measurements when it's running and
especially when it's not. Running is there ~240V (assuming that's the
motor voltage)? When it's not, is there voltage at the motor terminals?
Is there a wiring diagram that shows any interlocks, safeties? Does
the blower move reasonably freely by hand? The symptom of shutting off
only on high would point to an overloaded motor that cuts off when it
overheats. Is the motor hot when it stops?
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Default Swamp Cooler Problem (periodic shutoff)

replying to None, Edification1 wrote:
That's what I am going to do. I am tired of fixing things myself.

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replying to trader_4, Edification1 wrote:
It was installed "professionally" superior water and air did the install. I
am having them come back out to find the solution, I'm done trying to fix
someone else's mistakes. Thank you though for the imput! I really appreciate
all the help!

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replying to cm, Laura D Shelton wrote:
Cant see what you said because Google is covering it up with ads that will not
close. ****es me off

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On 5/28/2020 6:14 PM, Laura D Shelton wrote:
replying to cm, Laura D Shelton wrote:
Cant see what you said because Google is covering it up with ads that
will not
close. ****es me off

Get an ad blocker. They work well. I use AdBlock


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Default Swamp Cooler Problem (periodic shutoff)

We have a new mastercool unit (for up to 2000sf) that only shuts off if we turn it on high. It will run without any issue on low or medium. Other than not using it on high, do you have any recommendation on where to start?

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